I wanted my owl bag to have a zipper, so I took a zipper from my stash and made a line of chain stitches a yarn needle and matching yarn on each side of the zipper.
I then used a slip stitch to crochet the zipper to the inside of the bag, leaving one row as a lip at the top (mainly to help hide the zipper and stitches.)
To be festive, I added a string of colored led lights to a sequined Santa hat. The cool part? The lights show through the white faux fur brim. The battery pack fit inside the brim in the back, and I wrapped the lights loosely around, then used white thread to make a basting stitch around the brim to hold everything in. The long stitches will be easy to undo, should I need to remove the lights, and I left a gap just large enough to slide the battery pack out.
My youngest had a home-made holiday sweater contest at school. She drew up her design, and I sewed it into a red long sleeved shirt using felt and embroidery floss.
I also harvested a small led switch from a holiday decoration and sewed it in behind the snowman’s face, so there would be flashing lights.
She won.
My eldest ordered a size large costume online; when it arrived it was a YOUTH large. Oops. There wasn’t time to return and reorder, and all the critical identifying marks were on the jacket, so we ripped some seams and turned the buttoned jacket into a vest.
We obtained a black shirt and black pants to go under the vest, and I rather like the crop vest with the long shirt. It is a subtle stylized version of the character.
I modified another t-shirt. I don’t care for crew neck t-shirts (sensory thing with fabric touching my neck), so I cut off the binding, and used black crochet thread to make a blanket stitch all around the neckline, then added a simple chain 3, double crochet repeat pattern row. I like 3/4 sleeves, so I used the same 3 chain, double crochet pattern to lengthen the short sleeves, and added a scalloped edging by making five chain 1, 1 double crochet in every other junction.
I am not historically a lace person, but the practicality of it in our Texas heat is appealing. The idea of practical lace also amuses me.
Critters and Craft 