Screaming Cat Halloween Sewing Project

We're very excited for Halloween this Saturday! Here's a Halloween decoration I wanted to share with you that I made recently. It started out as a drawing based on screaming cats from vintage Halloween decorations, but after I started working on it, my husband John, thought it should be an homage to our sweet Marvin, who passed away this past spring. So, I added some white patches to his face.

If you would like to make this, I made a template that you can find here. I didn't include the white patches, because I figured that anyone wanting to make this, will just want to make a black cat and also the white patches are very finicky and might just be easier to freehand. 

Supplies

14" Embroidery hoop

Fabric to fit your hoop (I used quilt weight cotton)

Embroidery stabilizer

Felt- black, white, green, red, yellow (this is a great project for using up scraps)

No-Sew Fabric Glue

Green thread

Directions

To make this, print the template, cut each piece out of the paper template and then use it to make your felt pieces. When making larger and smaller shapes that are the same, I like to cut the small pieces first and then place them on top of a larger piece of the colour of felt I want underneath it and cut around the smaller one to make the larger pieces. I've given you a template only for the smaller shapes so you can do this. Use approximately a 2/8" allowance for this.

For the little specks of the light in the cat's eyes, trace the circular bottom of a small spool of thread or another small circular object to make a little circle and cut out of white felt. Then, carefully cut this into a tiny crescent.

Before starting to use your hoop, trace the outside hoop onto a piece of felt and cut it out. This is going to be your backing piece once you're done.

I used a quilt weight cotton and backed it with embroidery stabilizer before sewing the finished cat head to it. This ensured that the fabric didn't stretch and buckle while I sewed it. You may choose not to use stripes like I did, as keeping those lines straight makes this project more difficult.

Cut away your stabilizer around the back of your cat head and put the finished piece into the embroidery hoop. Cut the fabric one inch around the hoop and finish the back using the directions here. I suggested that you trace the outside of the embroidery hoop for the backing instead of the inside as recommended in the instructions in the link because I tried it the way that was suggested first and I found it really awkward to get the right fit on the back. So, for a slightly quicker finish, instead of stitching the back piece of felt onto the back, you can use a permanent fabric glue to glue the felt backing to the edges of your hoop, or if you choose to stick with her method and hand stitch it, just trim your edges slightly.

I hope to make a devil and Jack o lantern based on these other drawings I made of vintage Halloween decorations- maybe for next year.

Have a great Halloween! 

♥ Andrea ♥