Of all the holidays we celebrate, Halloween is one that the kids like most and it’s nearly upon us. All the witches, wizards, ghouls and zombies who’ll be going out trick or treating on 31 October will be preparing their outfits. Some of those outfits will have big pockets to stash all those treats that will be handed out on the night. But kids who don’t have poc kets are going to need a bag to put them in. A plastic bag or backpack is going to spoil the look because they’re not in keeping with the occasion. So why not make a reusable Halloween bag to carry the evening’s booty in?
Making a bag that can be reused and that complements a Halloween costume is easy to do, and the kids will enjoy helping with the design and making. Finding some suitable material shouldn’t be difficult. Check out what you have in your home already. It’s the green thing to do, instead of splashing out on new Halloween accessories every year.
Old clothes or bed linen will probably do the job, or check out your local thrift store for something that will do the trick. An old pillowcase will make several bags, or get creative. If you want a black bag but don’t have the material, try tearing a black trash bag into strips and knitting or crocheting it into something new. It will be waterproof as well as reusable. If you have an old vinyl tablecloth, that’s another good choice for a waterproof bag.
An old pair of black trousers will also provide material for several bags – and the side seams are already done for you. All you need to do is sew up the bottom, hem the top and sew on a handle, or even better, a shoulder strap. You could also use a luggage strap that you can clip on. Another simple option is to thread some cord through the hem to make a drawstring bag that nothing will fall out of. You could also design a small bag with a loop on the back so it can be hung from a belt. This hands-free alternative could come in useful when trick or treating.
The real fun bit is decorating your reusable bag to complement the Halloween costume. For bags made of material fabric pens are easy, but they’re not cheap, and green alternatives from things you have lying around the house are worth considering instead. Permanent markers will probably work fine. Spider’s webs are especially easy to draw and always look effective. Appliqué is a useful technique too. Just cut out your chosen shape (a skull, a witch’s cat, or whatever suits) from scrap fabric and just tack it on. You can easily take it off and replace it with something next year, when Halloween holidays come round again.