Guest Author - Kate Pullen

There are lots of great ways that you can add a little spooky crochet to your Halloween plans this year! With a little bit of creative thought all sorts of items can be given a Halloween makeover.

Trick or Treat Bags
Any simple bag pattern can be turned into a trick or treat bag. Crochet a bag using the Halloween colors of pumpkin orange and black. A large orange circle on a black background can quickly be turned into a grinning pumpkin head with the addition of some embroider. Crochet in orange and black stripes for a simpler alternative and add some embroidered text to give the bags a Trick or Treat feel.

Another variation is to crochet the bags from wool and felt them. This will give a firm and robust fabric – ideal for bags that are going to contain lots of treats! Remember when felting crochet that the finished size will be approximately half of the start size. Make sure to do a sample piece first if it is necessary for the finished bag to end up a specific size.

Crochet Pumpkins
Crocheted pumpkins make a great gift. Any ball pattern will adapt well and will make a great pumpkin. Cut triangles from black felt to create the eyes and nose and don't forget to cut another piece of felt to make the toothy smile! Crochet a ball from an orange yarn and thread a piece of yarn from top to bottom and draw this fairly tight. This will squash the ball and make it pumpkin shaped. Use pipe cleaners to create the stalk, or crochet a small stalk from green yarn.

If the pumpkin is going to be a gift for a young child make sure that the filling is suitable for young children and that there are no loose pieces on the pumpkin that can come away as this may be a choking hazard.

Halloween Table Decorations
Crochet table mats, coasters and even napkin rings for Halloween. Pick a color yarn that will follow the Halloween feel. Black, for instance, will create wonderful Gothic looking items and will make even the most mundane crochet pattern look dark and sinister! Cobwebs are also easy to crochet and can add a spooky touch to your Halloween table. Cottons are good yarns to use for this type of crochet as they are hard wearing and can be machine washed. This means that after the party your lovely crocheted items can be put to one side and used again next year.

Happy Halloween Crochet