Sharon Sews

What? Who said Halloween bags had to look Halloweenie? (Is that a word?) No need to send your kids out with a pillowcase this year when you can make this simple to sew Halloween reversible trick or treat bag. No pattern needed. And it has pockets! This particular trick or treat bag was sewn to coordinate with a lame fish costume a certain five-year-old I know will be wearing. Note: When I refer to side one, I am referring to the blue fabric. When I refer to side two, I am referring to the pink fabric. Cut out fabric rectangles Side One = Cut 1 rectangle 16" x 29" Side Two = Cut 1 rectangle 16" x 29" Pocket on Side Two = Cut 1 rectangle 9" x 29" Facing = Cut 1 rectangle 4" x 29" Handles = Cut 2 rectangles 4-1/2" x 20" To make pocket on Side Two Fold under 1/2" on one long edge (29") of the pocket fabric. Press and top stitch in place. Place the pocket on top of side two with the wrong side of pocket to right side of bag mat

If making repairs counts as sewing, then I have done a lot of sewing lately! Replacing broken zippers, sewing on missing buttons, re-hemming hems that have come undone, and blah, blah, blah... The most rewarding repair was a child's Halloween costume. Last summer, my girlfriend had picked up this blue/purple/green lame fish costume in a thrift store for $4. It was in great shape with the exception of a few seams that were beginning to ravel - which, if you've sewn lame before you know it is notorious for doing that - and I assured her I could fix it. And a simple fix it was. I covered the frayed seam by appliquéing a colorful cotton patch over the top of it. I added one on the other side also so it looks as if it was part of the original design. It's such a cute little costume. I'm working on a coordinating trick-or-treat bag. After all, if you're going to wear a costume this cute you might as well go all out.

Today is the day - Smoke-Free Minnesota. On Oct. 1, the Freedom to Breathe Act makes all Minnesota workplaces smoke-free. Minnesota is the 20th state in the nation with a smoke-free law that bans smoking in nearly every indoor public area, protecting workers and the public from the hazards of secondhand smoke. As a ex-smoker (almost 20 years) - let me just say "Whoo-Hoo!"