How to make a Fabric Skull for Halloween decor

Before I went on my dressmaking course, I was a big fan of no-sew glue!  (I still am really).

I love slightly different, fandom and quirky fabrics and last year I had a fat quarter bundle of glow in the dark Halloween fabrics, perfect for Halloween decor.

What you need to make a fabric skull decoration

* Skull Template (Hobbycraft do great thin wooden templates)
* Fabric
* No Sew Glue
* Ribbon
* Stick on Gems
* Iron (yeah, sorry!)
* Starch (optional)

How to make a fabric decoration

With my skull template, I drew around it on the reverse side of my fabric.  Then with my fabric folded together with the right sides (pattern side) facing each other, I cut once.  Giving me 2 pieces of fabric.

Fold in half an inch of each head, ironing as you go to keep the hem in place.  Run the glue around the inside of your new hem.  Once this is complete, place the two pieces back together again only this time with the wrong sides together.

If you're happy that they both match then run the no-sew glue around the edge of one, and glue together.  Place under something heavy for the glue to set, making sure no glue is seeping out.  You don't want you skull sticking to your spellbook .....

Whilst the glue is setting, take the ribbon and draw around the holes in your template for the eyes and nose socket.  Once cut, you may want to complete the steps as above to give the image a clean hemline, if your fabric is prone to fraying.

Once the skull pieces are glued together, use some starch all around to enable the fabric to stiffen.  When this has set, glue the eyes and nose sockets in place.

I've used stones around my fabric for two reasons, firstly as above, I don't want the fabric fraying but secondly and more importantly I've used silver stones as I've got a black nose on black fabric, and therefore doesn't stand out as much as I'd like.

I finished my skull off with some cut up ribbon for decoration and for hanging up the skull, again this is from using the no-sew glue.

The whole idea for this piece came from one of my fat quarter sewing books that I own.  It gave directions on how to make a hanging heart.  I just edited it to a hanging skull.

I have to admit though, a skull shape is quite an awkward shape to cut and glue around, but I think it worked out OK.

I was so pleased with my shape that I then went on to make a skull cushion!