Happy Halloween! Create a Felt Sugar Skull Friend with this free downloadable template!

You will need:

Pattern (click here to download for free)
Felt (two different colors: I used white and blue)
Needle
Embroidery thread (I used 4 colors, you can use as many or as few as you'd like)
Scissors

Instructions:

1. Print out provided pdf pattern.

2. Cut out the pattern and then lay the pieces on top of felt. You can pin them, but since they are small I just held them in place.

3. Cut out the Skull in one felt color. Cut out the background in the second felt color.

4. You can either embroider free hand or trace the pattern onto the Skull pieces to help guide you. I traced the eyes to help me stitch the circles.

5. Using a Back Stitch, stitch two circles for eyes.

6. Stitch back around the eyes using a Lazy Daisy Stitch.

7. Use a Back Stitch to form the mouth.

8. To make the teeth, use a Lazy Daisy Stitch. To create the nose, also use a Lazy Daisy Stitch, Tip: have the ends met so they form a point at the top of the nose.

9. Create three dots under the mouth using French Knots.

10. For the web, I used a Back Stitch. First I created the radiating lines, then stitched the connecting web lines.

11. Place the Skull on top of the Skull background. Use a Straight Stitch to tack down the Skull to the Background. Once tacked down, trim background piece if needed.

The Skull face is just a suggestion. You can create your own unique Sugar Skull using whatever stitches you prefer. Here's an example of another one, using a few different stitches.

You’re done! Now what?

Turn it into a broach: Stitch a pin to the back into a broach.

Make it into a headband: Using wide elastic measure your head and be sure to give yourself an extra half inch or so, so you can lap it over and sew the elastic together. Once the elastic is sewn in a loop, stitch the Sugar Skull Felt Friend onto the headband. Be sure to only stitch through the Bat Background piece and not all the way through to the front of the Skull.

Make it into a key chain: Cut out a second Skull Background and a tab for a key chain (provided in downloadable pattern). Loop the tab over the key ring and sandwich between the finished Skull Felt Friend and the second SkullBackground. Whip stitch or blanket stitch around the perimeter.