Creepy Cupcake
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Here’s a quick, easy Halloween Project for a cupcake topped featuring a spooky spider with Memory Thread legs. Display it under a small cake dome, or use it as a pincushion.
To help the piece hold its shape, the base is made from a clean, empty, single serving-size yogurt cup. Since yogurt cups can vary in size, I’ll show you how to customize the pattern to fit your own cup.
The materials needed for the project are basic: black, white brown and bright green felt squares (1 of each color), a bit of fiberfill, glue, a scrap of orange ribbon, DMC Memory Thread in black, and DMC Embroidery Floss in purple, yellow, brown, black and orange to match the felt. You’ll also need embroidery needles.
To make the cupcake base, trace the bottom of the yogurt cup onto a piece of paper. Next, trace the sides of the cup from one side of the seam of the plastic to the other side, making an arched shape. Trace the top (open area) of the cup and add 1 inch to this measurement.
If you are using the same brand of yogurt cup, you can print the full-size pattern here. Be sure to read my tips for printing patterns the proper size.
Using your pattern, cut the bottom and side pieces from the brown felt. Using a single strand of brown floss, whip stitch the side seam and the bottom to make a felt cup.
Cut the large circle for the top from the green felt (this is the one that is one inch larger all around). Using 3 strands of the green floss, gather the circle around the edges, drawing the thread so that the circle fits around the top of the yogurt cup and can be secured under the lip of the cup. Stuff the cup and the cupcake top tightly with fiberfill and secure the gathering thread.
Whip stitch the cupcake top to the cupcake bottom using brown or green floss. Cut a scallop of green felt and secure to the seam where the cup meets the cupcake top. Cover the stitching by gluing the ribbon around the seam.
Next, customize your cupcake by adding a dolop of white felt frosting and stitching it to the top of the cupcake in blanket stitch. Decorate the cupcake using a variety of basic embroidery stitches, using 3 strands of floss in your needle. I used French knots, chevron stitch, and single chain.
To make the spider body, cut a 1″ circle from black felt and gather it into a tight, fiberfill-stuffed ball. Cut four 4-inch lengths of Memory Thread and center them on the underside of the ball. Tack the centered lengths of Memory Thread to the underside of the ball using a single strand of the black floss. Secure the body to the top of the cupcake.
Bend the 8 legs into position, curl the “feet” with tweezers and secure the curls to the cupcake top using a single strand of the black floss.
Embroider the eyes in French knots or use yellow-headed pins.
Have fun!
~Emma
This is just ADORABLE! I love Halloween and ALWAYS need more pin cushions! Can’t wait to make one of these. And of course can always alter the “topping” to customize for other holidays. Thanks for sharing!
This is just too cute!! Very clever.
[...] blog. The legs are made from black Memory Thread. Additional ideas for spiders can be found on the Creepy Cupcake and Itsy Bitsy Spider projects.Need thicker legs on your spider?No problem – simply twist 2 [...]
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I made one with a ladybug on top. http://arthemise.com/cupcakepincushion-ladybug1.jpg
Getting the ribbon to sit correctly is the most difficult part, I think. To cover the seam, you need a ribbon with some give since the gathered edge is taller than the scallops. Here’s mine: http://arthemise.com/cupcakepincushion-spider1.jpg
I lOVE it! Would you mind if I posted it in the blog? ~Emma
[...] out this awesome adaptation of the Creepy Cupcake Pincushion, submitted by one of our [...]