Here's a spooky twist on a place cards for this year's Halloween get together. It takes an hour or two depending on your skill level and how many ghouls you've invited to dinner.

Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate

You'll need:

* Tombstone Template (download below)
or Gothic Grandeur Patterns Pack

* Medium weight cardboard from your recycling bin (each place card is 2.5"x5") a cereal box will make 4

* Sublime Stitching Transfer Paper if you're using the download below, or an Iron if you've already got the Iron-On Transfers on hand

* White fabric (or your tombstone color of choice)

*Fabric in a contrasting color (darker than your tombstone fabric) cut into 5"x7" rectangles

*Embroidery floss in spooky colors + Metallic floss (optional)

*Embroidery scissors & Embroidery needle

* Craft Glue or Spray Adhesive

x - x - x - x - x - x

1. Choose your transfer method. I opted to use the Iron-On transfer. I ironed the image onto the fabric four times. Be sure to leave a little extra space between the imprints so you have plenty of room when it comes time to cut them out. Since the iron-ons are multi-imprint, I was able to use the one pattern for all four tombstones. Remember, pre-heating the fabric with the iron will help the pattern to "take" to the fabric.

3. I used metallic floss to give the spider webs a shimmer. I also added a customized message. Since these are for place cards, I used "here sits" as a take on the traditional "here lies" of gravestones and added my guests' name of course! Then i added the year, so that guests can take them home as a party favor and think back on how much fun Halloween 2009 was! I simply stitched the letters for the names freehand. See how imperfect they are? I decided it's much scarier that way. :) For the "2009" I used a lead pencil to very lightly write it out and then stitched over that. (Sorry for the blurry photo. Does blurry = spooky?)

5. Spray one side of the cardboard with glue (make sure you work in an area that is well-ventilate. We don't want you to get loopy from the fumes). Center the cardboard on your darker fabric. Spray the other side of the cardboard and wrap the sides and back. I chose to use a spooky Halloween fabric I found at our favorite local craft store, Ginger's Needlearts.

You could also use these tombstones as cupcake toppers by affixing the embroidered tombstone design to a smaller piece of cardboard, and attaching a toothpick or flat skewer! WhoOOoOooo!

Text, photos and instructions ©2009 Sublime Stitching®. No part of this tutorial may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from its author.