Felt Skulls for Día de Muertos

This activity is used in Spanish classes to learn about the Latin American holiday Dia de Muerto (Day of the Dead). During this holiday, people honor and remember their deceased family and friends by creating an ofrenda (altar) and filling it with meaningful objects.  

Students were given a paper skull pattern to trace directly onto a piece of felt twice to make a front and back. They also cut felt in the shape of skulls, eyes, mouths, and other decorative markings to stitch onto one of the skulls. Once completed, students stitched the pieces together and stuffed them with polyester fiber fill. The colorful floss not only held the pieces together, but was also part of the intricate decorations common on Sugar Skulls. 

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Students thoroughly enjoyed sewing their sugar skulls, learning basic stitches (running, whip stitch and blanket stitch), and helping each other to understand the process. Teachers were pleased to see students displaying unexpected skills and hidden creativity. The project was completed in two 45 minute class periods. If any student was not able to finish within that time frame, the projects are small enough to bring back to their classrooms and complete during free time.

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