Tim Burton’s The Nightmare before Christmas’s art department based the look of Oogie Boogie on a character Tim Burton drew in his poem that inspired the film—it was a potato sack-like creature filled with horrible things like bugs and insects. And Oogie Boogie’s sound was loosely inspired by talented African American singer, songwriter, dancer, and band leader Cab Calloway, who was featured in multiple Betty Boop cartoons in the 1930’s. Burton asked composer Danny Elfman to look to the songs “Minnie the Moocher” and “The Old Man of the Mountain” for inspiration when writing Oogie’s song in the film. Animators took that inspiration even further by looking at Calloway recordings of his mannerisms and dancing as inspiration for Oogie’s movements in his showstopping song.

Worked in the round from the bottom up, grinning stranded colorwork jack-o-lantern motifs encircle this little bag of tricks. The real surprise is on the bottom of the bag, where raised purl stitches and balanced increases create a spider web effect! A round of double yarn over eyelets is added toward the top to create a place for an i-cord drawstring closure, allowing the bag to cinch shut. Keep your dice or game pieces in it, or hide your secret treasures away from the monsters that live under your stairs.