Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Making the Book
Cut six strips of fabric that are 12 inches long and 6 inches wide. The book can be larger if you would like; however, this small size is better for your baby to hold by himself. Each piece of the fabric will be folded in half to make the pages of the book. Set aside one piece of the fabric to be used as the front and back cover of the book.
Cut three strips, 5 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches, of felt. The pieces do not all have to be the same color. Bright colors will make the book more attractive to the baby. Set these aside.
Thread your sewing machine with any color thread and a full bobbin. The thread can match the fabric or be a contrasting color to add more excitement.
Create the book cover. You can attach a picture of your baby to the front or spell out his name using fabric or felt letters that you have made or purchased.
Complete the pages using the ideas provided in "Completing the Pages" below or with designs of your own creation. For example, draw your baby's favorite animals or pictures using permanent fabric markers or sew on appliqués, offering new textures to excite his senses.
Place two pages together with the activity sides touching. Sew around three edges, leaving one of the 6-inch sides open. Continue sewing the other pages together in the same manner until you have three long strips, all inside out. Turn the pages right side out and use a blind stitch to close the open side of the edges, folding the raw edges toward the inside of the pages.
Sew a seam through the middle of all three pieces of the book. Trim any loose threads.
Completing the Pages
Cut out small shapes, such as a triangle, square and circle, for a page, using half of one of the squares of felt from Step 2 in "Making the Book."
Cut a small piece of Velcro to attach to the back of each felt shape. Sew half of the Velcro to the back of the shape and the other half to one of the pages.
Cut a larger shape, as close to 5 inches tall and 5 inches wide as possible, from another piece of felt. This can be the shape of a car, pot holder, doughnut or any other shape you think would attract your baby.
Sew the shape to one of the cloth pages, almost completely. Place a small amount of cotton stuffing under the shape to make it stand out from the page. Then continue sewing to attach the shape completely to the page.
Cut in half another of the felt squares.
Sew a zipper to the two pieces of felt that you just cut, one side at a time. This will create a working zipper for your baby to zip and unzip.
Sew the felt square onto one side of one of the fabric strips. The zipper can be placed either going up and down the page or from side to side.
Cut another square of felt into a 2-inch wide strip and a 4-inch wide strip.
Sew the end of the 2-inch strip to one of the fabric strips so that it protrudes off of the end. On the opposite end of the 2-inch strip, sew a button hole large enough to accommodate one of the larger buttons you have for the page.
Attach the button to the center of the 4-inch strip of felt. Use the button to assist you with placing the 4-inch piece onto the page. Set the piece on the page so that the button hole reaches with a little bit of slack so your baby does not have to stretch the fabric. Pin the 4-inch piece of felt in place and then unbutton the 2-inch strip.
Sew the 4-inch piece of felt in place. Embellish the piece with the remaining buttons in a pattern or design of your choosing.
Cut another piece of felt in half.
Use a hole punch to punch holes along the center edges for the shoe lace through the two pieces of felt. Center the shoe lace in the top or bottom two holes. Sew the shoelace in place so that it does not come completely free from the page. Continue lacing the shoelace until it is through all of the holes. Tie the ends together as you would when tying your shoe.
Sew the shoelace page to a fabric page.