We are very busy around here right now, and there's not a lot of stitching getting done. I have just one small thing that I finished up this week, and I am super happy to show you this:
This is the cutest little fabric book that is nice and soft and squishy and just perfect for tiny humans. My friend Bernie sent me this panel to make for my newest grandchild, and I know that she's going to love it and chew on it and maybe even learn a few baby signs from it. Many thanks, Bernie! The panel is still available in her shop, and you can find it HERE so you can make your own. (And hey-- free shipping! You could even look around at a few other things while you're there, too.)
If you haven't made one of these book panels before, I'm here to tell you that they are super easy. Directions are printed right on the panel, but it's a fairly intuitive process. You cut out the pages, layer them with some batting, and then stitch around them envelope-style. Turn, press, and stitch the opening closed, then stack the pages and sew through all the layers. Presto, a soft fabric book!
For my book, I used two layers of batting for each set of pages, just because my batting (which was leftover scraps) was pretty thin. This made the pages nice and beefy, easier for tiny hands to grab. One tip I have is to pin the page numbers to your pages so that you can keep track of which page goes where. This book has no plot, so a mixup wouldn't matter much, but you know how I like things to be where they're supposed to be.
One other thing I did with this little book is to use a narrow zigzag for the "spine" of the book. Even the gentlest little person can be awfully rough on things and I didn't want it to come apart, especially if she has it in her mouth or something, so this was just a little insurance. It was a pretty thick stack, so it didn't move very well through the machine, but I did manage to get the job done.
This was a fun little project and I can't wait to give it to my granddaughter and teach her a few signs. (There is a hard cover version of this book that is very similar, also by Joy Allen, and several other books on teaching signs to your child. THIS one is very good.) Since it's so easy and doesn't require a lot of precision, I think this would be a great project to make with a child who is learning to sew, or even a younger child who could help cut and stack the pages. Then they could have a hand-made gift for a new baby, too.
This was a fun little project, and a great one to end on. At least in this house! This was my last little project here, and right after I finished I packed up the remainder of the sewing notions and thread to get it ready to move. (I marked that box "sewing room box 1" so I know to unpack that one first!) We are moving this coming week, so I won't be sewing for a little while. I'm sad to leave, but I know that new adventures and much happiness await us in our new home in Baltimore. I have a throwback post scheduled for next week while we move, and then I'll be playing it by ear while we get settled and I start working at the new school.
Best wishes to all of you in your quilty endeavors the next couple of weeks, and I'll see you on the other side of the moving van!
Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday, and TGIFF
13 comments:
Adorable!!! I love that parents are teaching their babies sign language...they learn the signs way before they can speak and it doesn't hinder their learning to "use their words"! I used sign language with my students even though none of them were deaf (some were non-verbal), but it allowed me to communicate with my entire class at once even when we were in a crowd and I didn't have to open my mouth!
My son and DIL used signs with their autistic son who didn't talk till he was almost 3. Now he's an honors scholar in college.
Such a cute book, and it looks so easy to make! Hope your move goes smoothly, and you enjoy the settling in process.
Maybe it would help to straight stitch the spine using the walking foot first to compress the layers. Then you could stitch the spine again using the zigzag. Cute idea. Good luck with the move. Hope the weather cooperates.
Pat
Mari, this is so cute, so adorable and so lovely that I just bought one myself. Don't know what baby will get it but I had to have it. I have just one question - how can you make just one? Don't you need four? One for each set of soft and squishy hands.
Mari, this turned out so sweet!! I know your grand daughter will love it - I wonder if she will learn a sign or two from it. She is nearly the right age to start to sign. I loved when H was signing. It was so darn cute - she would sign for "more", "all done", "tired", "milk" and maybe a few others. I can't remember - but it was really helpful to know what she was needing. I am glad you enjoyed making it!!
I will be thinking of you as you move on to the next adventure. Hang in there - soon you will be all settled into a new home, job, and most importantly - new SEWING ROOM!
That is a cute project! I hope your move goes well.
I learned to sign and finger spell when I was working with young people with disabilities. One time I will never forget. A dear friend of mine and his had passed away a few days earlier. When I signed to him the friend’s name and the sign for die, we both just started crying.
This is a lovely little book. I like the idea of the zig zag in the spine. it looks like it would thicken it up a bit. Good luck with the move and I'll see you on the other side.
Soft books are fun to do! That’s a cute one!
Good luck on your next venture.
what an excellent idea for communicating with tiny ones before speech comes. You've inspired me to go hunting for this now!
Thank you for showing this - I just received my panels and need to get that stitched up. We're expecting a new granddaughter in a few weeks and this will make an excellent big sister gift so she can teach the new baby.
cutest baby book ever. Beautiful finish on the quilt. How are all the changes going? Hopefully smoothly
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