One Crafty Pup

Tutorial Baby Matthew's First Cloth Book

Posted by Cecillia

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Hi my lovely readers !!!!

How are you? I hope you are all doing well ^_^

Haha, i think i am going to stop apologising due to lack of posts. I have the ULTIMATE excuse: My baby !!!

I prepared this tutorial weeks ago, but i got so busy then somehow i let it passed by.

Now, let's start the tutorial ;) i am going to show how to make a cloth book. My cloth book is a collections of patterned fabrics made from several fat quarters. Each page is padded and have plastic sheet sandwich between 2 fabrics (to produce crinkly sounds. Matthew loves the sound). The book is 10 pages excluding the cover.

The finished book!!

So happy that Matthew loves the book.

(I made this book when he was about 8 months old back in May 2016)

To make the cloth book, you will need:

11 pieces of bold, vibrant colours and cute patterns. I will break down the sizes.

8 pieces of patterned fabrics with same sizes. I decided to cut mine 22x22cm already included seams allowances. As usual i have difficulty to choose which fabrics i should use cause all too cute, hehe.

1 piece of fabric size: 24x46cm seams included for the book cover.

2 pieces of patterned fabrics for the lining of the cover or page 1 and last page of the book with each size: 24x23cm seams included. Mine were:

Page 1

Last page

Note to be taken: I decided my cover and lining should be taller and wider than the pages of my book, therefore i add another 2cm to each width and length.

3 plastic sheets, i use mine from the one that use for gift wrapping.
3 pieces of batting.
Ribbons.
Long needle and embroidery thread or any thick thread will do.
Sewing Machine and supplies.

Once you decided which fabric you want to use cut all according to your desire size. My 8 pieces will be 22x22cm.

The next steps might be a bit confusing at first, but trust me you will overcome this ;)

We will be creating the book pages, where 2 pieces sewn together then matched again with the other sewn pieces. Together with the plastic sheet and batting. Plus the ribbons if any.

Step 1:

Select the 2 pieces of pattern fabrics you want to sew together. Sew then press seams open. Mine were randomly selected.

1st sewn pieces.

2nd sewn pieces.

3rd sewn pieces.

4th sewn pieces.

Step 2:

Determined which patterned fabric you want for page 2 (we will starting from page 2 since page 1 will be from the lining of book cover), 3,4 to page 8 (Again last page will still be lining of the book cover) or you can just randomly selected.

I randomly selected and this was how are my pages going to look like:

Step 3:

Place A and B right side together. If you want to add ribbons to your page, you will sandwich between the right side of A and B. Put a plastic sheet and batting to wrong side of either A or B. Pins all the way around leaving an opening for turning later. Bring to your machine then sew very slowly. It will get slippery due to the plastic sheet. Finish sewing, turn the fabric inside out slowly.

In the beginning i recommended to cut the plastic sheet a bit larger and wider than the sewn pieces to accommodate shifting of the plastic, cause it will move or shift. My to sewn pieces measure: 22x42cm after sewing. Better to cut more than that. Same thing with the batting.

You will do the same for C and D. As well for cover and linings.

My sample were RANDOM.

Pins the ribbons right side of the fabric (mine D) before sandwich with C.

I did one at a time by placing a plastic sheet, pins in places.

Then place the batting. Pins, pins and pins.

All pins in places and ready to sew.

After sewn and turn inside out.

They will look like this:

The book cover:

The cloth book almost done!

Step 4:

Top stitch each pages to close the openings. Don't need to press with iron as it will melt the plastic sheets inside.

My baby decided to play with the book first.

Step 5:

Take your long needle and thread, we are going to sew the book by hand. There are so many layers and thick it is impossible to sew using machine (i did tried few times and fails).

Use back stitch then slowly stitch. You may want to use a plier to help to pull the needle thru all the layers.

Step 6:

Give to your baby and enjoy playing with him/her.

You can use the book as a counting book, colours book, animals book, etc anything you can think of. Daddy also can play a part on reading the book ;)

I do hope you will give this project a try. Making a handmade baby book is fun and special, cause you will never find it anywhere. It is so unique.

Don't worry if the book does not turned out in 100% perfect (Mine isn't). It is the beauty of handmade.

I will see you on my next projects.

Let's Make Them!

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DIY Ocean Theme Sensory Bag

Posted by Cecillia

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0 comments

Hi, my lovely readers, i hope you are well today.

Today's post will be about making a sensory bag. I made one and it was super easy and fun. Less than 2 hours to make.

Sensory bag has similar concept to sensory bottles. It is used to expand children's sense of touch, fine motor skills, hand and eye coordination, creativity and adventure.

I don't think introducing early to your babies will bring any harm. However, keep in mind that babies tend to put everything inside their mouth. If you feel uncomfortable, you may skip and introducing later when they grow older (above 1 year old).

Please note that you must always supervise your baby during the play. Never leave them alone. And store away far and secure from your baby's reach out.

I wanted my baby to learn something new, therefore i am making one :)

If you search on the internet, you will find tons of great ideas and tutorials for making sensory bags. All are fun and creatives with different materials and elements.

I came up with ocean theme. Inside my imagination there is a dolphin, a jellyfish, a seahorses and some fish swimming around seaweeds. I think i went too overboard this time :D cause i don't think my baby will understand (yet). But, let's try to make one ;)

Let's Make Them.

You will need 1pc of freezer bag. You can find in storage section at supermarket. Most supermarkets will have stocks. I have seen at Giant, Fairprice Extra, Cold Storage, Daiso and even mini markets). As for the size, it depends on you. The one i am using is L size Daiso freezer bag size 27cm x 28cm.

For making a sensory bag, you will need rounded non sharp objects to prevent punctures to the bag. I am making my objects using glitter foam sheets. Feel free to use any rounded non sharp objects to put inside your sensory bag. It could be round beads, pom-poms, ribbons, etc.

For the sea animals (except the dolphin) and the seaweed i hand drawn then cut. As for the dolphin, i am using cookie cutter. Traced then cut.

Cut the seaweed smaller width than your freezer bag.

Hi there Mr Jellyfish.

1st Arrangement.

Googly eyes glued to each sea animals to added cuteness.

I don't want to look overcrowded, but i think need to add in something.

Pom-poms.

Hmm, how about 1 more sea animal?

Mr Seahorse and a fish.

Does it look better?

I decided to add in 1 more small fish :)

You can fill your bag with water or hair gel.

I went with clear hair gel.

My previous hair gel only left less than half tube. I went to buy new jar. I am going with blue colour.

Don't fill the bag until full as you can't move the objects.

I filled about 1/2 of bag.

Then squeezed many air as you can before slide the zipper closed.

The glitter from Mr Jellyfish came off not long after i poured the hair gel.

Use clear tape sealed around 4 edges of the bag, to prevent any leakages. I sealed 4 times.

For decorative touch, you may use patterned duct tape to cover the 4 sealed edges.

Since, i found duct tapes quite expensive in Singapore, i decided to draw my own pattern using a white colour tape.

You will need permanent markers. Preferably bold and bright colours. I am using my Sharpie markers. For the patterns or designs i am just using my patterned ruler? I do not know what this ruler called. It is a rectangle shape ruler with many sizes and shapes of circles, triangles, squares and hexagons.

Ta-da. This my final results!!!!

I drew the circles and triangles with the help of the ruler. The rest i just free hand drew them.

Wait until the ink are dry then give to your baby.

Always with adult supervision.

Stored away after play.

Hope he likes it.

Yup, his first reaction was to put it inside his mouth.

Yes, he likes it!!!!

He does not understand yet what inside the bag are. I supervised then played with him while described each animals to him.

To be honest, i enjoyed played it too :D

Fast Forward to few days later:

This was how the bag looked like.

More glitter from the sea animals came off.

The gel colour became blurry.

It looked better when taped onto the window.

All tangled cause my baby loves to crunch the bag :))

For future sensory bag prijects, i will make few amendments:

Doubled the freezer bag to prevent any leaking. I think my bag was leaking. Cause i keep smell the perfume from the hair gel.
Use non glitter foam sheets as the glitter easily came off after the hair gel been poured.
Skip making patterned tape using permanent marker cause babies tend to put everything inside their mouth. I do not want my baby tasting the ink from Sharpie.

Okay, that it, we are finish :)

I will see you again on my next post.

Let's Make Them.

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