For #needleworkmonday I would like to share with you the fabric letters I have made for my kids.
M is now beginning to recognize her written name, so I wanted to make her something tactile to help her learn to recognize it. These letters will be a great resource as she can touch them, trace with her hands and learn the order they go in.
Of course I had to make some for baby brother too!
I put felt on the back so that we can use them with a felt board and I colour coded the felt so that in the beginning she could easily separate them to find just her letters.
I stiffened them with a cardboard layer and used layers of cotton batting so that they would be softer and make them more comfortable to handle.
First I printed templates from the internet and traced them onto cardboard for the middle. I cut squares of the material, cotton batting and felt and then slipped the letter inside. I pinned it together, carefully tracing the shape of the letter.
I am still a beginner with my sewing machine, so I used the edge of the presser foot as a guide to try and make my sewing uniform. Once I had sewn all the way around, I used the pinking shears to make the edges cute!
The pinking shears give them a slightly stylized letter shape, but I think as one tool of many to help her learn her name it will be ok. It was a fairly easy project, so I am now thinking about making the entire lower case alphabet!
Happy #needleworkmonday what did you make this week?
What a creative and fun idea! My kids would've liked these when they were learning their names. The pinking-sheared (pinked?) edges add an especially nice touch :)
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Thank you 💗 I like pinked as a verb!
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Those are so sweet! My 8 and 11 year olds have been doing 4-H sewing for 2 years now and are always looking for something to sew. I don't always have time to oversee and help. I think the oldest could definitely handle this on her own! The 8 year old could help. Then the 5 & 2 year olds could play with them! Thanks for some inspiration!
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I think it is definitely a suitable project. I would love to see how it goes :)
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Cool idea for teaching them the letters and their names. I like the process notes, would not have thought about stiffening them with cardboard.
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I made one without and it was very floppy! It would be ok.if you were only using it on the felt board but it needed some strengthening. Cardboard was a cheap and easy fix. It does however mean they cant go in my washing machine now!!
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Maybe test some sheet foam as an inner liner? The sheets of stuff from Michaels that can be cut into shapes?
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That is a great idea 😀 thank you
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Very cool, @thriftymum! Such a great idea for a learning tool! Very well done, and nice touch with the pinking shears!
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Thank you 😀 I just got the pinking shears so I really wanted to try them out!! Haha.
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It worked out perfectly!
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Wow Mum! Learning is fun with you. I want to be as creative as you when I become a mum! I like how they all have different beautiful colours and patterns making them look singularly spectacular. Really nice work!
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Thank you so much, that is so sweet of you. Teaching for 5 years helps a lot on the idea side, pinterest just helps with the execution!
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Cool, You do really well with the execution ☺
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it is wonderful!!!!!! your idea is gorgeous !!!! the letters are cheerful and bright; I can imagine how pleasant they are to the touch !!!!! you turned out very cool !!!!!
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aww thank you. The children are really enjoying them :) I think the cotton batting makes them softer so they squish a little in their hands which is perfect. They like the zigzag edges too.
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They look really good! I tried making them with fabric but felt is easier for me to sew. I do not have a sewing machine so I do everything by hand and sewing fabric gives me a headache :D
These are just adorable 💚
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Thank you 💗 Sewing by hand is a real skill. Do you draw lines to follow? I find it hard to sew straight by hand!
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I can draw lines?!?!? :D I never thought of that LOOOOL. No, I just always sew straight, well... It was not always straight, it took some practice. :)
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Practice makes perfect 😉
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What a fun and clever way to encourage learning! You did so good on these!! They are really cute and I too love the touch of the shears!!! Thank you for sharing this lovely idea and project with us!! 😀
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Thank you. I really enjoy being a part of #needleworkmonday 😀 it is such a wonderful and supportive community you have built.
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Yay! That makes me so glad to hear!!! I am so glad you are here!!! 🤗. Thank you!
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Love these!! They are so cute and you've done a great job sewing them! I have a friend who used to make these as well and sell them. They seemed to be pretty fun for her to sew up. Great idea adding the cardboard! Great colors - I know your kids love them. :)
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Thank you 💗 it was a fun project. Now I need to find a few hours to make the whole alphabet. What material did your friend make them out of? I am wondering if a different one might be easier to get definition.
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These are so wonderful!! What a treasure that can be used for a really long time. I know the cannot be washed because of the cardboard, but maybe use the Tide To Go pen to help with spot cleaning?
Great job!
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That is a great idea. I was thinking baby wipes...but the tide pen is way better!!!!
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