It’s been a funky few weeks.
By funky, I mean a few things. The first is that I spent a week “off” of being sick. In a funk. The second is that I spent the next two weeks-ish elbow deep in felt and needles and thread and “watch instantly” shows on Netflix.
This second sort of funky resulted in a felt garland for baby’s room and a few good cries on the couch during shows where someone I didn’t want to die does, or two people I want to be together aren’t, or where two people who you KNOW have been meant to be together FINALLY tell each other how they feel and live happily ever after. You know, the sort of thing my heart would usually just ache for, but during my third trimester of pregnancy induces tears which then cause me to laugh out loud at the fact that I’m crying which makes me cry harder. It’s all very complicated. Funky, even.
Oh, and did I mention I finished a quiet book?
Anyone who reads this blog (or even just this post, for that matter) knows I’m a crazy person. One of my crazy habits is that I LOVE hand-sewing with felt. Don’t ask me why–I just find it relaxing and satisfying. I’ve made a few of these before, but it was really fun to make one FOR MY OWN BABY.
(Can you believe that she’ll probably be here in 8 weeks? I can’t either.)
Anyway, I thought I’d give you a quick look through the book. We kept it gender-neutral so that it wasn’t too girly if our next baby is a boy. Prepare yourself for lots of pictures…
Lion (lots of different textures and colors in the mane to touch)
Alligator (mouth zips open and closed)
Frog (tongue can catch flies)
Butterfly (wings can flap)
Fish (can snap on and off the page, or twirl around on a snap to spin in a circle)
Owl (baby owl hiding under a wing)
Monkey (banana peels to open)
Back Cover
Which page is your favorite? I can’t get enough of that owl page. I love it!
Emily, that is a true work of art. I wish I loved to sew felt by hand!!! I’m a huge fan of the lion, but they are all super cute.
Ok, YOU ARE AMAZING. I WISH MY KIDS HAD YOU FOR A MOM. THAT BOOK IS THE CUTEST THING EVER.
Would you mind sharing your pattern?
Cassey–I didn’t actually use a pattern… I just kind of sketched something on a piece of paper, then cut it out and traced around it on the felt. I’d LOVE to figure out how to MAKE a pattern so I could share it. I’m just not very familiar with how to do that sort of thing. If I figure it out though, I promise to post it here!
I just recently finished a quiet book for my granddaughter. It was so much fun! I learned a cool trick to trace an image you like from somewhere or draw one onto a piece of freezer paper. Iron the paper, waxy side down onto your felt or fabric and cut it out…the paper then easily peels off! Works great. Your book is adorable!
Wow! What a great solution! Thank you so much for sharing!
What did you use to trace it onto the felt? Fabric pencil?
Yep! Worked like a charm!
Gah! The cuteness is just too much. I so wish I had the time to make one of these. This is just precious! Great job! I love the lion.
This is awesome! I have a 21 month old and have been working on an alphabet felt book for her. I am now up to F. I keep saying that I better get more done or she will get to kindergarten and only know a-f. Yours is so darling. I love all of the little details. I do not like hand sewing, so mine is done with as much machine as possible. I may have to steal your lion idea for L!! That is my favorite!!
Oh, and I am the same way with shows sometimes. While I was catching up on Psych (do you watch that show?) I was in complete agony every episode wanting Shawn and Juliet to get together. And I’ve been watching Scrubs (not the best, but still gets a laugh sometimes) and whenever somebody dies in the hospital I get so choked up! That really gets me.
I love the lion page!! So colorful and so many ribbons. I am jealous of your awesome talent, I don’t really know how to hand sew very well, and I don’t know how to work with felt at all. Why don’t we live closer right now!?
Oh, they are ALL my favorite!!! Of course I’m partial to the lion, the alligator, the frog and the fish–but the addition of the owl and monkey are adorable!
I feel for your third-trimester tears–I regularly found myself crying at commercials (from which, of course, you are mercifully spared by Netflix)! Ah, the joys.
We can’t wait to welcome your sweet baby girl!
HOW CUTE!!! I wish I had the talent AND the time to pull something like this together, it is so cute!
I have a thing for owls, that page has to be my favorite!
this is SO cute!!!! i love the lion with all his ribbons 🙂