I couldn't resist this All About Numbers panel. What better way to learn your numbers than with Dexter the Dinosaur! It can be hard to think of handmade gifts for little ones under 3 so this fabric book is a safe bet.
All in all it took me an hour and a half with the help of my own two year old so it is a nice quick project but everyone will be impressed with the end result. Each page has a number with Dexter the Dinosaur hiding behind it and then an image of some kind with the corresponding number of images.
YOU WILL NEED
1 metre medium weight interfacing
Wadding (optional)
Rotary cutter, ruler and mat
Sewing Machine
Needle and thread
Iron
1. Cut out each panel piece with a 1/4" seam allowance all the way around. The cover is slightly wider. You will have 6 rectangles.
2. Cut out 6 pieces of interfacing, the same size as the panel pieces. I have used a medium weight cotton interfacing. Iron onto the back of all of your pieces.
3. I have used wadding on the cover only but you can use wadding on all the pages if you wish.
Cut out a piece of wadding the same size as the cover and pin to the wrong size. Then pin pages 1 and 10 to it with right sides together.
4. Sew around the edge with just over a 1/4" seam allowance leaving the gap indicated to turn it out.
5. Trim your edges and corners (although I don't around the bit that is left for turning out). Turn it out and push out the corners with something pointy, I always use my loop turner. Press.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the other pages and pair up as below. You can add wadding if you want to but I haven't for the inside pages.
9/2 - 3/8
7/4 - 5/6
7. When all your pages are sewn together, turned and pressed, you will need to slip stitch the openings closed by hand.
8. Assemble your pages using the coloured borders to help you match them up. Assemble your book with the following pages facing you 1/10, 3/8, 5/6. Pin it as you go and sew down the centre making sure you back stitch at each end.
Your book is done! Simple as that.
If you are feeling fancy there are plenty of ways you can jazz your book up.
If you are using wadding you could add some free motion stitching to your pages before you sew them together.
You could add what we call space blanket into the pages (the stuff that runners use to keep them warm) this will make crinkly sounds.
Add a ribbon to be used as a divider, just be sure it is sewn in well if intended for young children.
If you give it a go or add any other special features, I would love to see your pictures. Share them with me on my social media pages and enter yourself into Maker of the Month!