Give your child something to do
that doesn't require batteries or annoying sounds. A felt activity book
provides her with a handmade item that she will be proud to share with
others. As you design the pages of the book, coordinate the colors and
objects around your child's interests. Include objects she is interested
in, such as a cheerleading uniform for the doll page for a sports
enthusiast. The activity book will entertain your child as well as
encourage the development of her fine-motor skllls.
Instructions
- 12 8-by-11-inch sheets of felt, assorted colors
- Scissors
- Block lettering stencil
- Embroidery needle
- Embroidery floss
- 2 1-inch-wide flat buttons
- White glue
- 1-inch-wide paint sponge brush
- Hole punch tool
- Yarn
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1
Cut six 8-by-11-inch sheets of
felt in half so they measure 8-by-6 1/2 inches; you will use five sheets
for the book and the sixth for embellishments. Stack the sheets of felt
so the 8-inch-long side is vertical.
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2
Trace the title of the book on a
separate sheet of felt with block lettering stencils. Cut out the
letters and arrange them on the top sheet of felt in your book. Sew the
letters on the felt page using an embroidery needle and embroidery
floss.
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3
Arrange two 1-inch-wide flat
buttons 4 inches apart on the second page of the book. Sew the buttons
to the felt. Cut out two 3-by-1-inch strips of felt. Make a 1-inch slit
that is 1/4 of an inch from the edge on the end of each strip of felt.
Fit the slits of each strip over each of the buttons. Smooth the strips
of felt out on the page. Sew the opposite side of the button to the felt
page.
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4
Draw a 3-inch-tall silhouette of
a doll on an extra sheet of felt. Give the doll a circular head. Cut
out the doll. Stitch a face on the front of the doll using embroidery
floss. Turn to the third page of the felt book. Affix the doll to the
center of the page by coating the backside with white glue, using a
1-inch-wide sponge paint brush.
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5
Cut a felt shirt, such as a tank
top or long-sleeved shirt, to fit the doll. Cut out a pair of pants or a
skirt to fit over the legs of the doll. Cut out a felt hat, such as a
baseball cap or top hat. Set these pieces aside until you construct the
binding of the book.
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6
Turn to the next page of the
book. Cut a 3-by-4-inch house shape featuring a square base with a
triangular roof from brown or black felt. Use bright colors of felt for
cutting out five 1-inch-wide flowers, such as daisy or tulip shapes.
Take a sheet of green felt and cut out a 4-by-1-inch strip. Cut a
1/2-inch deep fringe along one length of the strip to create grass. Cut a
3-inch-wide triangle from green felt and a 3-by-1-inch rectangle from
brown felt to be used for a tree. Use blue felt to create a 3-inch oval
shaped pond. Set the pieces aside.
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7
Stack the book with the title
page on top, followed by the button page, doll page and scenic page. Add
the remaining unembellished sheet to the bottom of the stack.
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8
Punch five evenly-spaced holes
along the left side of each sheet using a hole punch tool. Cut five
6-inch pieces of yarn. Thread a piece of yarn through the top set of
holes through the book. Tie the yarn together into a knot on the
backside of the book; cut off the excess lengths of yarn. Repeat this
with the remaining pieces of yarn to bind the book.
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9
Cut two 5-inch squares from
felt. Open the book and turn to the backside of the button page, facing
the doll page. Add one of the squares on the back of the button page, in
the center. Sew along the bottom, left and right sides of the square
with embroidery floss to form a pocket. Store the objects for the doll
page in the pocket. Attach the second square to the backside of the doll
page for a second pocket. Place the objects of the scenery page in this
pocket.
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10
Practice fastening buttons on
the first activity page. Dress the doll with the felt clothes by
pressing the clothes onto the doll. Arrange the objects on the last
activity page to create different landscapes and scenes by pressing the
objects onto the page.
