Baby Activity Book Project

Individual designs can be found here, as described below.  The complete set is now available, too.

     We had plans to visit our grandchildren in March and I wanted to make something special
for them.  They were the right age to start learning about clothing fasteners so I decided to
create activity books for them.  My husband thought up the perfect punny name for the books:

covers of book

     Notice that the flap on the back page wraps around to the front and closes with Velcro.
There are also pages for shoe tying, snapping, zipping, and buttoning.  The pages are held
together with a small dog's collar, adding a buckle to the set of fasteners to practice.
A photo of the child, printed on fabric, adds a nice surprise to the button page.

4 inner pages

     One page has a hand with fingers that fold into the "I love you" sign.  I thought of
this design because my grandson tries to fold his own fingers into that configuration when
we visit by Skype.  My husband uses that sign and the little one knows it's something
important.  It does not teach about a clothes fastener, but love does fasten us all together.
My granddaughter was about 13 months old in this picture.  Isn't she a cutie?

I love you page

     The final page (before the back cover, that is) has an oval for adding your own picture,
also printed on fabric.  There is room for you to add your own greeting underneath.  If you
do not have software for adding text to designs, you can use Ann the Gran's Quick Font
Lettering
.

photo greeting

     Our grandson wanted to talk to his grandfather one day but didn't know how to ask. 
He showed this picture to his mom and then she knew what he wanted.  It occurred to me that
a collection of pages from this design would make a very nice phone directory (or family
tree!) for a child.

     As I finished each page I posted its picture in my internet embroidery groups.  Before
long, I received requests to make the designs available for sale.  My groups include a lot of
embroidering grandmas, eager to create this gift for their own little ones.

     I was happy to oblige.  It took quite a while to write the instructions for making the
book pages.  I wanted to be as thorough as possible so that new embroiderers would be
successful in making their own books.  The result is MUCH longer than the book it is meant
to describe.  I have chapters on the steps that are common to all the pages (preparing fabric,
trimming embroidery, adding the fabric frame, and setting grommets).  In addition, I have
chapters for creating the movable parts and other additions as well as for the pages
to which they will be added.

     The result is 47 pages long! 

     If you have your computer near your sewing area or have a tablet reader with a big
enough screen, I suggest you read your instructions on screen rather than printing them out.
The PDF file has links which allow you to move directly to the chapters referred to in the
instructions.

     Please do read the instructions thoroughly, including the introduction.  Each
embroidery chapter shows the thread colors for the relevant design and exactly what will be
stitched in which color.  For the appliques, I have separate colors for the running stitch
placement line, the double stitch tack down line, and the satin border.  You are welcome to
use thread colors that coordinate with the fabrics you choose; just use care to make sure
you are following along with where you are in the design.  You can change the thread colors in
software, or you can mark up a printed copy.  If you don't wish to print the full
instructions (as advised above), you can print the list of threads, fabrics and notions,
also included in your download.

     Thank you for reading about my newest design set.  Click here to see the complete set.
The pages are also available individually here, with the portion of the instructions that
is needed for completing the purchased page.

Comments (2) -

Just wanted to say thank you for a wonderful book.


I have  a Down syndrome Granddaughter and made one


of the books for the Life Skills class at her school.


I used a giraffe on the peekaboo page and omitted the


grandparents page for the school.


The teachers and the kids love the book and they


have asked me to make a couple more for the class to use.


Many of the students even though in early teens cannot do


many of those "fastenings" so it is a very good learning


experience for them


It is great for more than just toddlers.


PJohnson,


Thank you for sharing your wonderful use of my activity book designs.  You are so right that they aren't just for toddlers.  I am happy to hear that your sweet granddaughter and her friends are enjoying our creation.  (It's yours, too, since you picked the fabrics and threads.)


Carol


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