A matching bib (Butterick 5583) and burp pad (a free cut rectangle with rounded corners - picture can be seen when you scroll down) were made with teal gingham flannel and backed with teal cotton fabric. The batting is a cotton fabric cut from a sheet. It gives support and provides another layer to repel moisture.
I was excited when I found this great fabric with teeny Tweeties on it. I couldn't resist buying it(especially since it was on sale). I decided to experiment with making my own bias tape, using this fabric. I bought the bias tape maker online, and started cutting strips from the fabric. If you look close you can see that the bias around the gingham has tiny Tweeties on it. (There are numerous tutorials online that teach how to make bias, and how to calculate the width of the fabric strips that you will need. I experimented with widths and found the 1/2 inch border would catch the Tweeties the way I envisioned, so for this project, I had to cut 2 inch width strips of the fabric.)
I then searched the internet and chose a cute picture of Tweety to use as a guide for my applique. I went shopping again, and purchased yellow cotton fabric and Pellon 805 Wonder Under Transfer Web (to affix the applique to my gingham). There are numerous tutorials online regarding how to use Wonder Under and I took advantage of them, but I'll admit that I haven't found a no-sew adhesive that will securely hold woven fabric without eventually fraying from washings and wear and tear, so I embroidered around the edge of the applique after using the Wonder Under to iron it onto the bib. The embroidery served to make the edge more secure and added a decorative aspect. It didn't take long to do, but I felt it increased the quality of the bib. I didn't want the applique to look shabby after a few washings. In addition, I embroidered around the edges of the eyes and beak.
(I experienced having an applique fray on an earlier bib, so I now take a few extra minutes to avoid it by securing the applique with stitching and/or embroidery.)
I machine stitched two rows through the flannel, sheeting, and cotton backing of this burp pad. Then I machine stitched the binding to the fabric, folded the binding over the edge, and "hand stitched" it in place. I wanted to be sure that there would be no visible stitching to spoil the effect of the border.
This was another bib (front and back), but with a different applique.
Notice the black lines that outline the bird and its features. They are all hand embroidered with the purpose of creating a cute effect and to secure the applique tightly in place.
For this fleece/chenille tactile toy, I used cotton fabric for the eyes and beak, but I learned that embroidering multiple layers of fabric wasn't an easy task. It was kind of a hastle trying to push a needle (using a pliers to pull it through) through 5 layers of fabric (black, blue, white, yellow, and lining), plus the 3 layers of adhesive webbing... so my later projects have involved using embroidery fill stitches (which I learned wasn't as difficult as I had originally feared. The eyes and beaks on the bibs above were embroidered with fill stitch. It was much easier on my fingers than the method I used for this pillow tactile toy. :-) )
It's fun to design/create little tactile toys to accompany my set of baby items. I saw this patchwork idea online and thought it would be cute to make from the teal and yellow colors used in the bib and burp pad. My mother (now deceased) used to love making quilts and made many patchwork ones. I've dabbled in patchwork only a little, and since this would be a small project, I chose to use the technique. Tweety's face is entirely hand embroidered. I like to picture some mother enjoying giving this to her child.
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If you have read some of my other pages, then you know that I am a Senior Citizen who sews toys as gifts for children, and who makes infant items with the hope of getting them into the hands of needy people who might not otherwise be able to afford them. I do it because I'm able to, because it's fun, and because doing it helps me to relax when daily stressors threaten to overwhelm me.
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5/2/2015
Elephant Toy
For each bootie and hat set, I like to make some kind of tactile toy. I was inspired by an applique that I saw for an elephant, so I revised it to make this crinkle tactile little elephant toy to accompany the zoo themed hat and booties. I used zoo themed print knit, cream colored minky, corduroy, sheeting as stabilizer in the front and back of the elephant plus a moisture barrier, and ribbons. The ribbon used on this toy had tiny zoo animals on it that I thought matched the theme quite well.
The ears of the elephant were decorated with leftover scraps of the print knit fabric that was used to make the booties and hat, and the back of the elephant was made of the cream colored minky used on them. I stuffed the elephant lightly with poly-fil and inserted a plastic crinkly packaging to create a sound. It was machine stitched except for slip stitching the opening closed, and tacking the head to the body. The left ear was stitched separately before being attached (using the same method as attaching ribbons), but the right ear was a part of the head pattern. I did sew a line at the base of the right ear, to create an ear that "flops". I was pleased with the way this little corduroy/minky crinkle tactile toy turned out.
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