Writing Cloth Books

 I've had this idea in my head for awhile now -  using fabric to tell stories.  I was a little unsure about bringing it to Sewing Club with 30 kids ranging from kindergarten to fourth grade, but we took the plunge.  I'm so glad we did!

  The kids immediately took to the project, which we spanned over two weeks.  I cut out a variety of broadcloth squares, measuring 6x6 and gathered fabric with large and fun images.  Of course, I had to use Carrie Bloomston's Story fabric!  Along with fabric markers, the kids had fun using fabric to inspire their stories.

 They used glue stick to attach their images to the base fabric and then depending on mood, ability, and age, the images were sewed down, or not.  Some kids just had fun writing stories on fabric squares using fabric markers.

 Once the story was complete, it was time to bind the fabric pages together.  Older kids used the sewing machine to sew the pages together, while most kids used a whipstitch for the binding.  If there were too many pages or the words were written too close to the edge, I helped the kids improvise by just sewing together the top and bottom corners of the book.  It read just fine.

 One sewer decided to make a Story Pillow.  Love this!   She will have sweet dreams after reading the tale of "Princess Tutu"!

The best part was watching the kids share their stories with each other.  Yes, life is love!

More Valentine's Day Projects

Over at Martha Stewart, there's a "Felted Heart Scarf" that can be made from discarded wool sweaters, felt, or fleece. It's a great "Wear" project for beginning sewers, who can get lots of practice with the scissors (cutting out all those hearts!) and sewing simple "x's" with embroidery thread.

The Crafty Crow has links to several great Valentine's Day projects up already, including these "Woven Hearts" (courtesy of Maya Made), which could be made from fabric or paper. Instead of gluing, you can make a treat bag by whipstitch 2 finished hearts together, leaving an opening at the top.

If you've got a younger brother or sister, you could make them a Valentine's Day Busy Book (courtesy of Lavender and Limes), which mainly involves sewing on lots and lots of buttons, and cutting out felt shapes.

Web Project: Cloth Books

During Sewing Camp, Amie encouraged sewers to try to create their own fabric books, using scraps, embroidery, and simple pen-and-ink to tell a short story. She brought in a great vintage cloth baby book (a score from a library sale) for inspiration...

Via the ever-popular Decor8, I just discovered an advanced sewer, based in France, who is creating similar books and selling them on Etsy. Isn't this book, a "pocket fairy tale" called Lulu Leloup Turns Blue, adorable?

Sewing a story of your own creation could feel like a major acomplishment. I still remember my circa early 1970s babysitter, Kris Brandt, helping me handmake a book using magic marker and wallpaper scraps. I was so excited to "author" my first publication!

Of course, good ol' Martha Stewart, crafter extrordinaire, has instructions for a felt "quiet" book right here. It's an advanced project, but it should help inspire our Sewing School regulars!