Monday, February 15, 2010

On the Go Activity Book

Looking for something to keep your kids happy while on the go? Something you can pack along when you're out shopping, at a restaurant, waiting at the doctors office or even driving in the car? I was. I was tired of handing over my iphone every time I needed entertainment on the go. I needed something fun and entertaining yet inexpensive and compact.

This personalized On The Go Book will grab any kids attention.
Made of inexpensive felt, this book is just the right size to go in mom's bag.

It comes with three activities:
Dress-up
Tic-Tac-Toe
and
Coloring


My kids love it, especially because they saw mom making making it just for them.




Materials you'll need:

-10 sheets of felt (the best price I found was Walmart for ¢25)
-4 of one color for main pages of book
-2 of one color for embellishments
-2 more of a different color for embellishments
- one skin colored piece
- one hair colored piece

-flexible sew-on Velcro tape. (I bought a pack of 30 feet with a coupon and only used a small amount)

-8 pack of crayons

-small note pad

Step 1: Cutting out main pages
I cut eight 5 x 7 pieces of felt in the same color
I used my paper cutter to make it easy. Any method would work.
Step 2: constructing page 1 & 2, Dress-up.

I started by drawing a picture of a paper doll.
I traced the hair onto another piece of paper then cut the doll out of the paper. Holding the paper doll in place, I cut the doll out of the skin colored felt.
Ignore the ears, they didn't work. I sewed the body down by sewing a small seam around the edges.
I cut the undergarments following the same process as the body. I sewed them into place and added a piece of the soft sided Velcro to the tank top and underwear. I hand sewed the face on with normal thread. I used a small red felt oval for the mouth.
The last step is cutting the hair out and sewing it into place.
I followed the same process for the clothes. I traced the body onto a new piece of paper and drew clothes onto it. I cut them out of the paper and then the felt.
*I cut each main piece of clothing out twice, one for the front and one for the back. After embellishing the front side and adding the sticky sided Velcro to the back side I would sew the two pieces together.

For the shirt I first sewed down the embellishments. Then I placed the t-shirt pattern on top and cut it out.
for the ruffled skirt I cut the front out a little longer than the back. I did a wide stitch by hand across the top and pulled it to the same width as the back piece. This created the gather.
Once the front was embellished and I sewed a sticky sided piece of Velcro to the back I sewed the two sides together.
The last thing I needed to do for page two is add soft sided Velcro to stick the clothes down. They can go anywhere as long as all three pieces of clothing fit onto the page once they are attached to the Velcro.
Step 3: Constructing pages 3 and 4, tic- tac- toe

First I made my x's and o's. I used the same method as the clothes. I layered three circles for the o's. The main white piece of each O is a 1-3/8" circle and the red circle is 1" and the small white circle is 1/2".
I sewed the letters onto the white felt first then cut out the main circle. Once each letter is sew down and cut out I sewed it to a back circle that had a sticky sided piece of Velcro attached.
For the main page I sewed down ten pieces of soft sided Velcro. Nine in rows and one on a 1 x 5 strip of red felt.

For the grid I used 1/4" strips of white felt. I cut the letters out of the white freehand.
Step 4: constructing page 5 & 6, coloring

This is the easiest page. I think a book with just this activity would be simple and fun as well.
I cut these letters free hand as well. I sewed two 1 x 5 strips of blue together by sewing around the edges. Then I sewed it into place by zig zagging up and down near the edges of the strip.
I cut two red circles and sewed them over the zig zag stitches.
For the crayon page I started with two strips of red felt, 2-1/2 x 7. I sewed them together by doing a 1/4" seam at the top and bottom.
I centered the strip in the middle. Holding it into place I sewed my first line down the middle. Then I sewed three more lines in both directions every 3/4".
Step 5: constructing the front and back pages

I used a stencil for the lettering on the front. You can choose a font you like and print it out as a pattern. Cut the letters out using the same method as all the other embellishments. I used another white circle to disguise a piece of soft Velcro placed 1/2" down from the top.

I left the back plain except for the strap. To make the strap, I cut two 1-1/2" x 5" strips. Holding them together I rounded one end using the curve of one of my tic-tac-toe circles as a guide. I embellished one strip with two smaller circles, the same sizes used in tic-tac-toe. After adding a piece of sticky velcro to the other strip I sewed the two pieces together. I sewed the strap 1/4" down from the top of the back piece after finding the middle. I sewed a triangle and then an x in the middle, to secure it.
Step 6: sewing the pages together

I wasn't able to get a good picture of this step. What I did was stack my pages up, back sides together, as if they were sewn together in the book. The cover will be on top and the back on the bottom. Then I sewed the pages together. The front page was on the other side of the paper doll. The clothes were on the other side of the x's and o's. The tic-tac-toe was on the other side of the note book page. And the crayons were on the other side of the back.

*Sew the pages together by sewing the top bottom and outer side of the pages 1/4". DO NOT sew up the inner side of the pages. Be careful. I had to unpick a page or two.

When you are done you will now have four double sided pages.
Step 7: binding the book

I started by connecting the two outer pages. I tucked a 2" x 7" strip into the inner openings of the pages.
I evenly tucked the felt into both sides till there was 1/2" between the two pages. Then I sewed a 1/4" seam down both pages. I repeated this step with the two inner pages.
Finally, I lined up the middle pages on top of the outer pages and sewed a seam down the middle.
Step 8: cover the binding (this step isn't necessary but it helps finish off the book)

I cut two 3-1/2" x 7" strips. I sewed them together with a 1/4" seam around the edges.
I positioned the strip were I wanted it and hand stitched it into place.

Finally done!
I hope yours is well loved.


Here is a list of parties I link to.

70 comments:

Kassi Jane said...

that is really cool i have a toddler i might have to make one of those for her! thanks! im at craftforsanity.blogspot.com

Kimberly said...

Great job! This looks like fun!

Deborah Raymond said...

I love this so much! Thanks for a quiet book that's a little different. I have been wracking my brain for a gift to make for my little nephew today. I'll just make the doll into a boy and voila!

Crystal said...

This is such a great idea. My girls will love this!

-Crystal

Kaysi said...

Wow this is a great idea! I love it and I know that any kid would love this. Thanks for the idea!
Kaysi

Jacqui said...

LOVE it! Glad this project is "doable" w/o the cricut =)

Amber said...

This is a great take on a quiet book! Fantastic. I also soooo agree with you about the kids liking it even more because they saw you making it. Mine are the same way. They love it knowing I'm making them something. :) Fun, fun!

Unknown said...

This is so stinkin cute. I love the red and aqua together, and I love how its all bundled up for a road trip! Great work, I'm impressed.

Melissa said...

This would be great for church or the doctor office when they take forever. Thanks for the instructions!

Lindsey said...

I love quiet books! Thanks for the tutorial! :)

Momma B said...

I think this is really great! I wish I had time for one more project...I may store this one in my brain somewhere? I love it!

Sheri@childmade.com said...

Wow! You put a lot of work into this, and did a great job! Thanks for sharing! I've posted a link.

Kirsten said...

What a fantastic idea - thank you for sharing your tutorial!

Tiffany said...

I featured this today on my show-offs! Thanks for sharing with me! http://makingtheworldcuter.blogspot.com/

Jen said...

Super cute. I am making a quiet book for my son. We travel alot and thought this would be fun! I found you through making the world cuter. I was having a hard time figuring out how I would bind the books and Its great what you did. I will let you know when I am finished!

Unknown said...

That is so fun!

Rob & Megg said...

That is SO darling! Can you lend me some of your crafting patience so I can make one too!

Vanessa Washburn said...

love it! What a fun book!

Anonymous said...

This is awesome! Do you sell these? (I don't sew...but even if I did, I wouldn't finish them before my kids outgrew them)

Sadie said...

Absolutely adorable!! I love it

Jackie said...

You are one talented lady!! I am in the middle of making one and wow! Talk about a big job. It will be nice when it's finished. Thanks for the idea.

Anonymous said...

That is so darling! I'd love to make that for a gift! (No kids yet for my husband and I :) )

Shannon said...

This is absolutely adorable! You really did a fantastic job with it. I'll have to put this on my to-do list for my daughter...I'm sure she would love it!

Jackie said...

I am just about done with mine. I've been working on it all day. I did have a question about the binding though. How did you sew it on without it showing the stitching on the back page? I can't quite figure it out.

Jackie said...

That answers my question. Thanks for your help.

pinksuedeshoe said...

I love the idea of using your paper cutter! Great idea and thank you for the tutorial!

Rene' said...

Great idea. Thanks for sharing the tutorial.

Anne at Film and Thread said...

Great job and a good tutorial, too!

Sarcastic Quilter said...

very smart idea!

Leslie said...

this is such an adorable idea!!! what a great way to keep the kiddos.

Paola said...

Love this. The colors you used really pop. TFS

Erin said...

So cute! I absolutely love it!

HillsRus said...

So cute! Thanks for sharing!

Kimberly Tripp said...

that might just be the best idea ever. That just shot up to the top of my to make list! Thanks!!!

sheila said...

this is awesome. I'll be attempting one next week!

Karen said...

What a great idea!

Kris said...

This is fabulous! I can't wait to make a few for my kids, they will love them. Thanks so much for sharing this great idea.

Skooks said...

I love it! Looking forward to giving it a try sometime. :)

Kaysi said...

I featured you today at Keeping It Simple for Motivate me Monday, come check it out
Kaysi

Jo Shabo said...

This is AWESOME- just found you and started following- thanks for sharing! :)

Little Family Fun said...

Love it! So cute.
Linda
littlefamilyfun.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Kalleen, I would be so honored if you'd come to my new blog party, every Sunday, but open until Tuesday! @www.creativejewishmom.com All the best!

Jackie said...

I finally finished mine. Thanks so much for the wonderful idea. www.bnjatkinson.blogspot.com

Kami said...

This is adorable, I think this may just be my next project (with adaptations for my boys)!
Kami
http://nurturingthetenderyears.blogspot.com/

BrookiesCloset said...

LOVE this! I'll be making it for my grandchildren!
www.brookiescloset.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Great tutorial!

Tarah said...

This is such a great idea! To help me remember it I linked it to my blog http://get-around-to-it.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-blog.html. Hope that was okay.

tiziana said...

I find your blog just now! it's wonderful as this book! congrats!
www.biancifiore.com

Cheryl said...

That is a well thought out book. I could see it appealing to a wide age group of children. This is going on my to do list.

Thank you for sharing

SewSweetStitches said...

Wow my toddler would absolutely adore this! She's always wanting me to make her something whenever I'm working in my craft room, and she'd get a kick out of watching me make it for her! Thanks so much!

phunk said...

I love this! Definitely getting added to my list of future projects!

TMCPhoto said...

Perfect! we'll be going on another road trip in May and something like this for the activity bag will keep the Peanut Occupied for a nice stretch. I might add a few more items of clothing for the dress up doll and possibly include a memory game or felt puzzle picture, our trip is 12 hours

Kella said...

What a cool ingenius idea, loving it.

Aunt Suzi Quilts said...

Wow!! So I'm just going to post and say what everyone else has said, This is an amazing idea. Thanks for sharing!! This is for sure going on my to do list. Thanks for sharing. Gotta bookmark and follow.

Mommy of Two 24/7 said...

Wow! This is so cool! I am going to have to make some for my kids, niece and nephew! :)

Aisyah said...

Great idea! I've linked this to my blog. I just love this idea! Thanks for sharing :)

Sandrine said...

This is just brilliant ! Thanks for sharing !!!

Unknown said...

Such a great idea. My son is 7 so the dress up doll one probably wouldn't be the best for him. But, I'm thinking up all sorts of ideas that would work for his age....assemble the dinosaur , maybe a bunch of letters to see what words he can create...You definitely have the ideas flowing! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Wow! You are genius. I could thank you a million times for this perfect idea!! My two year old daughter always throws a fit in the grocery store and I always give her my iphone too just so she will stay in the buggy but, once she is sick of the buggy she will throw my phone! She already broke my husbands iphone and he had to get another one... I am making this fun book today. thanks...

seemesew84 said...

That is great! I am featuring it on my blog on the 4th!
seemesew.blogspot.com

Leslie Moore said...

Thanks for a great post. I have just finished making these for my niece and nephew for a whole family vacation where there will be some long, boring (if you're 6) dinners. I used lots of scraps I had--sequins, rick-rack, pom-poms in place of the embellishments and even had most of the felt. I only had to buy the royal blue felt for my nephew's. I also traded out the dress up page for a page containing the dot game, one of their favorites. I had a blast making this project and can't wait to see the looks on their faces.

Kasia said...

I love your queit book. Last week I sketched out a similiar project and am very glad to have seen yours for some more inspiration. Thnak you for sharing

Anonymous said...

I adore this and this is two of my fave colors together!

Abbi said...

Very cute! I have made busy books before but I like the simplicity of this one.

Stephanie said...

This is amazing. I found this post via Babble's roundup for Valentine's Day ideas for little girls. I don't have kids yet, but when I do, this will definitely be one of the ideas I will make for them =)

siree said...

Wow I love this.You are so creative.Thank you a lot for sharing.I am going to make this for my daughter.

kellytirman said...

Would you be willing to make and sell these on etsy?

Joanna said...

I like your Quiet Book so much! I'm sure that children also love to play with it. I was inspired by such websites as yours and created my own book, if you have a while you can check in here:
hobbiko.blogspot.com

greetings!

Brigette said...

I love your quiet book pages! I recently made books for my own kids and drew a bit of inspiration from you! They're up on my blog if you want to check 'em out: http://babesindeutschland.com/2013/08/01/roras-felt-book/
Thanks for the inspiration!

GGHadden said...

Love it, wish you sold them too.

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