*Update: This Quiet Book is now a Sew-Along! Check out more information in the Overview post.
I’m so glad all of you are excited about this project! Thanks to everyone who took the time to comment on the last post. I especially think that Shari’s comment about switching out the binder rings for large key rings is genius! That would work way better and there would be zero chance that the kidlets remove the pages or get hurt/pinched that way. If you are just joining in, the last post was about the construction of this quiet book and the next post will have the last 6 pages. I’ll link it up here when it is posted. *Update: The last 6 pages are here.
Here are the first 6 pages of the Quiet Book:
The first page is a good ‘ol “button the flower” page. I had a lot of fun with green rick rack and some felt flowers I had picked up on sale somewhere. I think I bought these bee buttons especially for this page. Make sure the button hole is BIG so little hands don’t have problems practicing their buttoning. The curly lines are made with a fabric paint pen.
Next is the pretty purple purse page (say that 10 times fast!). I wanted a way to include family photos in this book because little kids love looking at pictures of people they know. The purse holds a tiny album (made with clear plastic) and a photo of every family member. I think it is the silver rings and purse handle that make this one cute. It’s just like a real purse – only with less stuff inside!
This is the shirt and pants page. The “please learn to dress yourself” page! I included the bottom of an old shirt and the top of an old skirt. The skirt can be used for snap and zipper practice, and the ribbon belt can be buckled and unbuckled. The shirt holds a little surprise – it comes with it’s own belly button, very Cabbage Patch-esque! My daughter thinks it’s hilarious – so I’m glad I put it in.
The telephone page always gets the most use at our house. As you can see from the seam that needs mending on the receiver. I’m not sure why I made such an old fashioned phone. I suppose a cell phone would have made more sense – or a cordless one at least! But the kids know it is a phone, so it works. The cord is a curly shoe lace. The number pad is made using white fabric and an inkjet t-shirt transfer.
Tying your shoes comes much later in life, so I’m not sure why I included it. This shoe lace has actually spent most of it’s life tied in a double-knot – so my 1+ year old couldn’t untie it and choke on it. Maybe I should remember this page for when my oldest gets her first pair of tying shoes!
Counting is always good, and puzzles. This page combines them by using some really great fabric I think I still have a bunch of. The numbers and pictures are cut out with notches for each. All of the pieces are stuck on with Velcro. They can be interchanged, but they don’t match up if you do it wrong! Tricky! (hee hee) I think I put fusible fleece in between my layers to make them thicker.
That’s it for the first 6 pages. Hang in – there are still 6 more pages to go! I’m sure I will be posting them in the next few days.
Wow! This is such a great book! I can’t wait to see the rest of it!
Thanks Laura 🙂 One more set of pages to go!
I want one! You have just added a very time consuming project to my list! Thanks for the inspiration though. Your page ideas are awesome!
Thanks Stephanie! I’m glad you like it! You quilt – and that is a “scary” time consuming project to me – you’ll be fine! (Love your Tula Sample Blocks BTW – I’m thinking I might need her book… if I ever get myself started quilting!)
The time you put into this project! It’s really amazing. I like the page with the shoe, as my daughter is learning how to tie her shoes (mom, I’m a big girl now, I want to know how to tie my shoes! :D). And the one with the flowers and bee’s is great too. It looks very professional 😉
You could totally just make a “tying the shoe” page on a pillow or something else that she could practice on… come to think of it – that would be super cute! Maybe I will have to try it! 🙂 Thanks Mirjam!
Very cute! I like the phone page idea, too! Great job!!!
Thanks Lindsay! I’m excited to see the rest of your quiet book too. Are you posting it in the next few weeks?
Yes, I am doing a series on it, so I will post about the rest of the pages whenever I can squeeze in some free time to blog. 🙂
Hi Sherri. I’ve just found these pages and I’m thrilled. I’m a granny-in-waiting so it’ll be a while until my grandchild can play with it. But if I get my skates on I should have it finished for a one year old. I’ve seen these many times before – but not with patterns and instructions, so a HUGE thank you from me.
You are so welcome Sue! I made mine for when my kids turned one – a little easier to make it “safe” too – since they tend to stop eating their toys as much by then! 😉 I am sure you will be able to make it happen – if you do I’d love to know about it!
Hi,I wanted to start to sewing my first book,what would advise to me ,how felt I will need for example,thank you!!!
Thanks for this great tutorial. Do you use any Pelion type product or batting to stabilize the pages before adding the fun stuff?
Hi Muriel, I do add a bit of interfacing. Check out the pages tutorial – it will show you! Sherri
Love these ideas been trying to figure one out on my own for grandkids thank you so very much
I’m so glad you found them Sue! Thanks for letting me know. I’d love to see your finished project!
You mentioned the shoelace tying for an older book. I give my books with 8 pages at 2 years old. Then they get 2 more sets of pages as they get older. I sew them into the original cover. So my books have 16 pages and 2 fold down pages for a total of 20 pages when they are done. I do paper doll (well, felt dolls) which have a 3 pages in an L . That is why I add a fold down page.