I’m so excited to get this posted! I’ve been trying since Monday to get everything finished. Between unexpected design work and my husband working 19 hour days it’s been a challenge! The joys of working from home, though, I think the outweigh the more difficult times!

As far as this page, if you’d like some help teaching your little one buckles, snaps and buttons you are in luck! And, you know how much little kids think belly buttons are hilarious? This page has one built in! (It’s my favorite part.) This Quiet Book page is found along with other information and tutorials links on the Sew Along page.

When you are looking for supplies for this page, here are a few tips:

• I used clothing that my kids had outgrown for this page. Make sure the pants and shirt are at least 9″ across if you’d like to use them.
• Pick pants that open easily and make sure they have belt loops along the waistband.
• Choose ribbon and a buckle that are the same width and fit through the belt loops.
• Pick a snap or button closure on the pants, depending on the skills your little one has.
• The best shirts for this page have a design along the bottom. Unfortunately I didn’t have one to use this time.
• Check the buckle to make sure it is easy for a child to open. Some are very stiff and almost impossible to use with small hands.

You will need:

• Background Fabric: 1 piece quilting cotton in “skin” colour exactly 9″x9″ square
• Page Interfacing: 1 piece exactly 9″x9″ square, medium weight fusible interfacing (you will have this from your Week 1 shopping list)
• Belt: 2 pieces 5 1/2″ long belting/ribbon as wide as buckle
• Pair of Pants: (front only) with belt buckles or make them (will use a 9″ wide by 6″ high piece of front only)
• Shirt: bottom of shirt or hemmed knit (will use a 9″ wide by 4″ high piece only)
• Belt Buckle: Clip Buckle, mine is 1″ wide
• Belly Button: small button (1/2″ – 3/8″) – will not show, is used to “fill” the belly button
• small 2″ square scrap of fusible interfacing

Before we begin/Important Notes:

• When you are sewing this book it is good to remember that some of the edges will be covered after the book is completed and sewn together. 1/2″ on the top edge of your page and 3/4″ on each side edge will not show in the final project.
• Remember to use your iron liberally when you are sewing this book. It is going to be a work of art when you are done! Since it is thick and some of the pages will not be iron-able once you are finished with them it is advisable to take all of the care you can to remove wrinkles so they are not accidentally permanent in your final book.
• Fuse the 9″ square fusible onto your 9″ square background fabric before you begin.

Here we go:

1. Melt ends of synthetic ribbon/belting or hem ends of non-synthetic. Attach buckles to ends.
2. Cut 6″ high by 9″ wide piece out of front of pants with top front as top edge. I find it easiest to cut the front off of the pants first, then draw the cutting line before cutting it to make sure everything is correct. It is ok if the middle front of the pants curves down a bit.
3. Cut the shirt to 9″ wide by 4″ high. Use the hem from the shirt as the bottom edge.
4. Align the edges of the pants with the bottom of the background rectangle. Baste sides and bottom edges with a 1/4″ seam. 
5. Stitch over the original pants top-stitching between each belt loop and the side edge using a matching thread. Leave the centre portion un-sewn so the child can still open and close the fly.
6. Stitch over the original fly top-stitching. Leave the zipper opening so the fly will still be workable. You may need to use a denim needle to get through the multiple layers.
7. Top-stitch over the pocket edges if you want them to stay closed. 
8. Place the button on the back of the background fabric where you want the belly button to appear. Place the extra piece of interfacing over the button and fuse it to the wrong side of the background fabric, enclosing the button.
9. Hand-stitch around the button to secure it better and add more depth to the belly button shape. I used invisible thread to match the background best.
10. Align the side and top of the shirt to the background fabric. Place the ribbon/belting into the belt loops. Baste top and side edges of the shirt and belting with a 1/4″ seam.
11. Fold the 3 1/2″ matching ribbon tab in half and use the small safety pin to attach it to your page so it does not get lost.

See you next week! (PS. Only 2 more pages and the cover to go!)