Thankful Book

Sometimes we have to tell our children exactly what they are thankful for!

And, really, this is part of the learning isn’t it?

It’s soft. It has a fun sound. It’s personalized. It’s educational. And it’s pretty.

WOW—it doesn’t get better than all of this, does it?

Now let’s get to making one for yourself!

Materials:

Iron-on fabric sheets for the printer (don’t get the sew-in; trust me!)

Scrap of double-sided fusible webbing (Heat ‘N Bond)

scrap of orange felt

scrap of red felt

fabric for pages – about 1/2 yard

fabric for feathers - small amount

pictures and text for pages

Pattern – HERE

one small button for eye

“crinkle-y” plastic bag

Instructions:

Download and print 2 copies of pattern. Cut out the “parts” on one of the pattern pages. Save the other pattern to use for placement when putting book together.

PATTERN DOWNLOAD HERE

Use the pattern to cut 10 turkey pages. Five should be cut face up and 5 cut face down.

Cut out beak and wattle from the felt scraps.

Adhere fusible web to the back according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Iron to the front cover turkey page using the pattern as a guide for placement. Stitch around each piece to hold securely. I used a straight stitch since this was so tiny.

Sew on button for the eye. Be sure to knot it securely at the back.

Make pictures and text for pages. Print on iron-on fabric for printers.

Using the circle from the pattern, trace a circle around the pictures/text and cut out.

                                  

Iron each picture with text to the right side of each turkey page using pattern as a guide for placement.

Applique each circle to the turkey pages using a zigzag or satin stitch. I laid my pages in order and then turned them just like a book so I didn’t get mixed up.

Use the pattern to cut 10 feathers. Five should be cut face up and 5 cut face down.

Fold the plastic bag so you can cut 20 feathers (5 sets of 4 layers) from the plastic bag.

With right sides together, stack one set of plastic bag feathers on top of 2 fabric feathers. Pin together to hold in place. Sew around the feather with a 1/4 inch seam leaving the bottom edge open for turning. Repeat for remaining feathers.

Clip the curves then trim the seam allowance to 1/8 inch.

(The clipping is hard to see after it is trimmed, but it is there.)

              

Turn right side out and iron flat – do not iron the plastic if it is poking out at all.

Make a pleat in the feather by bringing the left side to the right side forming a fold in the center of the feather. Sew in place close to the edge. Repeat for all feathers.

Put right sides together for cover and first page of book. Place the first feather between the layers pointing downward.

NOTE: I ended up taking out several feathers and re-sewing them because I didn’t like the angle. I suggest basting the feathers in place and then flipping the pages right side out to check it. That way, if you need to change it, it will be easier.

Sew around the page leaving the side open. Start at the bottom or the top and and sew around the feathers using a 1/4 inch seam.

Clip curves, then trim seam allowance to about 1/8 of an inch.

Turn right side out, gently push out the curves and press fabric flat.

To bind the book together, sew the page with the front cover to the page with the back cover using a 1/4 inch seam. The front cover and the back cover should be facing each other while you sew. The raw edges will be on the inside of your book when you have finished this step.

Stack the remaining pages in order and sew along the edge--which should be on the left side—using a 1/4 inch seam.

Open out the covers so the “book” is open and place the center section raw edges right next to the cover pages center section. Open the last page in the center section. You will now have 3 pages on the left side and 2 on the right. The raw edges should still be right next together. Sew the two pages on the right side together as close to the raw edges (you can feel them through the fabric, but you won’t be able to see them) as possible. It may help to sew using your zipper foot since this could be pretty thick.

My stitching line curved out a bit in the center, but it still worked just fine.

Turn one page from the left to the right side. There will now be 3 pages on the right and two on the left. Scoot the raw edges together again and repeat the previous step except on the left side. I actually flipped the book over and sewed from the back so that I could be certain I did not sew over the beak.

The raw edges should now be sandwiched inside all of the pages.

That’s it!

Now go enjoy a book with a little one!

Be sure to check back later this week—I will share a tutorial for this book in the

NO SEW version.

I'm linking to THESE parties this week.