MAKE FELT TOYS

As you all know I love working with felt. It is a fun medium to work with.....kids can do it as well. I thought I would share with you all some toys you can make at home wtth your kids....Let their imagination run....if I were a parent with crafting kids I would purchase a rolling set of drawers.....one would have felt, one with the supplies, one drawer with scraps....with felt you never throw away scraps.....you can always use them.

We need to get back to making toys.....I remember the ones that were made for me as a child and I loved them.

http://halfpintpixie.com/2009/01/13/felt-clothed-wooden-folk-a-pirate-cave/
check out all the links on these pages.....

Remember making yarn dolls? Now dress the in felt....too cute
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/27585/how-to-make-yarn-and-felt-folks

Flower Fairies...these are fun!
http://weefolkart.com/?q=node/296


I have made these for kids that are sick in the hospital.....I make a set and put them in a school box. Kids love them.http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10047

Make felt food for your kids play kitchens
http://oneinchworld.com/blog/index.php/2009/01/felt-tomato-slice-tutorial/

http://oneinchworld.com/blog/index.php/2008/11/felted-ravioli-tutorial/

http://www.cherrymix.com/cupcakepattern.jpg

http://www.makeandtakes.com/felt-sugar-cookies

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantastictoys/2971880259/

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/delicious_felt_donut

http://www.cherrymix.com/bread.html

http://melissagoodsell.typepad.com/day_to_day/2008/07/tutorial---felt-food-egg-orange-slices.html

Make Finger puppets
(you can stuff these and make them into toys....)

http://www.billybear4kids.com/FingerPuppets/MakeEm.shtml
These are fun to make!

http://familyfun.go.com/parties/birthday/feature/dony0300blueclu/dony0300blueclu6.html

http://www.sugardoodle.net/Nursery%20Program/afp.jpg

http://www.montessoriworld.org/Handwork/puppets/puppet3.html

http://www.carewear.org/patterns/sew/images/felt_finger_puppets.pdf

http://weefolkart.com/?q=node/278


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AND NOW THERE ARE 3

That Baby Amish Girl was hard to make for me....but I did it. She too is fully jointed.

There just had a prayer covering on her and I just had to make a dress for her. Now I am making big sister.

"MRS. ATTITUDE BEAR"

I sat with mom most of the afternoon. I cut this bear before I went in. I like this Victorian Bear!

Do you think she needs a husband?

I did bullion roses all around the shawl. It is fringed but you hardly see that. I think I need a hat pin in her hat....I will have to wait till I have my stash here for that.

THE TWO ARE ONE

I finished the Amish husband last night. They look cute to me.

Someone has asked about the faces on them.....When I make a Amish Doll I do not put a face on them. But this is a bear...there really is no likeness to a real person. They do not want a picture of themselves. That to them is wrong...no "graven images" is how they look at it.

Here is a very good book to read about the Amish..

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1011693&item_no=192419

Donald Kraybill is family and is an expert on Amish. You can read a excerpt from this book here:

http://www.gotquestions.org/Amish-beliefs.html

I am now working on a Victorian Bear.....

AMISH LADY PIN CUSHION

I found this pattern for 10 cents and had a lot of fun making it. I am working on the Amish man.

There is a Victorian set, a country set and this one. Each have 1 child and baby also.

The bears are jointed and so you can have fun with them.

THIS WEEKS PROJECTS

I did one pin cushion and 2 needle books while sitting with mom. The strawberry one called for french knots but I wanted to use black beads. I hope you enjoy these.

STRESS MAKES ME STITCH!

I have to stitch when I am sitting around. It is a habit I am thankful for. I remember Aunt Emily reminding me as a child that "Idle hands are the devils workshop".
My mom fell and broke her hip when we were moving her to Virginia. We had only been here 20 minutes and the accident happened. If you want to see the stress and the answers to prayer check out my blog called "Taking Care of Mother"
http://donnag-takingcareofmother.blogspot.com/

The photo above is a pin cushion I made. I grabbed my varrigated floss, felt, beads and what I could fit in a Trader Joe's bag when we went home to return the truck and store moms stuff. When we got back I saw I forgot any patterns.....Michaels is accross the street and with $5.00
in my pocket I went there for an idea. I looked in the dollar bins and found 4 felt coasters
for $1.00. I selected 2 patterns and hoped I would have an inspiration from them. I did and the
pic cushion turned out cute. I am making these things for mom to give her nurses. This brings her joy.


This is the second pattern I did and I am happier with this one. They take about 2 days to do one pin cushion.nI sit with her 3 hours in the afternoon and sew on them here after our evening visit.

This is the coaster before I cut some out. The felt id still but a pin can easily go through it.

This is the four I have cut out and I am getting a good idea to do with these.

I wanted to share this simple and thrifty project. I think sometimes when we stitch we go for the

patterns and kits but to me it is fun to see what I can do with simple things.