My top quiet book resource recommendations:
- The Quiet Book Blog, an amazing blog dedicated to quiet books. I drew most of my inspiration for page designs from this site.
- So Sew Easy's quiet book resource page.
- Homemade Gifts Made Easy's free applique templates of letters, numbers and basic shapes. Each letter and number comes in several sizes, and automatically prints mirror-image for easy use.
- Basic tips on how to cut out your applique shapes properly. I was doing it incorrectly, thus adding several unnecessary steps and getting dull, fuzzy edges. My applique shapes are much more crisp and clean now!
- Spoonflower (online custom fabric printing shop) has some wonderful fabric designs you can purchase and sew into adorable quiet books without all the applique and fuss.
Patterns:
My quiet book design:
This animal-themed quiet book measures 8 inches by 8 inches. It's designed for a young toddler who isn't walking or talking yet. It has some basic pages he can enjoy now (exploring texture, manipulation of objects) and some more advanced pages he can grow into (color matching and numeracy).
This animal-themed quiet book measures 8 inches by 8 inches. It's designed for a young toddler who isn't walking or talking yet. It has some basic pages he can enjoy now (exploring texture, manipulation of objects) and some more advanced pages he can grow into (color matching and numeracy).
Counting and color matching
The left-hand page is a counting page, with large, colorful butterfly beads that can slide along on a string to help him count up to three. The right-hand page is a color matching game. Each circle of the sun and friendly caterpillar detaches and can be matched. This page was by far the most difficult to make. The circles are made of fabric glued onto cardboard. It took several attempts to glue the Velcro to the back of the cardboard, ModPodge and hot glue didn't work. I have my fingers crossed that the Krazy Glue will hold.
The left-hand page is a counting page, with large, colorful butterfly beads that can slide along on a string to help him count up to three. The right-hand page is a color matching game. Each circle of the sun and friendly caterpillar detaches and can be matched. This page was by far the most difficult to make. The circles are made of fabric glued onto cardboard. It took several attempts to glue the Velcro to the back of the cardboard, ModPodge and hot glue didn't work. I have my fingers crossed that the Krazy Glue will hold.
The next two pages encourage exploring different types of texture. The butterfly was made from silky pajama bottoms and the fuzzy sheet was made from a recycled towel.
The last page is my favorite. I used the back pocket from an old pair of jeans to make the cover and made a small bear for the in-and-out game.
