ABCs – Fun with Dakota

As you probably know, I have a 6 month old Great Granddaughter whose name is Dakota.  She is simply beautiful (you know I am not the least bit prejudiced) and sweet!!  Now that she is beginning to sit up, I thought she would have a good time playing with ABCs made out of fabric ofcourse.

This was a really simple and quick project with supplies that you probably have on hand in your studios.

You will need scrap piece of batting, scraps of fabric, thread to match, scissors, fine point permanent black Sharpie® and letter stencils (I found 6” plastic stencils at Hobby Lobby).

 

First, trace your letters onto the front side of your fabric...I used black as I planned on using black thread to sew around each letter.  Then make your quilt sandwich:  Back fabric right side down, batting, and front right side up.  Take to your sewing machine and sew with a smaller stitch width than normal (my default is 2.5 and I set the machine at 2.0) onto your traced markings.  Cut out close to the stitching making sure you do not cut into your stitching.  When you have finished all your letters, place them in a pillowcase or lingerie bag and wash.  This is why you should have them in a bag …

I washed mine on low level setting for water, heavy wash, and added some towels using my regular detergent and softener.  When washed, just throw the bag in the dryer.

Now the tedious part:   When dried you will have to trim each letter of the strings (this takes a little while) and then press (I use steam) them flat.  If you do not want the frayed look, you can trim around each letter with pinking shears which would give a neater look.

You are DONE!  Well, you might want to make a bag to keep them in.  I think I will do that for my next blog entry.

Did you notice that there was ALABAMA and FLORIDA fabrics???  Being from Georgia it was awfully hard to sew these fabrics in my house, but my grandson LOVES Alabama and his wife is from Florida so I had to do these fabrics for them.  I did, however, use GEORGIA fabric for the G and purposely did it upside down since I new that the poor little thing was going crazy being bagged up with Elephants and Gators.  And also because my grandson starting calling me Gingaw when he was a baby and it stuck.

While I was sewing, I thought that Dakota might enjoy a little quilt to place I SPY with when you gets a little older.  For the time being, she can just use it to snuggle with.  This quilt was simple and quick also.

I pulled out my fabric drawers and gathered up some fabrics that I thought would be interesting.  I then cut them into 3½” squares and sewed them together making 12 squares per row and 15 rows.  This quilt measures 30” wide by 38” long.  Of course size it the way you like by adding more squares to make it larger and by removing some to make it smaller.  I wanted to make it happy so I added red and white polka dot backing and binding.   I love piecing squares and especially using up my stash.

 

 

 

Not sure if you can see Elvis, but I wanted Dakota to know who the KING of Rock 'n Roll is and will always be!

 

I think the red makes it a HAPPY little quilt!



 

The most important thing that I do is have FUN!!  I hope you will have some fun, too!

“Life gives you a chance to love, to work,

to play, and to look up at the stars.”

--Henry Van Dyke