Fabric Letters

It seems my friends have moved past the stage of getting married (or at least the bulk of them are) and we are now entering the baby stage. Life with friends definitely goes in stages. My group of friends, cousins, and what not are now populating the earth one (occassionally 2) baby at a time (I really do think this is wonderful). HOWEVER, my budget does not, I love giving gifts and baby gifts are simply irresistible. I do love to give clothes but after attending what feels like my 100th baby shower I realize babies get a ton of clothes, most of which they will wear for a couple weeks and then they have out grown it. Not to forget that some of those baby clothes are ridiculously expensive. Soooooo in order to help save our budget and to use of some scraps in my house I make all sorts of baby gifts such as: pacifier clips, baby headbands, baby hats (I love crocheting baby hats), appliqued onesie, and burp clohthes and a few other things here and there. Well somewhere while perusing on ETSY or on Pinterest, I honestly can't remember I came across a baby gift of fabric letters and numbers and I thought "how brilliant, those would be fun for young children to play with, they don't require batteries, they could help teach colors, letters, and numbers, and use up supplies I have in my house." So this past weekend I set out to try to figure out how to make fabric numbers and letters.

Here is how I did it:

1. print out A through Z and 0 through 9 in Arial Black font at size 600


2. cut the letters and numbers out of the paper


3. trace the letters and numbers BACKWARDS on the wrong side of the material (I used a fun chevron cotton print that I had around my house for the front sides)


4. cut the letters and numbers out of the cotton [I used pinking shears to help minimize fraying]


5. pin the letters and numbers on top of quilt batting (I used a low loft quilt batting that I had sitting around from a quilt I made that was a strange size leaving me quilt batting sitting around) and some felt (I made all the backs the same color, blue, so that they would look like a set and so that the kid would know that the blue side went towards the back and could figure out when they were facing the wrong direction.) [Also I thought the felt was a fun texture.]


6. sew the letters and numbers onto the quilt batting and felt [make sure the patterned fabric is now facing right side up]


7. cut the letters and numbers out again [once again using pinking shears - it makes fun edges and will help prevent fraying]

*All of my fabric had been washed before I sewed with them so I don't have to worry if they get washed the fabric will shrink and look goofy*

Do you make your own baby gifts?

What do you like to give as baby gifts?