Quiet Books, Part 3

Triple Play - Boy

2015 was a busy year for Quiet Books.  I had to make three.  One for my brother’s grandson, one for my youngest sister’s second granddaughter and one for the daughter of my husband’s nephew.
I decided to put these together in an assembly line fashion.  I would a page for the same activity for each book and then go on to the next one.

This blog covers the one I made for my brother’s grandson.

As with all the others, I used the instructions from the Sew Baby pattern for the size and layout of the book.  This year I added a ribbon tie to the books.  They were a lot fatter this time around and wouldn’t stay closed.

Superman "Zipper" Page.  I used clear vinyl purchased from Jo-Ann Fabrics for the windows.  I purchased the finger puppet from EMCreationsSewingandEmb. on Etsy.  I purchased it back in January 2015.  I don't know if they are still available from this shop, but I have noticed other sellers have finger puppets available.

 

Gumball "Matching Colors" is a frequently used page.  Thanks to Empty Bobbin for suggesting the "Mi Casa Es Shoe Casa" page from the Piece & Quiet pattern from The Quilted Fish to adapt the shoe pattern into a Converse Sneaker.  It really made my life easier.  When I made the last one back in 2013, I created my own pattern and it took a long time to figure out all the pieces.

I got the idea for the suitcase from Empty Bobbin.  I loved her idea of travel stickers.  Mine were based on places related to my great-nephew's family.  The "Dress-up" face and all the costume pieces came from All The Quiet Things.  If you scroll down to the bottom of that site, there are templates for the face and costumes.

For the new book, I added a digital clock along with the traditional clock face.  The time pieces are stored in a pocket.  Now he can learn both ways to tell time.  Instead of plain shapes, I decided to use traffic signs.

The Circus Train is from Imagine Our Life.  This is such a wonderful site for finding Quiet Book ideas!  The finger puppets were purchased from Restoration Hardware.

The "Pizza Counting" Page is adapted from Magda's Toy Story Quiet Book.  The iPhone and blue jeans pocket is from Imagine Our Life.  I decided to step into the 21st Century and leave the old dial telephones in the past where they belong.  (Although I still use one!)

Sandcastle page is from Imagine Our Life.  I told you I LOVED this site!

I adapted the "Mitten" page from the Sew Baby pattern into a baseball glove, and then added a baseball.  For the "Tic-Tac-Toe" page I used baseball-themed fabric and ribbon.

The "Dump Truck" page is from All the Quiet Things.  The wheels "unbutton".

I will describe the two quiet books I made for my great-nieces in my next blog.

Quiet Books, Part 2

The Doctor Will See You Now

2013 was a VERY busy year.  My daughter moved to DC to attend graduate school at Georgetown, I performed in the play Arsenic and Old Lace at a local theater, my husband and I traveled to Indiana, New York City, London, and Aruba AND I knitted those eleven sweaters.

Even with all that going on, it was also a year I needed to make another Quiet Book.  This time for my middle sister’s grandson.  My niece is a big Doctor Who fan.  I had already knitted her son a Dalek sweater, so I decided to make him a Doctor Who-themed Quiet Book.

I purchased a pattern for a Doctor Who Quiet Book from SpaceBatdesigns on Etsy.  The pattern only had 8 pages and I needed 16, so I had to come up with additional pages.  Also, although the pattern had great ideas and templates, I altered many of them to suit my needs.

As with my earlier books,  I used the instructions from the Sew Baby pattern for the size and layout of the book.  I ordered all the Doctor Who fabric from Spoonflower.

I used the template from the pattern, but instead of velcro I used a zipper.  Inside was a 11th Doctor finger puppet.

Both of these are my design.  I created "Jelly Babies" for matching colors and made a Converse sneaker for learning to tie a shoe. 

I used some of the clothing templates from the pattern for my "Dress the Doctor" page.  Others I created myself.  The Doctor doll used the template from the Modern Maven pattern.

I modified the clock from Modern Maven pattern into a pocket watch.  The "Count the Adipose" is from the Doctor Who pattern.  

The K-9 page is from the pattern.  A Fourth Doctor finger puppet is hiding inside.   Behind the sign is a phone.

I adapted the Weeping Angel template into a "Peek-a-Boo" page.   "Weaving" page using two hearts.

I actually think that face behind the hands is scarier than an actual Weeping Angel!

I used the pattern templates for both of these.  I used buttons to "Pose the Cyberman" and the Dalek was for practicing snaps.

I adapted the "I Spy" page  from Imagine Our Life. 

I had seen several memory pages, so I created a "Match the Companions" Concentration Game. 

Doctor Who Logo "Jigsaw Puzzle" page.

Although I had a lot of fun creating this Quiet Book, I don't know if I would make another one that is so specific in its theme.  I found it very difficult at times to come up with activity pages that would match the theme.

Quiet Books, Part 1
The Early Years

One of my all-time favorite things to make are Quiet Activity Books for toddlers.

I made my first one in 2011 for my older sister's grandson as a Christmas gift.  Since I had never made one before, I purchased the I Can Do It! Cloth Activity Book pattern from Sew Baby.

 

It was a great introduction to making these books, and I followed the directions without straying from the pattern.   Sadly, I don’t have any pictures (or at least not any that I can find). 

I had so much fun making it, I decided that I would start a tradition - that each of my great-nieces and nephews would get a Quiet Book from their Great-Aunt Teresa for Christmas when they turned 2 years old.

In 2012 I made my next one for my youngest sister’s granddaughter.  Because I liked the size and layout of the Sew Baby pattern, I decided to use it again for my basic layout.  However, this time I changed many of the activities.  I continued to use the fleece mitten, clock, traffic light, and shoe from the Sew Baby pattern.

The bulk of the other activities came from Sew a Quiet Book by Modest Maven.  There is a link that opens a pdf file of the instructions and templates.  I also used the Circus Train, Mailbox and Breakfast food from Imagine Our Life to complete the book.

Refrigerator was my design.  Additional food is stored inside.

Finger Puppets were purchased from Restoration Hardware.  I don't think they are currently available.

Again, I was quite pleased with the results.  The books, however, were soon to become much more specialized.

 About this Blog 
“Ah! There is nothing like staying at home, for real comfort.”  - Jane Austen (Emma)

Since I retired from teaching in 2009 I have become quite a homebody.  Mrs. Elton's quote from Emma perfectly describes my life.


This blog is to share my wonderfully comfortable retired life, specifically focused on the hobbies I have developed over the years - sewing, quilting, knitting, researching family history.  I have found a lot of great ideas for projects from other people's blogs and I wanted to give back and share my creations with others.  

2013 - The Year of Knitting Dangerously. 
Sweaters, Sweaters, Everywhere.

In December 2012, while I was heavily into knitting, I purchased Literary Knits by Nikol Lohr.  They had a great sweater pattern called the “Scout Cardigan” inspired by Scout Finch from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.   I fell in love with this pattern, and I thought the sweater would make a great Christmas gift for my three great-nieces who at the time were 8 and 9 years old.  So, in January 2013 I embarked on my year of knitting sweaters.

I worked on those three sweaters from January through March and was quite pleased with the results.  In July, I went back and made one more. 

For all the sweaters I used Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash.  I needed 3-4 skeins for the sweater and 1 skein for the ribbing and motif.  You can find more details at my Ravelry project page.

After I had finished, however, I began to wonder what could I make for the rest of the great-nieces and nephews that would be comparable.  So, I decided to make everyone a sweater.  That would require me to make ELEVEN sweaters over the course of the year.  I decided I was up to the task! 

LET THE KNITTING BEGIN!!!! 

My next two were variations on the “Scout Cardigan”.  These were both for toddler-aged boys.  I used the same pattern, but instead of the mockingbird motif, I substituted a robot for one and a Dalek from Doctor Who for the other.  Since these were both smaller in size I only used 2 skeins for the body and 1 for the ribbing and motif of Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash.  Links to the robot cardigan here and Dalek cardigan here.

SIX DOWN - FIVE TO GO!!!!

The next sweaters were for boys, ages 7, 14 and 15.  I knew I had to find a different pattern - the “Scout Cardigan” just wouldn’t do.  Happily, Literary Knits had the perfect pattern for boys -  the “Oskar Pullover” inspired by Oskar Mazerath from The Tin Drum.  During March through May I worked on two sweaters.

Both of these I had to make as adult-sized sweaters.  To adjust the size I used Top Down Raglan Sweater Generator by Knitting Fool.   I used 4-6 skeins for the main sweater and 1 skein for the pattern of Berroco Vintage. 


ONLY THREE TO GO - BUT I NEEDED A BREAK!  AFTER ALL, IT WAS SUMMER!

After summer was over, I went back to work on the sweaters.  I used the “Oskar Pullover” pattern to make the last sweater for the 7-year old, but this time I just made it all one color and left out the design.  Again I used Berroco Vintage - 4 skeins.

The last two sweaters were for my husband’s 7-year old granddaughters.  For these two, I used the “Heartgyle Pullover” by Mari Chiba.  I found the pattern in the Interweave Knits, Holiday Gifts 2003 magazine.  I decided not to add the hearts and just made the sweaters all one color.  I added bright-colored buttons at the top.  Again I used Berroco Vintage yarn - 3 skeins for each.
 

HALLOWEEN - ALL ELEVEN DONE!!

Let’s just say, I’ve not knitted a sweater since!