Ame Verso - 50 Fat Quarter Toys: Easy Toy Sewing Patterns from Your Fabric Stash

BABY AND TODDLER

DOLLS

AMAZING ANIMALS

FANTASTIC CREATURES

FUNNY FRUIT

PLAY TIME

This soft book activity toy is sure to become a favourite with inquisitive toddlers. Designed to develop fine motor skills, your little one will have hours of fun practising how to snap, buckle and zip.

Cut two rectangles of patterned fabric 12 1612in (30 42cm) for the front/back and inside of the book. Following the manufacturers instructions, fuse the fusible fleece to the wrong side of the fabric piece that you have chosen for the inside.

Fold the un-fused front/back fabric piece in half with short ends meeting and press the fold to make the spine of the book.

Now make the buckle activity strap. From the remaining fat quarter, cut a strip of fabric 3 15in (7.5 38cm). Fold the strip in half lengthways, finger pressing to crease. Unfold, then fold the long edges into the crease and press with an iron. Fold in half at the centre fold and press again. Unfold to fold in the short edges at each end, then refold and press again, leaving no raw edges showing. Topstitch all around the edge of the folded strip, then cut in half and loop the finished short end through one side of the buckle and machine stitch to secure. Repeat for the other side, then clasp the two ends of the buckle together to complete the strap.

Take the zip, the buckle strap, the elastic and the hook-and-loop tape, and space them along the right side of the fleece-backed rectangle; tack (baste) the short ends of each in place. Trim off the zip ends and about 112in (4cm) from the top layer of the hook-and-loop tape. Machine stitch down each side of the zip and the hook-and-loop tape, bottom layer only (pull the top layer back out of the way, then reposition once the bottom layer has been sewn in place).

Machine stitch strips of the double-fold binding around each edge of the vinyl square, folding the raw edges under at the corners.

Place the vinyl pocket so that it is centred on the back (left half) of the folded rectangle and stitch in place leaving one edge open.

With right sides together, machine stitch the front/back and inside rectangles together using a seam allowance of 14in (6mm) and leaving a 3in (7.5cm) turning gap. Clip the corners and trim the edges of the zip and hook-and-loop tape from the seam allowance. Turn right side out, press the seams, and topstitch around the edges.

Add a snap fastener to close, then slide the animal picture into the vinyl pocket on the front of the book.

Especially designed for little hands, this sweetly embroidered set of six soft foam blocks will provide hours of safe play as your baby stacks them up then knocks them down, again and again and again.

Mark out twelve 412in (11.5cm) squares on each piece of fabric. Using the embroidery patterns (see ) transfer two picture designs in the centre of four of the squares on each fabric. Then draw freehand letters A, B, C and numbers 1, 2, 3 one letter and one number on two squares on each fabric. Using three strands of embroidery thread throughout, embroider all the outlines with chain stitch and the faces with French knots and scallop stitch.

Cut out the marked squares to give you a total of 36 squares, 12 from each fabric. Separate the cut out squares into six sets of six squares. Each set should have a picture and a letter/number, plus four blank squares.

Sew the sets of squares into cube shapes with the embroidered squares on opposite sides. Use a 14in (6mm) seam allowance and reverse stitch by 14in (6mm) at each end, leaving one seam open to turn through to the right side.

Use an electric knife to cut the upholstery foam into 4in (10cm) cubes. Squeeze each foam cube into an embroidered cover. Fold the seam allowance in on the final seam and hand sew closed with ladder stitch.

Hours of imaginative play are guaranteed with this roll-up playmat, decorated with simple felt appliqu to create a landscape of lakes, forests and meadows to be populated with your toddlers favourite animals.

From each fat quarter, cut a rectangle measuring 9 12in (23 30cm).

Following the manufacturers instructions, fuse the fusible fleece to the wrong side of the green print fabric rectangle.

Using the photograph as a guide, draw your landscape designs onto fusible web to fit in the corners of your playmat. Following the manufacturers instructions, press the fusible web onto your selection of felts and cut out your drawn shapes. Peel off the backing paper from the felt shapes and fix them in place, making sure to allow for a 14in (6mm) seam allowance between the edge of the corner pieces and the raw edge of the fabric. Machine stitch to appliqu in place.

Sew the felt strips onto the very edge of the short end of the fantasy print fabric rectangle (right side facing up), so that they are centred with their length running towards the middle of the fabric.

Place the fabric pieces right sides together and machine stitch around the edge with a 14in (6mm) seam allowance, leaving a 2in (5cm) turning gap. Clip the corners then turn right side out through the gap and press. Fold in the seam allowance at the opening and slip stitch closed.

This activity blanket is made from beautifully tactile fabric, and with features such as colourful circles that make a crinkly sound when touched and bright ribbon loops for little fingers to clutch on to, its sure to keep your babys interest.