~ Learning to Sew ~

My son Zach has wanted to learn to sew for awhile now and it was one of his friends birthdays this week and I just happen to see this little penguin and it was the perfect project for both learning to sew and a birthday gift.

First we traced our pattern on some felt. As much as I love the luscious feel of 100% wool felt its just too spendy. I find that the eco felt, made from recycled plastic bottle does a perfectly good job when it comes to projects like this.

Next, Zach cut out all the pieces he would need to make his penguin. He chose all the colors and traced the pattern on to the felt himself too! We did some sewing machine work, I ran the pedal and he guided the fabric. This project could easily be done by hand if you have the time. Then he stuffed him full of cotton and sewed up the bottom.

This was the final project and he was really proud of the little penguin he had made. I also made a little hobo sack real quick to put the penguin it. He had lots of fun learn to sew and is ready to tackle the next project, a penguin for himself.




March’s Families, Create! challenge was filled with awesome animal-themed posts. From Mo Willems to monkey finger puppets, our writers and crafters kept busy getting creative with the little animals in their lives.

Visit Code Name: Mama and Living Peacefully with Children to find out how you can participate in the next Families, Create! Carnival. Our April theme is "Fantasy" - childhood is a fascinating time, filled with magic around every corner. What can your family imagine and create?

Please take time to read the March submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Lizz at Am I a Funny Girl turns a family outing at the zoo into a picture book to keep.

• Maman A Droit shares her easy pattern for a felt monkey finger puppet with you!

• The kids at Living Peacefully with Children celebrated the emergence of Spring with butterflies. Check out their Coffee Filter Butterfly mobile and Pipe Cleaner Art.

• Aunalise at My Sweet Potatoes offers helpful ways for a child to remember calming techniques with a “Calming your Beast” basket.

• Most of us have monkeys running around our house at times. Or lions. Or elephants. Make your child's creative animal play even better with stuffed animal tails! Dionna at Code Name: Mama shares an easy tutorial.

• Galit Breen at These Little Waves shares an easy way to get creative with Mo Willems' "We Are In A Book."

• Maman A Droit shares her pattern for a felt bunny finger puppet-a perfect Easter basket filler!

• Brenna at Almost All The Truth shares a look at butterflies through metaphor, books and a coffee filter craft.

• Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children knitted some simple Nugget Bunnies for her children's Ostara baskets while practicing a new technique.

• Amy at Anktangle shares photographs of crocheting a lovable stuffed turtle for her son to play with.

• Aunalise at My Sweet Potatoes knows a few ways to bring beneficial birds to the garden.

• Megan at Purple Dancing Dahlias shares a fun little first sewing project.

• Lauren at Hobo Mama has a fun and easy game to make to stimulate your preschooler's memory.

• Using her children's artwork as inspiration, Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children woodburned wooden eggs for them to color in honor of Spring.

• Aunalise at My Sweet Potatoes is making nature bags or field bags for nature journals and the other things we may need as we explore our planet.

• Animals are the inspiration for this set of handmade clay items for an I Spy bag at Living Peacefully with Children.