Quiet Books - mainly laundry

For my general thinking about quiet books, and more ideas, please see this earlier post. Most of my efforts have been double page spreads with two singles, so they can be removed as a set from the book so they can be doled out. I've described how I did this in a separate post, together with some links to other pages I really like, and other pages I'd like to have made, if I'd ever had time!

This post is all about a particular set, which as shorthand I'll call the 'mainly laundry' set.

This folds in half so that the washing machine and socks form one double page spread. On the 'back' of this are the dolls and the washing line. To find out how this works, see my earlier post. For more details about this double page spread, read on.

The middle page is a double spread, with the left hand page being a washing machine and the right hand side has six (rather over-scaled) socks. The pair to each of these socks is is the washing machine and the idea of the game is to match the socks and pair them. 

This design and pattern comes from Imagine our Life. The socks are all made of felt (mainly hand-stitched). The red, black and white socks are made from black felt with multiple lines of white zigzag. (I couldn't source any patterned felt in the UK.) Then the red tops and heels were attached. One of each pair is sewn onto the backing, with the other one (of each pair) having Velcro, or snap fasteners to attach them. (The original suggests tiny magnets but I would STRONGLY advise against this. Magnets are extremely dangerous if swallowed.) I didn't in fact use any fastening, but just allowed them to be paired by being placed on top. They can be stored in the washing machine that forms the other page of the double page spread.

This is now too easy for my older grandchildren, now 3 and 4. it's more suited for a younger child, but it's pretty, and kept them amused for a few minutes. Besides, they can then use the washing machine for the game on the next page......

The second, single page, has a basket of washing, and a little washing line with miniature pegs. This is my own design. No pattern for the background, it's pretty easy, but I do have templates for most of the clothing. (See below.) The basket is two layers of brown felt, the back one having a convex top and the top one having a convex top. The top edges of the basket were finished with a zigzag stitch on the sewing machine before I sewed them together on the background, leaving the top open. The pegs were from a bought mini set of pegs (often used to hang up Christmas cards etc). The washing line is some chain-stitched buttonhole thread, which is attached to the 'posts' with the eye part of loop hook and eye fasteners. For the middle one I used a hook so it could be taken on or off, but that was a mistake and I'll replace it with another eye.)

The clothes in the basket, to be pegged on the line, are double-layers of felt, mainly hand-stitched, and each has each got a lower case letter on. Obviously, six month Ada would be more likely to eat them or the pegs if she got hold of them, so this will be a game for Jane and Fleur and Rose for now. It's semi educational, as they'll have to be able to recognise the letters and put them on the line in the right order to spell their names. They may enjoy this, but one at least may rebel and just decide to pin them up any old how - but as long as it keeps her occupied while her baby sister is feeding, it will be worth it.

Here are some names  which can be made with the letters I've made. It's not a full alphabet as yet, we don't need all the alphabet for the girls' names, but we do need more than one of some letters.

Here are some of the designs for the clothes - there are also now additional ones including a skirt, a babygro, and a blanket or towel.

Pegged on the line, the letters can be used for a variety of names. Eventually, if this is successful, I may also make all the 'M's and 'D's and 'y's needed to add Mummy and Daddy etc.

I think the girls found the pegs harder than I expected, so they needed help, but it's improving their manual dexterity to try. The pegs are quite stiff for their little fingers.

The clothes can also be used for a dressing dolly game on the final single page of the set. 

The two dollies are stitched to the background. Their pants are also stitched on. The window glass is a thin sheet of perspex sewn behind the window opening by machine. Their shape (maybe a bit tubby around the middle) is determined by the shape of the clothes I had already made. 

The wardrobe doors open, and this provides an alternative storage for the clothes. There are three taut strips of bra elastic sewn across behind the opening, so the clothes can be held into the wardrobe when not on the dolls. (The knobs on the doors are little gold beads.)