How To Make Mini Soft Building Blocks For Children

Today is an exciting day as it’s the first time I get to introduce ‘Cherry Baby’ at Cherry Menlove to you all. I know that so many of you out there have children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and kiddos that you see on a regular basis so this is the launch of my children’s collection.

I’m excited to be working on different patterns and designs for lots and lots of items specifically made for the smaller people in your lives and very much look forward to premiering them here on my website. But today we’re starting small and with a craft project that I have sitting in my brand new nursery right now.

These handmade mini building blocks were a delight to make; not only are they relatively easy to make but they are just the type of craft project I want to be involved in at present because of the two little bambinos on the way. These little beauties would make an ideal, not to mention really thoughtful, baby shower gift, so go on, give it a go.

• Start by printing out the free down-loadable building block template and cut it out.
• Note: You will notice that the template has an inner and an outer line, cut along the very outer line as the inner line is just a guide for how big the hem should be.
• Use a pencil to trace around the template onto the opposite side of the fabric you are using.

• Now cut out the fabric template.

• Cut an incision of approx 1.5cm at each of the base corners (so your scissors meet the inner guide line), by making these incisions you will create a 1cm hem for sewing.

• Sew each of the four sides of the block up using the 1cm hem as your guide.
• Make sure that the patterned side of the fabric is facing inside when you sew. We sewed our blocks by hand, but they can be sewn by machine if you prefer.
• Once all of the sides of the block are sewn up, fold over the the top piece of the fabric (make an incision into the seam at each side if necessary) and continue to sew around the top of the block.
• All sides should now be sewn up apart from one.

• Turn the block back the right way and fill with soft toy polyester filling.

• Using a very small and tight stitch, sew up the final edge of the block.

• To exaggerate and neaten the edges of our blocks, we stitched over the hems on each side of the block, once again using a very small and tight stitch.
• This makes the blocks look more ‘block-like’ as they can have a tendency to soften around the edges when you stuff them.

• This part does take a little bit of time, but it’s worth it in the end. It also makes the blocks a great deal more secure for when very little hands are holding (and chewing) them.

It’s lovely to be  making things for  this room in the house. Especially as Spring is in the air and everything is so exciting right now.

I recently moved the office in to the house to be closer to the action as it was over in another room across the drive. The new view I have from my desk allows me to watch changes outside. So far I’ve seen snow, drizzle, biting winds, dark mornings, darker evenings and a pond that is frozen over. Now I see all the bulbs bursting forth, buds forming on the trees and the sun coming in and landing on the desks.

Thank goodness for change.

And that’s all I have to say.

Lots of love,
Cx

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Cherry Menlove