These beanbags were Sienna’s and my project yesterday afternoon. Who doesn’t love beanbags? We made one for each letter of her name.
Sienna doesn’t know how to spell yet but she loves counting them and we also play “bean bag horseshoes” with them….trying to toss them as close as we can to a target.
First, I made a square template 6 1/4″ x 6 1/4″ and used it to cut 2 squares from each piece of scrap fabric I had.
I cut 8.5″ x 11″ pieces of freezer paper to run through my printer (there is a file at the bottom of this post with the full alphabet that you can print). I printed out S-I-E-N-N-A in both capital letters and lowercase letters. Then I cut out around the letters and also cut pieces of blank freezer paper to place behind the fabric. I used a razor blade to cut out the letters to make a stencil.
Note: Freezer paper has a waxy side that adheres to the fabric when you iron it on. The non-waxy paper side should be on the side you are going to iron. Make sure to adhere all the edges and your paint won’t go on any area that you’ve ironed the paper onto! Just be careful not to use too much paint on each layer….or the freezer paper will start to unstick if it gets too wet. Do 2-3 light coats of fabric paint!
I ironed each freezer paper stencil onto the front of a piece of fabric (and ironed a blank piece to each back to keep paint from bleeding through).
Then I used Jacquard Fabric Paint to fill in each stencil.
Once dry, I peeled off the freezer paper stencil and voila!
I placed each piece of fabric right sides together and pinned.
Then I started in the middle of one side of a square (do not start on a corner) and I sewed all the way around with a 1/2″ inseam. I stopped 1″ from where I started sewing to leave an opening.
I turned the square right side out and ironed flat (this also heat sets your paint).
Next I top-stitched around the edges of my square making sure to leave an opening where the previous one was (so that there is hole to put the beans through).
I had a great assistant helping to fill the beanbag with dried pinto beans…..
…..until she got a little out of hand and started “bathing” in them.
I filled the beanbag 3/4″ full and then sewed the opening shut!
One cute little beanbag finished!
We plan to do the entire alphabet, but 7 beanbags was all we had time for today!
I think that this should be my first project!! We need bean bags for our cornhole board that we are buying! Yippee! Aren't you excited to teach me? Miss you all!!
Cute idea.
I love the pic of your daughter with all the beans the best.
:o)
Wishing you a fantastically wonderful Tuesday.
Super Cute! I MUST get some freezer paper!! I keep seeing all of these tutorials where you make your own stencils.
I would love for you to check out my new crafting blog too! http://lafftycrafty.blogspot.com/
It has only been up a couple of days, but I am having fun :o)!
OH I could just die, I love it so much!!!! I think this would be the sweetest baby gift EVER. EVER.
And did I mention how much I liked this project?
Because I really like it!!!
Wow.
This is very cute Ashley!! I have never tried the freezer paper before! I think Elle would like this project!
Feels good to be back! I'm reading through all of your posts now!
This came out great….maybe we will post it 🙂
so super cute!! Do you ever sleep?! 😉
maybe a stupid question…but where do you print the letters from?? to get them that big??
Augh, please stop posting these precious projects!! ;o) My project wish list is growing faster than I have time to complete them, not to mention my home sewing business. I can see I'm just going to have to give up sleeping…
Although I would like to invite over to my blog today and try out the tutorial that I posted last night. :o) It's a crowd pleaser!
LOVE how you made the stencils! Did you cut them out with precisions scissors or an exacto knife?
Thanks for sharing and I've your button to my blog!
I am definitely making some of these for my kids (one set upper and lowercase) for spelling, sounds and matching. Great idea!!! I am linking at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com
So cute! I'm going to make a whole alphabet set for my preschoolers. I might even make name sets for my nieces. I love how simple your projects are…thanks for the inspiration!
Does the freezer paper just stick to the fabric by itself when you iron it on, or do you have to do something special to it?
Blessings!
Brandi
Need to try this one…bean bags are always a big hit!
Just discovered your blog. What a fantastic project! Way cute!
I love these! Love how they look with different fabrics on each bean bag. Too cut and you make it look so easy. I think I can do this.
Thanks for sharing!
OOOH I love this idea. My 3 yr old would love this
What a sweet project and fantastic tutorial! Especially the photo of the bean counter. (You've got me wondering why I've never tried freezer paper!)
That is cute and looks like fun to do with my daughter!
Thanks for the GREAT tutorial, myself and some other friends tried this today! Thanks so much! I did fabric letters instead because I had no freezer paper. 🙂
This is SUCH a cool idea!!! I posted a link to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-alphabet-beanbags/2009/07/30/
–Anne
This is wonderful. I think if I tried it you would have a fit. I just wouldn't be able to do your projects justice I'm afraid!
Tania (via SITS)
We just made these – love them! They are a HUGE hit with the kids! We linked this at http://homemademamas.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the great idea!
This idea is so darling!! I'm going to make them for my neice. She has her third birthday coming up and these would just be great for her. Thanks so much for the great tutorial. I need to get some cute fabric!!
Thanks for sharing this great idea and made such a good tutorial. I had to share this in my luscious link love today!
Oh my gosh,I hope you still see old comments. I absolutely love this idea and want to make them for children's gifts this Christmas. Thank you!!
Just wanted to post to say that I have just finished a set of beanbags for my daughter – pictures posted on my blog! I'm also waiting to get more beans so that I can do a set for my son (sewn but unfilled). Thanks for such a great idea!
Love this idea! Thanks so much for sharing. I'll definitely be making some of these for Christmas gifts.
Thanks so much! I love these! I made my own version (inspired by yours) here:
http://notesfromaveryredkitchen.blogspot.com/2009/09/alphabet-bean-bag-tutorial.html
I started them when I was pregnant and wondered if they were just going to be another project I made that would never really be used like I dreamed of (to help learn letters), but my 3 year old niece and 2 year old nephew came to visit before they were even finished and had a blast reviewing/ learning their alphabet with these. Perfect! Thanks so much!
Oh. P.S. My e-mail is kathleenann08 at gmail dot com. I didn't ready far enough into your shpeel about comments the first time through. Oops!
Very cute!! I linked to this on my weekly roundup – post is here. Thanks!
This is such a great idea! I am going to make some for my niece and nephew for christmas!
I plan to use my Cricut to cut out letters….that will make it so easy for stenciling!
Thanks for the great tutorial!
You give me idea how to put design on my favorite bean bag couch, thanks for the post.
I just came across your blog and LOVE all these projects and ideas you have!!!! I just bought a sewing machine so I can't wait to make some of these. I'm having trouble finding freezer paper in a store though! Is there anything I can use as a substitute??
I know it has been awhile since you posted this, but I have been saving this project for Christmas. 🙂 and I finally finished!! I linked back to you on my blog..check it out!
I was just coming over to say thanks for the idea when I saw your comment! For some reason I thought your pattern called for double stitching…oh well. I guess it was a fortunate (albeit time consuming) mistake 🙂 Since I was doing so many, I opted for a stencil instead of the freezer paper. But when I make some for my girls, I'll definitely do it your way–much cuter fonts. Thanks again, you rock my crafty world, girl.
Thank You I have been wanting to make something like this and now i have the encouragement to do it!
What a wonderful keepsake, for years from now.
I'm totally making these!!! I hadn't seen this post of yours before! But I love them! Glad I found it via some one else's blog!
Oh these are just darling! Thanks for the inspiration!
You gave me the perfect idea. I bought deb strain love u abc panel(ordered wrong panel). So i didn't know what i would do with it im going to make abc beanbags
thanks so much.
Love all your ideas! I linked to this on my recent post about my first attempts at freezer paper stenciling!
Thanks!
Hi,
Just came across your blog & am loving it. You are such a creative & inspiring person! I have a MckLinky party called Tot Tuesdays. I’d love it if you’d stop by & share some of your great ideas for tots:
http://delicious-ambiguity-nennyk.blogspot.com/2010/04/tot-tuesdays-4.html
Cheers,
Jenn
Hi,
I love all your tutorials… I had a question though. Does your ink ever crack on the fabric when you wash/dry it? I'm currently using Speedball fabric ink and have used Jacquard also. Just wondering what fabric ink you highly suggest. Thanks so much!
Racquel
You inspired me, Ashley! I started a blog not long ago and made a version of these last weekend. Thanks for the awesome idea!
http://imperfecttransformation.blogspot.com/2010/05/tutorial-numbered-bean-bags.html
I saw this post ages ago, but just finally got around to making my own set…. you can see them here: http://mamagonegreen.blogspot.com/2010/05/freezer-paper-stenciled-bean-bags.html
Thanks for the inspiration!
I finallly finished my set! Thanks for the idea, and the tutorial! Check out my version here: http://mycraftblogs.blogspot.com/2009/10/bean-bag.html
Thank you for this great tutorial…I especially appreciate the pdf with the letter templates. Saved me a ton of time!
I just made these and am in love! I can't wait to make a whole set. I posted pics of mine and linked back to your fab tutorial. Thanks so much!
http://thepriours.blogspot.com/2010/06/beanbags.html
These are the cutest ones I've seen! Can't wait to make them for christmas presents!
I saw those bean bags somewhere else before, and ever since, I am dreaming of making them myself. So far, I haven’t had time yet.
Yours look gorgeous! Definitely makes me want to pick up the sewing machine. Thanks for sharing.
Quelle bonne idée!
Je vais essayer de faire tout l’alphabet pour ma classe.
Merci
fqepbmjmcmvfcpp, xcyhaltagc
I am blown away with all these amazing talents you are sharing. I want to do it all. I too will never sleep. I just want to make all theses great things. Please help though. I am from Australia and don’t know what freezer paper is. Is there another name??