So I googled, and found this http://www.pluckymomo.com/2011/06/tutorial-picnic-play-mat.html totally amazing, right?
And I thought I might be clever enough to make one along those lines. She doesn't know if she is having a boy or a girl, so I've made it as gender-neutral as possible!
It was my first ever attempt at applique, and I was lucky enough to have some great tips from my mother in law.
Here's the finished project:
Folded up into it's travel size (it has a button to fasten it closed)
And a close-up of each segment:Black shiny velvety ants (I wasn't sure about them, but couldn't think of anything better to do, so left them as is!)
The butterfly, it's wings are velvet and have plastic inside so are crinkly, the centre is fluffy, and the white cloud is puffy (filled with fat quilt batting)
The caterpillar, I just used standard quilting fabrics for him
The dragonfly also has a fluffy centre, his wings are satin ribbon and only sewn down the middle, so are 'flappy' for the child to play with. And again, a puffy cloud.
The flowers are all different textures, with loose taggy 'leaves' off the stems
The ladybug is just made from standard quilting fabric
The sun has flappy 'rays', and the centre is a sequinned type gold fabric - I checked (pulled and scratched at it) to make sure it was child safe!
And the watermelon, the red is nylon, so makes a scratchy sound if you touch it, and the 'rind' is gathered satin ribbon.
It was a lot of fun to make, and I am so pleased with how it turned out!
My friend was thrilled with it :-)
