Blockheads beanbag pattern Pattern

Category:

Sewing

Type:

Toy

Item:

Other

Skill Level:

Novice

Basic Skills Necessary:

• simple sewing
• easy embroidery (optional)

Pattern Description:

So what are Blockheads, anyway?

I'm so glad you asked! They're beanbags - but so much more. They're filled with rice so you can microwave them and use them as little handwarmers. Slip a couple in your pockets on a cold and blustery day. They have different scents in each bag - so you can use them to play a blindfolded "guess the scent" game. My daughter LOVED that Montessori lesson so this was a special favorite way to play with hers, and I used a wide variety of herbs and spices in her set so it was a good introduction to the art of cooking too. "You're right - that's thyme. That's what I put in corn chowder." and "Mmmmmm. Rosemary! That tastes so good mixed with lemon."

Keep them in the freezer and they make good boo-boo bags. Try using satin on the back side of these - it's especially soothing.

The beanbag filling makes them stand up well (making them good dolls) and the variety of expressions are great for encouraging kids to come up with little stories for them. This pattern includes happy, very happy, chagrined, surprised, angry, and nerdy. I know nerdy isn't an emotion so much as a state of being - but I had to include him because he's been a favorite in every set I've ever made - and I've given a lot of these as gifts.

This may be one of the best toys I ever made for my daughter - hours and hours of ever-changing creative play, easily portable, and made with scraps. That's my kind of toy! :-)

You'll get a full-sized pattern for 6 faces, plus an additional blank page so you can design your own. These are really fun and easy to stitch up - expect to spend less than an hour on each one.