Beanbag Buddies: And Other Stuffed Toys

Turn old gloves, odd socks and scrap fabric into adorable stuffed animals! Just start by tracing one of the simple-to-follow patterns included in the book. Then hand-sew the fabric and fill the toy with beans or stuffing -- it's that easy! Following step-by-step illustrated instructions, kids can create 12 different one-of-a-kind stuffed-animal friends. Beanbag buddies make great gifts -- if kids can bear to give them away!

Gr 4-7-Creative children will find clever ideas for a number of stuffed toys here. The projects range from fairly simple to those with five or more pieces. Directions are clear and the illustrations picture each step from start to finish. Materials needed are boxed at the beginning of each activity. Variations of several of the toys are illustrated to whet the imagination. Initial sewing and stuffing tips include safety cautions, such as using a sewing machine with an adult present. The final pages feature patterns for the different animals. While Christine Hoffman's Sewing by Hand (HarperCollins, 1994; o.p.) is more useful, this is an attractive volume that encourages creativity along with sewing skills.-Kathryn Kosiorek, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.