The Quiet Book!

"Having once decided to achieve a certain task, achieve it at all costs of tedium and distaste. The gain in self-confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labor is immense."

--  Thomas Arnold Bennett

This quote pretty much sums up all my sentiments regarding this quiet book project.

For being just 10 pieces of muslin and a million pieces of felt it sure did take a lot out of me.  You can read more about my journey to finish this book here, here, here, here, and here.

 

All of the following pictures were taken before I put grommets on each page and used rings to connect them all.  I wanted to photograph them in their original-non-whole-punched form. 

Here is the line-up of all the pages:

        

     

   

 

 

And now for a close up look. I named each page after a song just to spice things up a bit.

The cover of the book is this cotton print with muslin on the underside.  I sewed a strap on the back that wraps around and attaches to the front with a piece of Velcro.

Strap attached to the back of the cover

 

The underside of the strap coming from the back of the cover

Strap wrapping around to the front cover

 

Velcro on the front cover where it attaches to the strap

 

Page 1: “Old MacDonald Had A Farm”

Source of templates: Homemade by Jill

 

 

 

Page 2: “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”

Inspired by: Quiet Book Blog

 

 

Page 3: “…for giving me the things I need: the sun and the rain and an apple seed”

Inspired by: Quiet Book Blog

 

 

 

Page 4: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”

Templates from: Homemade by Jill, my original ideas

 

 

 

Page 5: “Fly Me to the Moon”

Templates by: Homemade by Jill and my own ideas

 

 

Page 6: “Sweet Home Chicago”

My own original ideas and templates

 

 

Page 7: “Dirty Laundry”

Inspired by: Imagine Our Life, templates and design by me

 

 

Page 8: “1-2-3-4 get your woman diaper on the floor”

Inspired by: Quiet Book Blog

 

 

 

Page 9: “ABC is easy as 1-2-3”

Inspired by: Quiet Book Blog

 

 

Page 10: “Hit ‘em hard, hit ‘em low. Go Northwestern, Go!”

Inspiration: original ideas and templates by me

 

To make this wildcat image I literally just held my piece of felt up to my laptop screen and traced the image I found on Google.  I thought it was kind of genius.

 

 

Well, that’s it.  Hours and hours of tracing, cutting, pinning, sewing, hand stitching, and countless cups of coffee later I’m finished.  Now I understand why people charge up to $80 for these on Etsy!  

Thank you so much to Kari at Thistlewood Farm, Linda at It All Started With Paint, Karah at The Space Between, Kelly at Eclectically Vintage, Andrea at The Cottage Market, and Stacey at A Sort of Fairytale for hosting this wonderful “Imagine the Impossibilites” Challenge.  I honestly don’t think I would have finished this book until May if you hadn’t inspired me to stop procrastinating.  I’m so thankful for all your words of encouragement along the way!

 

If you’re interested in the tutorial, stay tuned! I will be posting a tutorial on how to construct the basic pages and the cover as well as including templates of the shapes/images that I used next week.  Be sure to check back in!

Update: You can find the tutorial and templates HERE!

*Don’t want to miss a post? I’d love for you to join the Fami-Ly and become a follower today!*

 

 

I’m linking up to these fabulous parties:

Mondays: Between Naps on the Porch, Keeping It Simple, Homemaker On A Dime, The Tattered Tag, The DIY Showoff, Home Savvy, Be Colorful, The DIY Home Sweet Home, Mad In Crafts, The Girl Creative, Polly Want A Crafter, Sumos Sweet Stuff, Making The World Cuter, Skip To my Lou, Debbiedoos, Get Outta My Head Please, My 1929 Charmer

Tuesdays: Coastal Charm, Cherished Bliss, Confessions, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Tip Junkie, Topsy Turvy, Sassy Sites!, A Bowl Full Of Lemons, Sugar Bee Crafts, Not Just A Housewife, Homework, Today's Creative Blog, A Sort of Fairytale,

Wednesdays: Blue Cricket Design, Sew Much Ado, Eisy Morgan, My Girlish Whims, Savvy Southern Style, Someday Crafts, Handy Man Crafty Woman, The Thrifty Home, Lil Luna, Organize and Decorate Everything, Southern Lovely, Primp Your Stuff

Thursdays: Saved By Love, Fireflies & Jellybeans, Somewhat Simple, Yesterday on Tuesday, House of Hepworths, Beyond the Picketfence, Rhinestone Beagle, Momnivore's Dilemma

Fridays: Remodelaholic, Serenity Now, delicateCONSTRUCTION, Chic On A Shoestring, 504 Main, Miss Mustard Seed, Happy Hour Projects, French Country Cottage, The Shabby Nest, Fun To Craft, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Freckled Laundry, Common Ground

Weekends: Be Different Act Normal, Tatertots and Jello, Nifty Thrifty Things, I Heart Nap Time, Lolly Jane, Too Much Time On My Hands, Lady Bird Ln, Embellishing Life Everyday, Homemaker in Heels