Birthday BeanBag

Birthday Bean Bag

So it was my nephew Noah's 1st birthday and I was a bit stuck on what to get him. I was pretty sure I wanted to make something, but I wanted it to match the whole family. My brother and sister-in-law had recently moved to the other end of the country and have got a lovely little apartment which they have been slowly doing up. After seeing pictures of his bedroom, and knowing what 1 yr olds are like, I thought I would make him a bean bag. He can sit and read books, play or use it to snuggle into. I also knew my brother would love it as he likes that kind of thing and I made it in a Cath Kidston fabric which my Sister-in-law loves, So it would match with quite a few bits he already has. Perfect!

To start me off I needed to make the inner pillow which would be full of beans. Once I decided on the size ( not to big as they have to store it) I cut two pieces of plain cotton to size. I then did a running stitch all the way round the edges leaving one area unstiched so I could pour in the filling.

Once sewn I turned it inside out so that the rough edge was on the inside. I then filled with polystyrene beans that I picked up from Dunelm.

If you have ever used these before you will know that they go everywhere. If you can fit the opening of the bag into the gap you left in the pillow case and try and keep as much in the case as possible. Now you don't want it supper full as the pillow wants to move but, don't under fill because as it gets jumped on the beans will squish themselves down and take the beanbag soft shape after a bit of use.

Once the pillow is full, sew up the opening and your done. Now for the cover.

Now I made this in the same way I make my easy peasy cushion covers. I cut my front piece to size to fit over the bean bag. I cut the back piece a good 6inches longer to enable me to make an over lap opening.

Once you have the back piece, cut it in half. Then hem one of your edges on each to create what will be the flaps to open it

Then lay your front pieces down, pattern facing up at you and put a back piece on too with the  neat hem line facing in towards the patterned piece. Lay one pieces on matching all of the edges up. Then lay the second piece matching all of the edges up. Pin and sew all of the way round the case. Turn through the over lapped flaps and push out the corners. This will give you a beautiful case ready to put over the bean bag.

Then you just have to squeeze in your bean bag like you would any pillow and its ready! What is great about this for kids is you can take the case off and wash it is they get it dirty. Makes it child friendly.

The reaction!

Post by Emily