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2.01.2009

Quiet Bag for Church

I have a question for all of you crafty people here. I have given myself a goal for the year that I will make something new (a craft, not just food) once a month. Last month I made a cover for my keyboard, and this month I would like to make a bag to take to church. Rather than having to take the diaper bag, I'd like to make a cute quiet bag with books and toys that is only used on Sundays. I'd also like to make a quiet book with different activities on each page. You know the kind, right?

Now my question is this. I've been looking online for patterns or just examples of some bags and books that I could use as a basis for making my own. I haven't been able to find what I'm looking for yet. Do any of you have any ideas? Whether it's for the bag or the book, either would be very helpful! Also, have any of you done this already? Give me ideas of what is good to have in the bag!

11 comments:

Nikki said...

I looked into making a quiet book not too long ago and the women I talked to made one once and said NEVER again. She said it took forever. Unless you love sewing and crafting I would get one from Deseret. I know they also have a Noah's Ark one at Best Books & Gifts in Oakdale. Let me know what you firgure out!

Bridget said...

That's kind of funny you wanted to do that, because I wanted to make a cute bag for Rachel's church stuff and haven't been able to find a patter either. So, this is a great question! I am a little too lazy to do the quiet book, because I know that it's a ton of work, but we got a great BOM story book that has activities (it's the cloth kind with velcro stuff, etc.) and it's great. We just got it at Seagull Books. Kara, are you a master at making bags? Do you just wing it, because that was what I was going to try to do - yikes.

Cassi said...

Ok, so I'm thinking maybe we should make placemat bags and fill them with special things that only come out at church! I know they are kinda small but we could make one special for each kid, then they each have their own (when you have more kids of course) and they are small enough that the kid can carry them around! And I bet we can find cute felt cut outs at Michaels that we can sew on to make it personal to each kid. What do you think?

I haven't found anything either. And the quiet book that was made for me when I was little looks pretty intense! A lot of cutting, and sewing and I have no idea how she put it all together. Anyway... if you find something better let me know!

Kara is going to start a craft section on this blog! Maybe she'll have a good idea!?

Shelly said...

When I was home this last summer, my mom and I finished a quiet book that she started 25 years! ago. It took about a week to just finish the edges and make the cover. Yes, it is an intense, very time consuming project. I've looked at them online and they get kind of pricey, probably because they are so much work.

Another idea to put in your church bag is those cards of pictures of temples, prophets, other church paintings of Jesus' life, etc. Magna doodles are fun too.

The Mortensens said...

Okay Chalece, I've got two great ideas for you. One of them Cassi already mentioned. PLACE MAT BAGS ARE THE BEST, and SO easy!!! I can show you how to make one or try to put the directions on the blog for everyone. They are also VERY easy.

Second, I've been planning on making a reverence book for Will for awhile now, just haven't gotten around to it. You can get some great pictures, postcard size mormon-ads, and wallet size pictures of prophets and temples from the church distribution. Two words for you, FREE SHIPPING, and CHEAP. SO.... my idea. You get a small photo album and then you fill it with all these fun pictures of church themes, maybe even pictures of your kids in front of the temple or dressed up for church, even some little facts about the prophets... for the beginning readers. I have all the stuff, I just need to put it together, it is great, I've seen it done, and it isn't as hard as a quiet book. Maybe those of us in MN who would like to do this should get together and do it? Then we can post the finished product and the directions on the blog?

If you want more info, let me know!

Nikki said...

PLEASE include me! Rochester isn't that far! My mom lives in Eden Prairie so If you do it on a weekend Ella and I can come up for the weekend AND I have a free babysitter!!!

Tyler and Ericka said...

Have you seen those I spy bags? They are so easy to make and are such a fun little Sunday activity. I had a couple in my classroom last year and there were times I would play with them! You can personalize them for each child and make it special to them or make it a certain theme like church. Also a lot of the bags have really small windows and I like them a little bigger but thats personal preference. When you add a list of the things then you can challenge your kids to find certain things and sometimes it takes them forever! Here are some websites that have them...
http://www.according-to-kelly.com/2008/05/i-spy-with-my-own-eye.html
http://rosie-baby-crafty.blogspot.com/2007/08/i-spy-bags.html
http://www.enrichmentcottage.com/crafts/eye_spy_bags.htm
http://savvychic.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/crafts-i-spy-pouch/
These ones don't have instructions but they are cute to look at and get ideas..
http://lov.li/products/828481
http://deckthehalls-christmas.blogspot.com/2008/12/i-spy-christmas-rice-bag.html
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18847722

Shae said...

Here are my favorite things to use during Sacrament meeting. I think they work best for kids 1-3. Go to this link http://www.mormonchic.com/crafty/filefolders.asp to download patterns. SO MUCH SIMPLER THAN AN ACTUAL QUIET BOOK but with the same appeal!! It still takes some work so you'll still feel like you've accomplished something crafty afterwards! These would also make great presents for friends at church.

Cassi said...

Ooooh those file folder games and the Ispy bags would be really fun to put into our placemat church bags! :) I'm so in for doing this as a group activity sometime Kara! And we'll make sure you get an invite Nikki!

Nikki said...

I just got a tip from another mom that Ikea sells a cheap quiet book and some really cute finger puppets.

Anonymous said...

If you can keep your kids quiet in church, one day they'll need a wedding dress! Here is a great place to check some out: ADressyOccasion.com .