Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Growing A Garden With Fabric


Now that spring is here we're getting our garden ready & planting our seed trays indoors. We've been spending time in our homeschool studies learning all about dirt, seeds & how plants grow, so I decide to make this set as a fun hands-on item they could play with even after our last real plants are done.  Two years ago we took a great vacation in Canada where we stopped at the London Regional Children's Museum. One of the best places we've taken the kids - EVER.  This was in their nature room:


Yes that is my middle child showing how theirs can double as a bed (while holding a fake potato no less).  Since I couldn't sew a lick 2 years ago it never occurred to me to try to make one.  When I saw a similar foam dirt how-to on ikat bag not long ago I was re-inspired.  Trouble was I'm not super confident with my hot glue gun abilities & I didn't have the critical component of foam around the house.   Therefore, I decided to do mine a completely different way.  I only used stuff I had in my stash.  I struck thrift gold!!  So, here's my photo journal of growing a fabric garden.

You've got to start with worms - that's what makes the dirt nutrient rich, so open up a can of 'em (both can & worms made from fleece):


Let them crawl in the dirt & freshen things up (my dirt box consists of a re-purposed cardboard box from Amazon with a scrap fabric cover & stretchy fabric, fiber-filled dirt rows): 


Put in some seeds (made from twill fabric scraps, decorated with my trusty printer fabric and sewn shut containing loose beads for seed realism):




 Add water (my own design for a fleece watering can with ribbon water)


Hey look!  Something's sprouting!


Hmmm, better add some more water to keep things going (wormy looks on with approval):


Ta-da!  Check out those blooms & juicy carrots!


Getting in for a closer look (I used snaps so the blooms could come on & off like real flowers and to be interchangeable):


And now an action shot of my little gardeners:


This was so fun & thrifty to make and I love how often my kids want to play with it. Added bonus is the 100% guarantee that something with grow in this garden.

Sharing with the fab link parties on the right ->

30 comments:

  1. THat's just so adorable! I love it! It's going in my "Crafter's file box" for a someday craft to make.

    Anna

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  2. Beyond cool! Would have gone perfectly with my farm party. : ) Thanks for the comment!

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  3. I love it. Another inspiring project to add to my list of things to try!

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  4. it's amazing Cheryl how you just whip these things up! And I would never have believe you hadn't been sewing for years. I hope your real carrots turn out to be as juicy!

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  5. This is fabulous. You are so creative! I hope you'll come link up to TOT TUESDAYS this week. I’ve also currently got a giveaway for a Mother Earth scarf at the moment. I hope you’ll stop by:

    http://www.mydeliciousambiguity.com/

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  6. You are amazing!!! We have enjoyed a play garden like that at a museum in Waco, Texas. Not sure if you want to make more, but I think those would sell in a flash!

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  7. Love it.That turned out adorable.

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  8. I featured you today - thanks for linking up ! www.craftedition.blogspot.com

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  9. Now this is my kind of garden!

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  10. This is SO fun! I really love it. I think my girls would have so much fun with a little fabric garden, and I would have fun making it! Thanks for the great inspiration!

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  11. I think this would be WAY easier than my real garden. This is my first veggie garden and I'm exhausted already!

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  12. WOW! This is so cute. I love it! I hope my garden grows this well.LOL

    Thanks for joining Get Your Craft on Thursday. Please join me next week for another great party!

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  13. This is just amazing! The worms are so cute!

    Thanks for linking up with What are little boys made of?

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  14. This is simply the cutest thing ever! My kids would go crazy for this. Thanks for sharing!

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  15. I think my favorite part is the worms! :) But the whole thing is ADORABLE!

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  16. Visiting from the Friday party at TGC - I love this idea! So fun.

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  17. visiting from new friend friday-- i am in love with this project!

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  18. I love this! Visiting from New Friend Friday and I"m glad I did. My neices would love this and I'm always looking for new fun things to do for them. I'm putting it on my Favorites. Thanks!

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  19. This is just TOO cute. I totally bookmarked this one for the future!

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  20. Oh my goodness - how adorable is this?? Stopping by - and following! - from New Friend Friday.

    Have a great weekend. :)

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  21. Thanks for inspiring me this week on my Tot Tuesdays link up party! I hope you’ll stop by again this week. I'll be featuring this-I sooo wish I could sew. You should sell this on Etsy! I'll be your number one customer! :)

    I’m hosting Yummy Mummy Week May 9th-16th and I’ve got a great group of ladies sharing their tips on fitness, fashion, parenting and relationships as well as a giveaway everyday. And I’d love for you to share a story and some photos of how your life and body have changed since becoming a mom. The Link up party starts on Mother’s Day and runs the whole week.

    Have a great week and Happy (Early) Mother’s Day!

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  22. I love this!! So cute, I must try this sometime...soon!

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  23. I featured this today - make sure to grab a button!

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  24. what a great garden!! you're so creative :-)
    can you tell me, how do you do the text on fabric?

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  25. The text on fabric is one of my favorite DIYs: I've got more info on it in my custom fabric post here - just scroll to the end to see how to print your own:

    http://sewcando.blogspot.com/2010/11/lowdown-on-custom-printed-fabric.html

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  26. Do you have any tutorials on how you made your watering can, or do you know where I can find one?
    Thanks!

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  27. Replies
    1. Thanks very much! This is still one of my most favorite craft projects:)

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