ABC Fabric Magnets

My youngest son just turned 3 in December. Alas he is in that group of kids who will start school late, but with an older brother in school already he is very determined on learning new things.  Santa brought him a Leappad this Christmas and his favorite app so far is “Writing the Alphabet”. The program will say the letter, give a word that starts with the letter and then he has to write the letter correctly 3 times to get a star. He is obsessed!

In his room, I bought alphabet strips from the dollar tree, something that you would see in a classroom, and put them on the wall so that we could start learning the letters. The bad thing with paper on a wall, in a 3 year old boys’ room….well it doesn’t last very long. I think I have re-tapped them to the wall and back together more times than I can count.

I saw this idea on Pinterest and knew that this would be perfect! Not only can he play with them, we can put them on the fridge and after we make our big move, we could use them on the magnetic wall I am dying to have in the playroom!

Grab some extra fabric pieces and lets get to crafting!

Here is what you will need

an assortment of fabric squares

pinking shears

fabric scissors

permanent marker

glue stick

sticker backed magnets, you can get these at a office supply store or craft stores.

For the letters you can download a template here....or you can do them free hand!

First, make sure your fabric is nice and flat.

If you are using large sheets of magnet stickers, cut the paper down into smaller rectangles more suitable to your letter size. 

Lay the fabric right side down on the table. Remove the paper from the sticky side of the magnet and affix the magnet to the fabric. 

Apply pressure with your palm to make a solid bond. 

Using your regular fabric scissors, cut out the magnet and fabric.

Set aside the excess fabric.

Place the magnet on the table with the fabric side down. Place the letter right side down on the magnet, the letter should be reversed so that when you turn the magnet right side up, the letter will be readable.

Trace around the letter with your permanent marker.  

Then cut out the letter using you pinking shears.

Cut out the interiors.

For letters that have interior shapes, like B, you have one more step to complete.

Using your fabric scissors, not your pinking shears, cut a thin slice through the base of the letter.

Switching back to your pinking shears and cut out the bottom shape. Repeat for second shape. Be sure to leave at least at one connecting point in the letter.

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That's it!!