Saturday 12 May 2012

Home Made Taggies

I have been looking for a while at Taggies and was thinking of buying one for the impending addition.  When I took a closer look at one one day and its price tag I was shocked at how simple they looked to be put together and how expensive they can be.
I decided to make some myself.  I also decided to show how to make one for all other beginners here.



You will need
  • fleece material (you can use fleece both sides or use cotton on one side it's completely up to you)
  • ribbon of varying design and size
  • cotton thread and needle
  • sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • Pins
  • Tape Measure


Cut 2 squares of fabric you can make it any size you like, the one i made here is 12"/30cms

Next select some ribbons and cut them all to the same length. As i made a large Taggie the ribbons i used measured just over 6" and i used 24 ribbons.  


Depending on the amount of ribbons you have or want to use space them evenly around the fleece folding them in half and pinning them to the fleece, make sure you pin them to the right side of your material.  Looks odd initially but will work out in the end I promise.


I've pinned mine with a little sticking over the edge as when its turned the right way round it'll be sewn over a few times really anchoring the ribbons so even the strongest of babies should be able to pull a ribbon off.

Next sewn round the fleece about 1" in from the edge removing the pins as you go. Don't worry about back sewing over the ribbons as they will be sewn over more than once to secure them later on.



When all ribbons have been sewn over and pins removed lay the second piece of material on top of the ribbons right side down and pin in place.


Sew around the taggie making sure to leave a gap large enough to turn it the right way round (around 3-4").  I sewed a seam at around 3/4" from the edge.
Don't forget to take out the pins.
Snip the corners being careful not to cut through the sewing you have just done.  Cutting the corners makes turning it easier and makes for a neater look when finished.  



Once turned you'll need to hand sew the hole, folding the edges inwards.  There should be just enough turned in so when you do your next round with the sewing machine it'll get secured.



When the hole is sewn shut, begin another round with the sewing machine. Make sure to sew as far into the corners as you can to secure the ribbons.
I went around 1 more time to be doubly sure that everything was secure, also makes it look nicer with a double boarder. 


This being my first attempt the stitching is a little wobbly but it looks pretty good.
It took so little time to put together i made another 2 smaller ones.



A few tips 
  • if you use a cotton material for one side, once sewn to the fleece and ribbon side give it an iron, it makes it easier to turn and sew.  
  • two layers of fleece can be thick be warned if your sewing machine is as temperamental as mine.
  • I bought the fleece and ribbons from sellers on ebay. The Taggies cost wise work out at under £3 for the large and under £2 each for the smaller.  A lot cheaper than the shop bought ones and they can be customised to your preference.  
  • If you want to get really fancy you can go around with a zig zag stitch or use contrasting cotton, the skys the limit, its up to you.
If you have found this helpful please comment below like wise if you have any problems let me know.
I would prefer it if you didnt use my pattern for profit and if you post this online please link to this page.