Felt Pin with Interchangeable Center

I’ve been planning to take a photo of Eleanor each month, and I wanted a way to mark each one for easy identification. I ran across a prize-ribbon tutorial recently, and I was going to make one but I didn’t have the right kind of ribbon. Sure, I could have gone out and bought some, but I had a sleeping baby in the house and a desire to make something now. I ended up rummaging through my craft closet for supplies that I had on hand and I came up with a felt version instead.

Finished Pin w/ Numbers

First I cut two matching circles out of pink and white felt.

Tracing Circles

Then I cut a slightly larger circle out of brown felt with pinking shears (using one of my pocket mirrors as a template).

Cutting w/ Pinking Shears

Next I marked an asterisk pattern on the pink felt circle, stacked it on top of the white circle, and then cut out eight triangular points.

Cutting Parts

I chose a few cute ribbons to form the tails…

Ribbon for the Pin

Then I hand stitched all of my parts together and formed the body of the pin.

Sewing the Pin

I could have stopped there or sewn a button in the center if I just wanted to make a cute pin, but I wanted to be able to change the center each month for Eleanor’s age (in months). Since I have ready access to a button machine (I make pins and magnets with it for my shop), I decided to make 24 numbered buttons. May as well make this a two year photo project, eh?

Punching Out Buttons

Now I can just swap out the center each month and Eleanor can wear the correct number on the pin each month for her photo!

Finished Pin w/ Numbers

Related Posts

No related posts.

83 Responses to “Felt Pin with Interchangeable Center”

  1. Erin May 26, 2009 at 10:46 am #

    This. Is. Awesome. You’d better start making a ton of these because I predict you will get lots of requests for purchase. Thanks for sharing and making this look easy!

  2. Chelsea May 26, 2009 at 10:53 am #

    This is such a cute idea! I can’t wait to see the series of shots.

  3. Benita May 26, 2009 at 10:58 am #

    Oh, I was afraid the numbers where her age in years :) I though, Oh my, she’s not going to love having her picture taken like that at 16… Haha! But it’s such a good idea!!

  4. At Home with Kim Vallee May 26, 2009 at 11:13 am #

    It is bright idea. And the finished product is awesome.

  5. Holly May 26, 2009 at 11:32 am #

    Awesome! I would love to buy some for my sister, who had a little boy just a week or so after your daugther was born! Let me know if you sell them!

  6. Julie May 26, 2009 at 11:36 am #

    You are so dang creative!! Even more impressive to be that creative & motivated with an infant!

  7. Erica May 26, 2009 at 11:36 am #

    This is such a charming idea! I love the end result with the felt, the texture combination with the ribbon is fantastic.

  8. Shannon May 26, 2009 at 11:53 am #

    Great idea and very cute. I love your photo project idea. It sounds like you’ll have something wonderfully special to treasure in the end. :)

  9. Audrey May 26, 2009 at 12:06 pm #

    this is so cute! and you should definitley take her monthly pictures in the Eames rocker. Those picture would make a great graphic collage once you’re all done!

  10. Carol May 26, 2009 at 12:13 pm #

    Too cute!! I look forward to seeing her future ribbon-wearing photos.

  11. Kendall May 26, 2009 at 12:28 pm #

    Lovely! I would love to purchase one of these, if you ever want to sell them in your shop!

  12. Melissa May 26, 2009 at 12:36 pm #

    What a cute idea! It will be neat to see the photos that you take each month!

  13. Alexis May 26, 2009 at 12:37 pm #

    great idea. and what fun scissors!

  14. Breanna May 26, 2009 at 1:10 pm #

    Ugh! You are so creative! Love it!

  15. Laura May 26, 2009 at 1:36 pm #

    Very ingenious! And cute, to boot! Looking forward to seeing Eleanor’s monthly photo!

  16. JB May 26, 2009 at 1:46 pm #

    Oh. Mygosh. I have a 4 mos. old at home, and I can barely manage to read my emails. And our “monthly picture” consists of her in her crib with a hand-scrawled sign. I feel like a bad mom. Sigh.

  17. Cindy May 26, 2009 at 1:48 pm #

    Such a great idea! You are so creative and very nice to share all of your ideas. Look forward to the photos each month.

  18. Amanda May 26, 2009 at 2:07 pm #

    You’re so crafty and what a wonderful idea! Better get ready, I’m sure you will get a ton of requests for people to purchase this from you :)

  19. Christina May 26, 2009 at 2:11 pm #

    So cute!
    I’m doing something similar for my son (6wks), but have made a design which is printed on iron-on transfer paper & applied to a onesie.

    It’ll be fun to see the progress & watch them grow!

  20. Jane May 26, 2009 at 2:26 pm #

    Darling! Stash them for birthdays too! I can see a proud 3, 4,5, 6,7 year old wearing that to school on birthdays. Might as well get a lot of bang for your effort!

  21. kelly May 26, 2009 at 2:33 pm #

    I love to check in on your blog and see your adorable home and family. This such a great idea, I think you should sell something like it in your shop, I would snatch it up in a second!

  22. nicole May 26, 2009 at 3:03 pm #

    very clever!

  23. ebeth May 26, 2009 at 3:18 pm #

    What a super cool idea! I am 37 weeks pregnant and am inspired to do the same!

  24. anh-minh May 26, 2009 at 3:33 pm #

    Nicole – YOU ARE BRILLIANT.

  25. Heather May 26, 2009 at 3:42 pm #

    LOVE THIS!! And yes, you def. should market it for sale too (for us less crafty moms!). :-)

  26. Inspired Events May 26, 2009 at 3:52 pm #

    I love it!! Damn you are such a crafty woman!! Eleanor is blessed to have you as a mom!!

  27. Katherine May 26, 2009 at 4:02 pm #

    Brilliant! What a great mom you are! :)

  28. Zoe, Conversation Pieces May 26, 2009 at 4:17 pm #

    Love your bird scissors :)

  29. molly May 26, 2009 at 4:37 pm #

    Such an adorable idea! I can’t wait to see the pictures of Eleanor wearing her lovely ribbons.

  30. Megan May 26, 2009 at 4:54 pm #

    So inventive! What a brilliant idea :)

  31. Jessibee May 26, 2009 at 5:06 pm #

    Adorable! Eleanor is so lucky…she is going to really appreciate this photo project when she is older. Great idea and such a cute pin!

  32. Heidi Jo the Artist May 26, 2009 at 5:27 pm #

    These are very neat! Love your blog! :)

    I’m curious where you bought your button machine from? I’ve been looking for one to buy recently. Can you switch the plates and do different size buttons with it? If you get a chance, e-mail me: swirlsofcreativity(at)artlover(dot)com

    Thanks,

    Heidi Jo the Artist

  33. Amy May 26, 2009 at 6:09 pm #

    Too cute! I only wish I had thought of this when my little one was born. I will have to do this for baby number two. I absolutely love your blog and your style. Congrats on the baby too!

  34. Jessica May 26, 2009 at 6:55 pm #

    I love every aspect of this…

    Now, do you want to make me some of those number pins??

  35. Amy May 26, 2009 at 7:03 pm #

    That is so cute!

  36. Kate May 26, 2009 at 7:33 pm #

    Very cute- where did you get those scissors?

  37. Rebekah May 26, 2009 at 7:56 pm #

    Adorable- and impressive! I consider myself pretty crafty but I lost my creative drive for months after my lil girl was born.

  38. Bethany May 26, 2009 at 8:02 pm #

    Best. Idea. Ever.

  39. Katie May 26, 2009 at 10:46 pm #

    That’s an awesome idea.. For sure something to put up on your website for sale.

  40. Jennifer Rea May 26, 2009 at 10:49 pm #

    Oh, you have to sell these! I can think of a million friends of mine who would love to give a set as a baby shower gift!

  41. Desiree Fawn May 26, 2009 at 10:57 pm #

    That’s such a neat idea for her to wear them like that!

  42. Manda May 26, 2009 at 11:12 pm #

    Great idea and such a cute ribbon!

  43. Nicole RJ May 26, 2009 at 11:12 pm #

    So dang cute! Wondering how I can sneak a button press purchase pass the Mr…

  44. captain kk May 27, 2009 at 2:07 am #

    wow.. such a great idea.. wonder if it’s too late to start something similar with my 9month old??? hmm got me thinking :)

  45. Zoe May 27, 2009 at 2:07 am #

    You are so clever with this craft and decoration stuff! I don’t know how you do it, but I sure am envious :)

  46. Christina May 27, 2009 at 3:19 am #

    What a wonderful heirloom … I could see you getting it out for each birthday as a great tradition. Don’t stop at months; keep it for the years too.

    :)

    Good luck on the porch thing.
    Christina

  47. Ivory Pearl Interiors May 27, 2009 at 5:33 am #

    Delightful idea! I love it.

  48. Claire May 27, 2009 at 6:45 am #

    I have a desire to eat the buttons, they remind me of minstrels! :)

  49. katherine b May 27, 2009 at 8:37 am #

    Absolutely adorable! I’d consider offering these in your shop, my sisters would have loved these for their girls!

  50. luuvely May 27, 2009 at 8:59 am #

    sooooo cute! super creative! makes me want to do something similar for my best friend and her daughter julia who’ll be here shortly! :)

Trackbacks/Pingbacks:

  1. {blog love} this week i love… « {in the tweeds} - June 5, 2009

    [...] Felt pin – {Making It Lovely} – love this idea for all of my pregger friends! [...]

  2. Link love for July 29, 2009 - July 28, 2009

    [...] Make a special badge for your baby’s monthly photo from Making it Lovely [...]

  3. One Month Old (Eleanor’s Monthly Photo) | Making it Lovely - January 10, 2011

    [...] Felt Pin with Interchangeable Center Back in Second Place [...]

  4. Twenty Four Months Old (Eleanor’s Last Monthly Photo) | Making it Lovely - April 29, 2011

    [...] took a photo of Eleanor sitting in the Eames rocker and wearing her felt pin each month until she turned two years [...]

Leave a Reply:

Gravatar Image