Children acquire skills at an astonishing rate, and even more so when they can benefit from the guidance of adults. In fact, many of the activities parents undertake with their children are not only entertaining, but also educational. This easy-to-make pillow -- cleverly embellished with buttons and felt letters -- provides a perfect way to help toddlers develop their motor skills and learn how to spell their names.

Tools and Materials
Felt
ABC Pillow Letters Template
Small boudoir pillow (ours measures 12 by 16 inches)
Buttons
Sewing pencil
Ruler
Strong thread

ABC Pillow How-To
1. Download and print the template, and select the letters your child's name comprises. Pin a letter to a piece of felt, fold the letter in half lengthwise, and snip the buttonhole. Unfold, and cut out the letter. If your child has a very long name, reduce the size of the letters before printing. (You can also help your child learn the alphabet by printing all the letters out, cutting them from felt, and creating a pouch. To make the pouch, sew two smaller pieces of felt together on three sides.)

2. Create a slipcover, measure the pillow, and add 2 inches to the width and length. Cut a piece of felt to these dimensions. For the back of the slipcover, cut two pieces of felt to the same length as the front piece and half as wide plus 2 inches.

3. Pin the front and back pieces together, and sew around the perimeter, leaving a 3/4-inch seam allowance.

4. Mark the position of the buttons (they should be about 2 3/4 inches apart). Use a sewing pencil and ruler to make a mark where the center of each buttonhole will sit. Sew the buttons on very tightly, using a doubled length of the strong thread. You can also add a button and buttonhole in the back to hold the opening closed.

Note: The template is in a portable document format, or PDF, in order to make the details clear and printable. To view and print the file, you need a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader, which most browsers already include. If you have trouble downloading the file, or if you'd like an upgrade, you can obtain the software for free from Adobe's website.

Special Thanks
A Child's Dream Come True

Resources
Down Boudoir Pillow, Martha Stewart: The Catalog for Living