Making Fleece Crafts

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

Approximately half of the 15 fleece crafts featured in this book are
clothing items; the rest are blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals.

The introduction lists the various general materials required and
includes a compendium of basic sewing stitches. Some of the crafts
require no assembly, while others need to be glued or sewn. Numbered
step-by-step instructions, a colored diagram, and a list of specific
materials are provided for each craft. There are sections on stitched
appliqué and iron-on appliqué for added decoration, and both contain
some appliqué patterns. Templates are included for several projects.

The fleece in every diagram and photograph looks like
felt—monochromatic and without pattern, very old-fashioned and
“crafty” looking. Although the author cites the use of Arctic
fleece, Polarfleece, and Polartec, which have become increasingly
sophisticated in color and pattern as they grow in popularity, not one
of these fabrics is shown. The clothing projects are suitable for very
young children only; older children would balk at having to wear such
obviously home-crafted garments (e.g, fleece mittens). The problem is
that young children are hard on their clothes and, since most of the
items featured in this book are glued together or sewn with blanket
stitch, they are not very durable.

The book is more successful when dealing with the kind of nonwearable
crafts that won’t undergo much rough handling. The “fleecy frog”
stuffed with beans would make a cute addition to the cuddly toys on a
child’s bed. Making Fleece Crafts is recommended with reservations.