These lettered beanbags are so easy to make. You can make enough beanbags for the entire alphabet or just specific words or names. This would make a great gift for a baby shower or child's birthday! It can also be used for nursery or home decor if you set them on a shelf or table! My daughter and I play a modified version of "horseshoes" with them too. You can see more photos here!

Materials needed for your project:
Fabric (approximately 13" x 7" for each beanbag)
Freezer Paper (link: http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldskitchens/en/product.asp?prod_id=1798)
Fabric Paint

Note: You also need an iron and sewing machine for this project.

Step 1: Cut Your Template and Fabric

Make a square template 6 1/4" x 6 1/4" and use it to cut 2 squares from each piece of scrap fabric.

Step 2: Create Your Stencils

Cut 8.5" x 11" pieces of freezer paper to run through your printer*. I printed out S-I-E-N-N-A in both capital letters and lowercase letters...but print out which letters you want to use. Cut out around the letters and also cut pieces of blank freezer paper to place behind the fabric. Use an exacto knife to cut out the letters to make a stencil.

*I use Powerpoint to create my letters but if you have trouble here is a PDF file with the large letters that you can download. (link: http://lilblueboo.blogspot.com/2009/07/beanbag-tutorial-learning-to-spell.html )

Note: Freezer paper has a waxy side that adheres to the fabric when you iron it on. The non-waxy paper side should be on the side you are going to iron. Make sure to adhere all the edges and your paint won't go on any area that you've ironed the paper onto! Just be careful not to use too much paint on each layer....or the freezer paper will start to unstick if it gets too wet. Do 2-3 light coats of fabric paint!

Step 3: Iron on Your Stencil

Iron each freezer paper stencil onto the front of a piece of fabric (and iron a blank piece to each back to keep paint from bleeding through).

Step 4: Paint Your Letters

Use fabric paint (I use Jacquard Fabric Paint) to fill in each stencil.

Note: Be careful not to use too much paint on each layer....or the freezer paper will start to unstick if it gets too wet. Do 2-3 light coats of fabric paint!

Step 5: Peel Off the Stencil

Once dry, I peeled off the freezer paper stencil and voila!

Step 6: Preparing to Sew

Placed each piece of fabric right sides together and pin.

Step 7: Sewing the Beanbag

Start in the middle of one side of a square (do not start on a corner) and sew all the way around with a 1/2" inseam. Stop 1" from where you started sewing to leave an opening.

Step 8: Ironing the Seams

Turn the square right side out and iron flat (this also heat sets your paint).

Step 9: Topstitching

Topstitch around the edges of each square making sure to leave an opening where the previous one was (so that there is hole to put the beans through).