I have to say at the outset that I had never heard of a tummy time roller, but I’m fully across them now! If you don’t know what it is, it’s for a young baby who should spend a short time each day on its tummy. All the babies I’ve known have hated tummy time, especially when they don’t have the arm strength to hold them up off their face for any length of time. Cue the tummy time roller, which is like a bolster pillow that baby lays across. My step-daughter sent me a photo of one and asked if I could make it. Well, of course I said yes and then began wondering how to do it. I could see that it had a central roll and shaped end pieces. I decided to make an inner and test my pattern, using an old sheet of my late Mother-in-Law’s. I made it too long, so redid it and declared myself happy.

I used scraps of fabric for the outer, trying to choose different textures for a bit of sensory stimulation. I also used appliqué to add interest.

I used a bit of silky blanket binding for the jester, and the elephant is from a scrap of silk from which I just made an outfit (coming soon). The Aboriginal fabric was bought for me in Darwin by Archie. The stripes are a long term resident of my stash.

I put a zip in the outer layer so it could be removed for laundering. As I sewed I added tags that could have toys and fripperies attached. I may have overdone these!

Putting the inner in was not easy and I doubt it will ever come out again. I tore the end of the zip seam and had to repair it. I decided to put a little tab over the zip pull so that it can’t stick in my grandson’s eye. I secured the tab to the pillow with velcro dots.

The inspiration roller had a lion’s face embroidered on the end and I was busy designing one when a friend visited and said that she had a vintage lion belonging to her now grown children and would I like it? Hah! I couldn’t think of anything nicer.

He needed a little TLC and I didn’t enjoy sewing through the old glue, but it was totally worth it.

Isn’t he adorable?

So he went on one end with a rattle behind him. The inspiration roller had a mirror on the other end, but I didn’t have a mirror to hand and also wondered how a baby was going to look at it if it were laying across the roller. Anyway, I decided to give the lion a back end! I used another piece of blanket binding, with a strip of blanket for his tail, both of which came from his great grandmother. I added a squeaker in behind but it doesn’t really work, but I can see it! I am going to admit to mild regret that I didn’t give him a pair of back legs, but I still quite like it. A You are Loved label, of course.

I added some tabs that I sewed with crinkly paper inside. I checked out the crinkly paper and it’s basically cellophane. I used a cereal packet bag, which is perfect, and washes really well – I checked!

You can see that I added a plane with a towelling cloud for extra fluffiness. We won’t discuss the fact that it’s pointing in the wrong direction!

I also stitched a blanket dinosaur on, as well as the previously mentioned elephant.

There are several small toys attached. These are beautifully made and began life as keyrings. I bought them at the Fibres West garage sale, removed the keyrings, and replaced the bead eyes with embroidery thread. They are very cute. There is also a teething ring on there, but I’m not sure about this, I may remove it.

A little slideshow for your enjoyment this time. Miss G is wearing a little suit that I made her from some beautiful fabric from Knitwit. Her Mum has gone back to work part time, so it’s lovely to have her for a few hours.