How To Make Your Own Fabric Alphabet
Playing with the alphabet is a great way to help your preschooler learn the alphabet and promote letter recognition, and this easy-to-make fabric alphabet will provide hours of kid-friendly, educational fun!
Our free download includes step by step instructions and printable letter templates so you can jump right in and make your own set of fabric letters!
Ready to Get Started?
Print out the alphabet letter templates and cut out each letter using scissors or a utility knife.
Cut solid-color fabric, print fabric, and two layers of quilt batting into twenty-six five-inch squares. Squares should be large enough to accommodate the letter template plus a little bit of extra cutting room around each letter.
Trace each letter onto one square of print fabric. I used a disappearing marking pen, but feel free to use pencil. Pin together all layers.
Using a sewing machine, sew layers together with a wide stitch along the traced line.
Cut around each letter with pinking shears, about 1/4″ from the stitching. Cut out center holes (as in letters A, B, D, etc.) with small fabric scissors.
Repeat steps 3-5 with each letter of the alphabet. If you used a disappearing marking pen, remove the marks with a damp cloth (or follow the instructions for your pen).
Ways to Play with Your Fabric Alphabet
For plenty of transportable (and decorative!) fun, store your letters in a basket on your child’s bookcase!
Admire your handiwork and then give the letters to your little one to let the fun and learning begin! Can she spell her name?
Or spell some easy words? It’s time to let the learning begin!
If you make a set of fabric letters for your child, we’d love to see some pictures! You can share your photos with us on Facebook or Instagram (tag @allaboutlearning)!
Create Your Own Template for Lowercase Letters and Numbers:
Here are instructions for creating your own template:
1. In Microsoft Word, type up the alphabet from A-Z and the numbers 0-9, using your favorite font and font size.
2. Select all of the letters, and then click the Text Effects tool. (In Microsoft Word 2010, the Text Effects tool is in the toolbox under Home, to the left of the highlighting tool. The icon for the text effects tool is a blue A.)
3. Choose whatever outline style your heart desires, and then voilà! That’s it! You’ve made your own customized template!
Fabric Alphabet Tips Recommended by Our Readers:
- Sew magnets into the back layer of each letter so letters can be used on a white board. (Recommended by Chelsea B. via blog comment.)
- Skip the batting and use felt or flannel as the backing so they can be used on the felt board. (Recommended by Chelsea B. via blog comment.)
- Sew letters together with black embroidery floss instead of on a machine so the stitching really stands out. (Recommended by Beverly G. via blog comment.)
- Use a lightweight tear away fabric to trace a whole page and pin or glue it to the fabric layers then sew through the whole thing. When done with each page of templates, there will be four complete sets of letters. (Recommended by Linda via blog comment.
- Use coordinating colors or designs for the letters – apple print for “A”; blue print or banana print for “B”, etc. (Recommended by Paula via blog comment.)
- Have an older child create this set for a younger sibling! (Recommended by Deb via blog comment.)
- Dots for lower case letters – like in “i” and “j” – can be attached by sewing a layer of clear table cloth covering in between. (Recommended by Cynthia via blog comment.)
Did your preschooler enjoy this activity? Try some of our other great letter recognition activities!
Hazel N Landry
says:Wow, it’s Amazing!
akabir
says:hellow i am new here this site
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWelcome, Akabir. Let me know if you need anything or have questions.
PJC
says:Great! Thank you very much! x
Christina Hauser
says:This is such a great idea! I have plenty of materials to do this. Would make a fun time filler project.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceChristina,
Yes, many of us have more time on our hands than usual right now. This would be a great project right about now. 😊
Andra
says:Came across this on Pinterest and going to make this for my twin grandsons . I’m going to make two sets using different colors for each set.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThat sounds like such special gifts, Andra! 😊
Yetunde
says:Nice
johnsie
says:Cool, this is a really great idea, thanks for sharing….
Cherry
says:Thanks for providing these free letters.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Cherry.
Jane Alvarez
says:These are perfect for Christmas for my two toddler grandsons…..thank you.
Melissa
says:This is a great idea for my little one that needs to touch everything!
Stephanie
says:Very awesome idea!
carol
says:This is a great idea as it is soft to touch and handle. Children will love the feel of it. Thank you!
Carrie
says:So cute!
Cassandra Bernard
says:This is a great article thank you for the really cute idea my girls can’t wait to make their names
Lindsey
says:This is a great idea, and I’d love to make one into a banner to string up around the house as a visual reminder for my children.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceOh, I’d love to see that, Lindsey! It would be a fun decoration.
David johnny
says:Wow! You Made niche alphabet with, fabric they are so nice. I will try to write my name with fabric , Thank You very much for your great article.
Johnny
says:This is an excellent article. thank you for sharing with us. I will make some fabric Alphabet myself.
Anna Niles
says:I made my first ones and they were easy and turned out great! I added one layer of plastic bag from a cereal box to add an extra sensory twist. It gives the letters a crinkly sound which adds to the fun. I also do this when making “taggy” blankets for babies and it gives them a crinkly paper sound to manipulate which they seem to love. Also, no extra cost!
Merry
says: Customer ServiceExcellent addition, Anna! What a clever idea. I’m so glad your letters turned out well!
Myra F. Williams
says:I am so excited to find this! I have a 4 year old granddaughter that we just discovered has Leukemia, with a strange chromosome attached to her cells
that is hard to treat. She will not be able to go to school for at least two more years. I am going to make numbers for her as well. This will be ideal for her as she cannot be around other children for fear of catching a disease – even something simple. I sew and make clothes for her and her 2 year old sister
so this will be a great project..
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWhat a blessing that you can do this for your granddaughter, Myra. I will be adding her and your whole family to my prayers.
Encheri Moore
says:Letter ñ with fabric
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceEncheri,
I would be inclined to try forming the letter ñ by making a letter n and embroidering the ~ on top of it. A nice contrasting coloring of embroidery thread and a satin stitch would look great.
Anita Vallance
says:Can I make them smaller?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAnita,
Yes, you can make them smaller, but there could be a problem with the definition of the letters if you try too small.
Kathy Stangler
says:Love this idea! I am so doing this!
LynneDe
says:Thank you that I don’t have to reinvent the wheel! My son recently called and asked me to make an alphabet set so that he can work with his son (my grandson) who has Down’s Syndrome, to help him learn his letters and numbers. He had thought of felt, but I knew that wouldn’t work with a toddler that puts everything in his mouth. Now, I have the answer! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou are welcome, LynneDe. And what a great grandmother you are to make all of these for your grandson!
Serenity
says:These alphabet patterns are very beautiful. I guess it would be easier to create them with a kids sewing machine.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceSerenity,
This fabric alphabet is easy to make with any sewing machine or even by hand.
Delfina
says:Thanks for sharing, wish I had seen this when my child was growing. Hopefully I can do this for my grand-child.
Linda
says:I’m making this alphabet for a friend’s 4 y.o. son who has autism. It’s important that the letters stay the same shape so he has them presented to him in a consistent way. So that they won’t get folded over, I’m using Phoomph with fabric on both sides. These are also easier for him to hold. In order to give him a sensory experience, I’m making the letters with different textures using different kinds of fabrics and other materials as well as different colours except for the letters of his name which I’ve made with blue satin on both sides. This will help him identify those letters and teaches him that they are special.
Thanks for this! I’ll definitely be making it again.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceLinda,
What a lovely thing you are doing! Using Phoomph will make these letters very sturdy, and I have always felt that this project is perfect for tactile fabrics.
One thought, however. If you make letters with the same fabric front and back, it will be easy for the child to get the letters backward. If you use the same plain fabric for the backside of every letter, then he will be able to easily know what side is the back, or what side to place down on the table, and it will limit him getting letters backward. Muslin is a great fabric for this, although if you use a plain flannel the letters will stick to a flannel board or even some furniture surfaces.
We would love to see pictures when you finish!
Linda
says:That’s a great idea – thanks! I’m, of course, visualizing them from my already-learned-my-letters perspective. ;-)
Maria
says:This is awesome. Thank you.
Laurie
says:Note that inexpensive magnetic strip is not sufficient to hold these for refrigerator magnets
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you for this tip, Laurie. Good to know.
Oma Ja
says:I made two sets for my 3 year old grandchildren, and I love them. I used scraps of fabric that I already had. they are durable, washable and kid friendly. LOVE THEM.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you for letting us know that fabric alphabets have been so well received by your grandchildren!
Marylou S.
says:Hi. Can I use a heavier weighted interfacing to give the letters a stiffer body?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMarylou,
Yes. A heavier interfacing would give the letters a nice stiff body. Another option would be a fleece interfacing which would both stiffen and make them fluffier.