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Sewing expert Lynne Farris stitches a growth chart to keep track of kids' height from year to year. And with movable pieces that are fastened with Velcro® hook-and-loop tape, kids can make up all sorts of different scenes and stories to go along with them. A pattern for this project is available; see the resources section for ordering information.

Materials:
Foam-backed fleece fabric in various colors (light blue, dark blue, green, red, white, yellow)
Velcro hook-and-loop tape, 2" wide
Foam board
Thick sheet of paper or manila file folder
Pencil
Ruler
Coloring book with animal pictures


Determine the height of the chart, and cut foam board to that length. The width can vary from 18" to 24".

Stitch together three pieces of fleece fabric to make light-blue sky, dark-blue water and white sand. Cover the foam board with this triple fabric piece
To make the tree trunk, stitch together two strips of yellow fleece fabric, right sides together. Decide on the length you want. The width should be 6". Turn the tube right side out. Place a strip of Velcro loop tape in the center front of the tube. Fold each side seam toward the middle along the edges of the Velcro, partially covering the strip of loop tape, leaving the center of the tape exposed There's no need to stitch down the Velcro; the fleece will stick to it and hold it in place. The exposed part of the loop tape is the back of the tree trunk and will be placed on the covered foam board. Use a marker to mark 1" measurements on the trunk, starting at 25. Write in names and dates of kids' heights on the trunk.

Use coloring-book pictures, if desired, to make patterns for cute animals such as frogs. Trace around the picture onto a thick sheet of paper, a piece of cardboard or a manila file folder Cut out the pattern. Place it on the fleece fabric, trace around it with a fabric-tracing pencil, cut out the fabric pieces, and stitch Velcro loop tape on the back of each animal.

To make the palm tree's fronds, draw a freehand leaf pattern similar to the one pictured. Trace around the pattern onto the wrong side of a piece of green fleece fabric. Don't cut out the fabric The traced line will be the stitching line. Place the fleece on top of another piece of green fleece, right sides together, and stitch on the markings through both layers of fabric, leaving an open area so that you can turn the fabric. You'll be able to get very crisp points this way. Now cut out the pattern close to the stitching line. Turn the fabric right side out. Topstitch leaf veins and sew a piece of Velcro loop tape to the back. Make two of these for the top of the palm tree and one turned upside down for grass at the foot of the tree trunk.

To make flowers, draw a pentagon shape, and trace it onto yellow fleece. With two pieces of yellow fleece right sides together, stitch along the traced lines. Cut a slit in the center of one side of the pentagon to turn the flower. Stitch a piece of Velcro loop tape to the back To make individual leaves, draw a leaf shape, and trace it onto green fleece. With two pieces of fleece right sides together, stitch along the traced lines. Cut a slit in the center of one side of the leaf to turn it. After turning, pinch the leaf in the center. Wrap a piece of green Velcro loop tape around the center; stitch down the center. This will give the leaves dimension

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