How I Sewed My Daughters’ a Simple Tooth Fairy Door Hanging

How I Sewed My Daughters’ a Simple Tooth Fairy Door Hanging

A while back, when Ada’s first tooth became wiggly, I wanted to come up with some way to make the tooth to coin exchange easier on Matt and I while also keeping the story alive for the girls. As they share a bedroom I knew there was going to be a much greater chance that one of them might wake up while we were trying to find an errant tooth under their pillow. The girls share a bunk bed so Ada’s top bunk is much too high for me to easily search and Zoey’s bottom bunk has a space along the side and headboard that often loses toys so I saw the whole process, for either of my night owls, troublesome. This idea to make the overall tooth exchange process easier resulted in the final idea to have a special tooth holder hanging on the outside of their bedroom door thus decreasing the chance of a wake up in the middle of the night and making the tooth so much easier to nab last minute before bed.

Pinterest geared image showing the blog post's title at the top, my main URL at the bottom, and a collage of five images (all found below) between them,. The background is purple to match my website.

I made Ada’s tooth fairy door hanging a while back when her first tooth became wiggly. At that point I made sure to take lots of photos for my website but never got around to writing up this post. Just this summer; however, Zoey fell off of her bike hard enough to make one of her teeth wiggly and although, later, we were told it would naturally heal and stop wiggling I did promise her, in that moment, to make Zoey her very own tooth fairy door hanging. By the time her tooth healed the pieces were already chosen, cut, and were waiting for her to finish decorating. As such I have photos from making both tooth fairy door hangers below and I combined them together as they follow the same process.


Finding a Template

For both projects I started out by looking online for a tooth outline I liked. I unfortunately didn’t save the one I used for Ada and had to go back online to look again when it came time for Zoey’s. Anyway, both times I opened up my free Gimp IDE, created a blank canvas the size of my printer paper, and pasted the newly found image onto a new layer multiples times. I then took each layer and resized it so I’d have a variety of sizes and moved them around so they wouldn’t be overlapping one another. I did this as it seems simpler to get all the computer work out of the way before printing rather than printing, resizing, printing, resizing, again and again, until you have the proper sized template.

Image shows the Gimp IDE with five differently sized smiling teeth. At the bottom you can see part of the File window with the tooth image selected.
I started out with a blank canvas on Gimp and then filled it in with many differently sized teeth.

Making the Tooth

For Ada’s, once I choose one of the printed teeth, I grabbed some white fabric, plugged in my light box, lined up the layers, and traced the tooth onto the wrong side of the fabric using my disappearing ink pen. For Zoey’s I was a bit more particular on which size of tooth I should use as a template as I wanted her final tooth fairy door hanging to be a similar size compared to Ada’s. As such I grabbed my quilting ruler to quickly compare the printed teeth to Ada’s final one, picked a similarly sized one, and then, like before, traced it out onto the wrong side of the fabric. This tracing step was also harder than before as Zoey wanted an orange tooth rather than a white one, like Ada’s, and so it was much harder to see the tooth template through the fabric even with the bright light box underneath it all. I ended up giving up the tracing and laid the fabric beside the tooth template so I could copy it instead.

Image shows the printed teeth laid out on a cutting mat and obscured by a transparent quilting ruler. On top sits a red pen while orange fabric is laid out above and a turned on light box is to the left.
I wanted the girls’ tooth fairy door hangings to be similarly sized so I started out measuring Zoey’s printed teeth before choosing one to use as the template.
Image shows a blue inked tooth on white fabric with the paper and then turned on lightbox underneath it. The blue disappearing ink pen is laid out beside the fabric.
It was super simple to quickly trace out Ada’s tooth template onto the wrong side of her white woven fabric.
Image shows the tooth outlined in red ink overtop of the printed page of tooth templates.
Zoey’s fabric was thicker and colored and was thus harder to see through to see the printed tooth template underneath. As such I moved the fabric beside the template and copied the remaining outline myself.

I traced out the tooth shape onto the fabric as I wanted to put a tooth pocket on the girls’ fabric door hanging to hold their newly freed tooth and, later, the newly gained coin. Since the tooth is a weird shape I knew it would be hard to finish the raw edges of the pocket if it was made from a single layer of fabric. As such, once the tooth outline was drawn with the disappearing ink, I knew it was time to sew a stand-alone tooth shape. For Ada’s I took another small remnant of the white fabric, placed it right sides together with the drawn tooth, clipped it in place, and sewed along the outline making sure to leave a space along the top to turn the tooth right side out later. I chose the top as it had an area that looked straight enough to easily fold closed later and long enough to turn the tooth right side out. Plus if I topstitched the tooth, so the top matches where I later sew the sides and bottom to the main fabric, the hole would also be sewn closed without any extra effort.

With Zoey’s larger piece of orange fabric I simply folded it in half, at the edge of the tooth, making sure the drawing was on the outside and the right sides of the fabric were facing each other. After that the steps were the same as Ada’s as I clipped the two layers in place and sewed along the inked lines making sure to keep an opening at the top to turn the tooth right side out.

Image shows two scraps of white fabric sewn together along a purple inked tooth shaped path. There's a thread coming from the top suggesting that the opening to turn it right side out is there and to the left.
After clipping the two layers together I took it to my sewing machine and sewed them together making sure to follow along the inked path and leave a space to turn the fabric right side out.

Once the fabric layers were sewn together I used my pinking shears to trim the excess fabric around the tooth making sure there was a bit more seam allowance left around the opening so it would be simpler to tuck within when turned right side out later. I knew I needed a smaller seam allowance along the stitching so the finished tooth would have less bulk within it. With Zoey’s I also took the time right now to press the tooth to make the ink disappear under the iron’s heat while Ada’s previously made tooth wasn’t pressed until after the tooth was turned right side out so it would lay flat.

Image shows the purple outlined tooth with a jagged edge along the entire thing. My purple handled pinking shears, a metal chopstick, and the trimmed fabric remnants lays to the right.
Once sewn I used my pinking shears to trim the excess fabric away from the tooth’s stitches. I chose my pinking shears rather than my straight edged sewing scissors as fabric is supposedly less likely to unravel with a jagged edge like this.

With the seam allowance trimmed it was time to turn the tooth right side out. In both cases I grabbed one of my metal chopsticks to do the deed. Once the tooth was fully right side out I switched to how I used my chopstick and now ran the tip of it along the inside of the seams so the edge would also be firmly turned out. I then folded the visible raw edge of the opening and clipped the two folds in place so the tooth can now be fully finished.

Image shows a white tooth with sewn smoothed edges along most of it. The top left corner is raw with thread showing where the opening is located. Off to the top right side yo can see the handle of the pinking shears and the metal chopstick.
I used my metal chopstick to turn the tooth right side out before poking the tip into the legs and dragging it along the seams so the tooth can lie fully flat.
Image shows a flat tooth laid out on a blue wrinkled ironing matt with a orange and clear sewing clip attached to it's top right side like a bow. Looking closely you can see where the trimmed seam allowance is on the inside as that space is more opaque that the center of the tooth.
I tucked the raw edge inside the opening and used my iron to press the tooth flat. I then grabbed a sewing clip to hold the opening closed until I could get it to my sewing machine. The heat from the iron also caused the ink in the first step to disappear.

Once the raw edges were folded down and clipped into place I took the tooth to my sewing machine to topstitch along the very top of the tooth and, thus, close the hole. I didn’t topstitch around the rest of the tooth as that’s where I’ll be sewing the tooth to the main fabric later on, yet I did need to topstitch the top anyway as that’s where the opening to the pocket will be and I wanted it to match the rest.


The Rest of the Pieces

Ada’s was the first tooth fairy door hanging I made so at this point, after essentially completing the tooth, I had to stop so I could fully plan out how I wanted to proceed. Once I had a plan written down I continued on by measuring and cutting out the two required pieces of white fabric and two pieces of matching interfacing needed to make the final item. I chose to include interfacing so the final hanging item could be thicker and feel more cushioned. I then pulled out all of my ribbon and had Ada, and later Zoey at this point, choose a ribbon they wanted to hang it with and I cut a piece that would fit the height needed.

Image shows an extra large tooth printout with my quick sketch doodled in the blank center. To the top is a used pencil sharpener, to the left the white finished tooth, and to the bottom a pencil.
At this point I wanted to quickly draw out my idea so I knew for sure how to proceed. I drew a doorknob with a rectangular tooth-decorate fabric hanging around it with a string using a scrap when I attempt to print a way too big tooth template.
Image shows white fabric laid out over a cutting mat. In the 90 degree raw edged corner is laid out the clear quilting ruler and above that the white tooth.
I hadn’t yet determined how large I wanted the fabric rectangles to be so I laid out my tooth on top of a corner of the fabric to help determine the size.
Image shows a transparent marked quilting ruler laid out over a rectangle of white fabric. You can see it measures 5 inches by 6.5 inches. Another matching rectangle of white fabric is off to the side.
I then cut out two equal pieces of white fabric measuring five inches wide by six and a half inches tall.
Image shows a stack of pieces. Each of the two rectangles of fabric has a rectangle of interfacing matched up underneath it. Both are angled a bit to make the two pieces distinct. Above them sits the white tooth.
After I cut out the two rectangles of fabric I then cut out two matching rectangles of white interfacing. With all five pieces cut out it was finally time to let Ada decorate her tooth fairy door hanger.

With Zoey’s door hanger the pieces looked less organized at this point. For hers I had used my iron earlier on to make the ink disappear so once I turned her tooth right side out I decided to skip the ironing step and just lay it flat, later, when sewing the tooth to the fabric. I also didn’t need to stop to figure out the fabrics measurements as I used my previous photos of Ada’s to determine how large I should also cut Zoey’s. Zoey had also decided to have a white one background so I cut two five by six and a half inch rectangles for hers just like Ada’s. Then I deviated from before. Rather than cutting out two matching pieces of thicker interfacing I saw a soft strip of fabric with the right width that I could use to stuff the door hanging with instead. It had no glue to hold the layers together like the interfacing before so I chose to leave it uncut and later, after folding it and sewing it into the door hanging, I could trim the excess away.

Image shows a folded piece of soft fabric with selvage at one end folded next to the slightly stacked two white rectangles of fabric and an orange puffed up tooth. Below them lays the cutting mat and quilting ruler.
Zoey’s final pieces looked less put together at this point compared to Ada’s.

As a quick aside I think this was leftover selvage from some double sided minky toddler blanket topper fabric I used to make two afghans with.


Coloring the Pieces

Regardless of interfacing or batting once the pieces were prepped I stopped the process so the kids could take their time coloring all the visible sections of fabric with my fabric markers and thus truly make their tooth fairy door hanging their own. Both kids took several days before declaring they were done as I didn’t want to rush them or make them work on it when they weren’t feeling it. Zoey at one point completely lost interest and then picked it back up when Ada started coloring her face masks for school. This project was why Zoey only colored her face mask pouches and not the masks themselves when we made our face mask command center for school.

Image shows a closeup of Ada's newly pink tooth with black eyes, a black smile, and a pink nose. One marker lays off to the side and you can see a bit of her dinosaur dress.
Ada took the time to color all her fabric pieces including the originally white tooth that became adorably pink.

Once Ada finished coloring all of her white fabric pieces I took them all to my pre-heated iron to set the ink and attach the interfacing to the back of the two larger pieces. Then I had a few more questions for Ada so she could have a truly custom piece. First I pulled out all of my threads and ribbons so she could choose how it would be sewn together. She ended up going with a variegated thread and a flowered ribbon to hang the piece up with. Next she chose which rectangle was the front and which was the back. Then, on the front, she choose where the tooth should be positioned which I quickly pinned into place before cutting some of her chosen ribbon off so I could pin it to the top of the back piece.

Image shows the tooth pinned, with four sewing pins, to the white, orange, and purple marked rectangle of fabric. Off to the side you can see four different variegated threads, one variegated bobbin, and part of the decorated other rectangle.
Ada quickly chose the variegated threads but took her time picking which one was the best. While deliberating I had her choose which rectangle was the front and lay out where on it she wanted the tooth to be. I then used my sewing pins to keep it in place.
Image shows the spiral and figured decorated rectangle of fabric with a flowered ribbon looping from the left top to the right top. The center almost reaches the bottom but is just far enough away that I won't need to worry about it in the seam allowance later.
Ada quickly chose the flowered ribbon, bought from either Joann’s or Michael’s near Easter, and I clipped it to the top of the back rectangle of fabric making sure the decorated side was facing away so it would be front facing once sewn.

Other than the interfacing itself Zoey’s process was the same as Ada’s was so long ago. I already knew which rectangle was for the front as she had carefully added an X to be hidden within the tooth. I had her place the orange tooth on the fabric which I quickly pinned into place while she chose her ribbon, same flowered one as Ada, and her thread, she went with orange. I then had her decide which way the back went, pinned the ribbon to the top of it, and folded the soft selvage to act as a multilayer stuffing.

Image shows the back rectangle stacked on top of the folded white fabric with the ribbon pinned to the top. To the right the other rectangle sits with the orange tooth pinned with two sewing pins.
Like before I pinned the tooth to the front rectangle and the ribbon to the back. Unfortunately I pinned the ribbon facing down so, once sewn, the decorated ribbon faced the back instead of the front.

I then took the front piece to my sewing machine and sewed around the sides and bottom of the tooth creating a little pocket.


Putting It All Together

Once the tooth was sewn on and all the pieces were decorated it was time to put it together. I started by putting the two rectangles together, facing one another, with the tooth and ribbon sandwiched between. I then used my sewing clips to clip the two together while making sure that the ribbon was secured at the top and away from the sides and bottom so the loop itself doesn’t get sewn down.

Image shows the back of Ada's interfaced tooth with color changing thread. The top is open as it is a pocket. There are many colored clips holding the edges and corners in place with a container of more clips off to the side.
I love how pretty the variegated thread looks from the back of the tooth. Anyway I carefully pinned the two rectangles together making sure the corners and edge were lined up and the ribbon was securely in place.

I made sure to start sewing with an open straight space behind the needle so I could easily leave an empty space to turn the tooth fairy door hanging right side out. I also made sure to backstitch when going over the ribbon ends to make sure that the ribbon would be secure later on. Once I was done sewing around the rectangle I trimmed the excess threads and seam allowance. I did this so there would be less bulk within the door hanging. I also made sure to leave a bit larger of a seam allowance at the opening so it would be easier to tuck inside later on.

Image shows the inner side of Ada's with variegated thread around the sides. The excess trimmed seam allowance is at the top with the scissors beside, and above it, and the sewing clips beside that.
Once I was done sewing around Ada’s I grabbed my fabric scissors, trimmed off the corners, and then trimmed the sides down. I made sure to leave the full seam allowance at the top where the opening was.
Image shows the backside of Zoey's tooth fairy where you can see the orange thread around the entire thing and around the tooth. You can faintly see the orange toothed fabric and the blue fabric marker on the other side of the thin fabric. The ironing mat and pinking shears lay to the left and the top is trimmed off and laid above.
When it came time to trim Zoey’s I grabbed my pinking shears instead and had more to trim off as the inner fabric stuck out so much farther than the fabric seam allowance.
Image shows a closeup of the opening in Zoey's door hanging with the fluffy fabric facing up showing the trimmed opening and the selvage dots. The woven white fabric can be seen behind the fluffly zigzag trim.
This time around there was a smaller seam allowance than before. To make it easier I chose to leave the outer fabric untrimmed where the opening was but trimmed the inner fluffy fabric so the outer layers could easily fold in around it.

I then turned the tooth fairy door hanging right side out, using my chopstick to push out all of the corners, tucked the raw edges inside of it, and then pressed the entire thing flat while carefully not ironing the ribbon just in case it might melt. I then used a sewing clip to keep the opening in place and brought it over to my sewing machine to topstitch around all four sides. I chose this to easily close the opening, keep it flat, and add more of the chosen thread around it. Instead I could’ve hand stitched the opening closed but I was too lazy and liked this way instead.

Image shows the back of Ada's tooth fairy door hanging with a flowered ribbon coming out of the top. The original roll of ribbon is beside and labelled: Easter.
After poking the corners out I laid it flat, folded the raw edges inside, and pressed it so it would stay in place.
Image shows the Zoey's on the table, with the ironing mat placed to the side, and four clips holding it flat.
Once I was happy with how it looked I used sewing clips to keep the opening closed and to help keep the edge folded the right way as the excess stuffing caused it to puff up bit.

And once I stitched around it we were done!


The Final Item

The girls absolutely adored their customized tooth fairy door hanging.

Image shows Ada's final tooth fairy pouch hanging from a silver doorknob in front of a white door with a pink curling ribbon behind it. The tooth itself now has a heart on it's one cheek.
Ada was so excited to hang her tooth fairy pouch on the door and couldn’t wait for when she’ll loose her first tooth.
Image shows the back of Ada's tooth fairy pouch with swirls and figure on it. It somehow matches with the curling ribbon too.
I quickly flipped it around to snag a photo of the back too.
Image of Zoey's orange tooth hanging.
Although Zoey’s mouth healed and her tooth was no longer wiggly we did finish hers and put it on the doorknob for a quick photo to remember how amazing it looked. It’s now ready for whenever she loses her first tooth too.
Closeup of the front of Zoey's tooth fairy hanging showing the x inside the orange tooth pocket.
I absolutely love that Zoey went out of her way to add an X on the fabric and planned to have the tooth hiding it so you can open up the pocket and see it. Later Zoey explained it to Matt, her dad, by saying “rockets don’t exist in tooth fairy’s tummies”. Regardless of the logic I absolutely love the foresight.
Back of Zoey's Tooth Fairy pillow showing a rocket ship and the flowered ribbon.
I also had to switch it around so I could get a photo of Zoey’s awesome drawing including a rocket ship.

Lost?

I loved this idea as we never had to sneak into the kids’ bedroom and quietly look for the tooth. That said you could always come up with a simpler method than this. When Ada’s second last tooth became wiggle she started carrying her tooth fairy pouch around with her wherever she went, just in case, and then lost it a couple days before her tooth finally fell out. She was worried about what to do if it fell out so I quickly tried to come up with another idea we could use instead and remembered her toy mermaid on the shelf by her bed that’s stored in a blue plastic shell. I quickly grabbed the shell and told her she could put her tooth in the shell when it finally fell out and put the shell on the bathroom counter so the tooth fairy can easily find it. It worked and as it was still lost with the last tooth it was used again. Who knows if the door hanging will be found before the next tooth or if all the trouble was for naught as the simple shell is now the new tooth holder.

Blue shell on counter.
Our backup plan, lately, when Ada lost her tooth fairy door hanging is to put the newly freed tooth in her plastic shell and place it on the bathroom counter.

So whether you spend time planning, creating, or buying a solution or just repurpose something you already own at the last minute it will work out. Either way we can hear her rush out of the bedroom in the morning to see what’s there and we don’t have to go sneaking once they fall asleep.

Do you do something similar? Where do you hide the tooth when it falls out? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below and then, if these get lost, maybe Ada or Zoey could use your method as a backup plan. I hope your week is going great. Have a good day!


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