Genesis 41- Pharaoh's Dreams Quiet Book Page

  In Genesis 41, Pharaoh is sent two dreams and Joseph is pulled from prison to interpret them.

Memory Verse: "Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do." Genesis 41:25 (NKJV).

 

Materials needed to create the Pharaoh's Dreams quiet book page:

• A4 felt background sheet - I used lavender
• Old Testament Bible Stories Quietbook - Betty Lukens Felt Book Activity Kit #6 (not an affiliate link)
• sewing thread to best match the page
• scissors!
Cut out all the pieces for this page and the page itself from the Betty Lukens set. The Betty Lukens FAQ section has posted a cutting tips PDF.

Cut out all the pieces for this page and the page itself from the Betty Lukens set. The Betty Lukens FAQ section has posted a cutting tips PDF.

Sew the Betty Lukens page onto the background felt along three sides, leaving the top edge open to form a pocket. Pop the pieces inside the pocket (or better yet - play with them)!

Finished!

Difficulty Level = Easy, plus No Sew version.

A very easy quiet book page!
Just use hot glue wherever sewing is recommended for a no sew version.

I am afraid this kit pictures corn in Pharoh's dream
rather than grain as is much more likely intended.
A corn can also refer to a kernel of wheat or other grains
and is confused in modern day language.

Key Learning Areas and Skills

• Genesis 41 - God is in control
• Imaginative Play - was Joseph scared or confident when he appeared before Pharaoh? How would you feel?
• Fine Motor Skills - all quiet books encourage fine motor skill development
• Hand-eye Co-ordination - all quiet books encourage hand-eye co-ordination

Read the Chapter

Genesis 41

Devotional

The chief butler finally "remembers his faults" (not Joseph as requested), but he does get spoken of to Pharaoh. He doesn't include Joseph's innocence in his story as asked (I probably wouldn't either). Nor is the point of his story to help Joseph at all. I mean, I wouldn't be wanting to remind Pharaoh of my previous mis-favour either.

I wonder how much encouragement Joseph's dreams gave him when he was sold into slavery in a foreign land - the very land God had foretold Abraham his descendants would be enslaved in. His condition gets worse before it gets better and Joseph finds himself, not only a slave but a prisoner. Did his dreams still give him any comfort? I guess Joseph may have seen a chance to get out of goal when he was able to speak to the Chief Butler - someone with influence at court. And yet Joseph remains confident in interpreting the dreams of others, even though his own dreams are yet to be fulfilled and appear rather unlikely to come about. 

I enjoy hearing how Joseph structured his speech with Pharaoh. 

Of course, he cleaned up before coming into his presence. But after observing Joseph's favour with God, Pharaoh elevates him even further - even second in command! I can't help but feel that Pharaoh is continuing to represent God here in this chapter, and Joseph, Jesus. 

He clearly delivers the good news first, and promises a favourable outcome before he begins. I wonder at this, because there is clearly not-so-good news to come. But it looks like Joseph is employing the old feedback sandwich technique here. He puts the bad news in between two pieces of good news, and Pharaoh seems humble enough to receive it.

Joseph is only asked to interpret, but he also proposes a solution - a bold move, no? It seems rather rash to suppose that Pharaoh would listen to a suggestion from someone straight out of gaol, but Joseph has obvious confidence. And it may be that his proposal is the exact thing which convinces Pharaoh that his interpretation is true - see the following short post Why did Pharaoh accept Joseph's dream interpretations and not the others'? by Shmuel Kogan.

Another reason Joseph may have been believed revolves around the text of verses 1 and 17. In verse one, the banks of the Nile are not mentioned, but they are mentioned by Pharaoh in verse 17. It is theorised that Pharaoh actually dreamed he was standing on the Nile (a god in ancient Egypt), and in an attempt to hide this embarrassing and sacrilegious fact, Pharaoh says he was standing on the Nile bank. It is suggested that Joseph corrected this (another bold move if true), thus Pharaoh could see that Joseph had knowledge from God - see Why did Pharaoh believe Joseph's dream interpretation?

Whatever the reason/s Pharaoh believed Joseph, we can have confidence that God is in control, able to influence world leaders, and churn out miracles in the face of dire circumstances. We also can have the confidence of Joseph when we are putting our trust in the LORD.

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Has a dream from God changed your life? Comment below!

5 Ways to Measure and Cut Quiet Book Pages

Which is the best way to measure and cut fabric for quiet books is a common question people ask when they are thinking of starting to sew a quiet book for the first time. I have compiled a few examples below so you can choose the method that suits you best.

Of course, for all the methods, it is best to wash and iron the fabric before cutting to ensure it doesn't shrink afterwards.

1 - Fold and Cut

Simply fold your material into squares (or rectangles depending on the size book you want to create) and cut along all folds. This works well for when you want to use the same fabric for all the pages of your busy book. If you want different fabric for each page, another method will suit you better.

2 - Template Drawing

This is the method I use. I have decided on the sizes I want to use a lot and have made templates out of some cardboard I had laying around. Then depending on how precise I want to be, or how slippery the fabric is, I simply place it on my fabric and either cut around it, or draw on the fabric and then cut using plain old scissors.

You can just use a kid's picture book to get the sizing right too. If you look at the age recommendation on the book, it will give you an idea of what a good page size for that age looks like. Just remember to cut extra for the hem.

3 - Quilting Ruler and Rotary Cutter

If you want to do a lot of fabric cutting, you may want to invest in some tools. This method is easier on the hands if you are finding you get strains, or you have arthritis or such.

4 - Clip and Rip

This method ensures that your fabric is cut straight along the grain, and is rather quick. You may not get as many squares out of your fabric as you thought though. The video demonstrates how to make strips, but you can definitely cut the other sides of the squares in the same way.

5 - Laser Cutting Machine

This last method is of course very expensive and is therefore suited to large scale production, which I am guessing most of my readers are not going to be into. But I know you are all going to be drooling in wishful thinking like I am! Of course, this is an example of the detailed cuts which can be done, but you can also cut plain boring background pages this way too.

Which method suits your needs best? Have I missed a method? I'd love to hear about it.

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How do you cut your pages? Comment below!