How to Make Sewing Cards
Materials:
- Lightweight cardboard – from new shirts, cereal boxes, poster board
- Colored paper or colorful magazine pictures
- Yarn or colored shoelaces
Procedure
Cut pieces of cardboard into six inch squares. Cover them with colored paper or pictures. Punch holes about an inch apart around the edges. Show the children how to lace in and out of the holes with the yarn or shoelaces.
Strining Dry Macaroni
Materials:
- Short pieces of macaroni – the kind with holes all the way through
- Shoelaces or lengths of yarn with the end taped to make it stiff
- Paints to make the macaroni colorful – use acrylic or the new water colors or even markers
String the macaroni to make necklaces or bracelets – or glue on box lids for decorations.
Small Plastic Canvas Rainbow
Materials:
- 1 plastic canvas circle, 4 inches – 9 inches
- Facetes or tri-beads – 80 mm 60 each in rainbow colors
- 1/8 inch ribbons, 6 to 8 of varied colors for each rainbow
- Size 20 tapestry or darning needle or special plastic canvas needle, #16, #18 will do
Procedure
Cut circle in half and cut center out 2 or 3 rows to create rainbow shape. Cut one ribbon about 8 inches to hang rainbow with. Lay the ribbons out together and plan your color scheme before you begin. Cut them to length to allow each ribbon to hang at least 7-8 inches below edge of plastic canvas. Thread first ribbon through needle.
Keep ribbon flat and untwisted as you work. Starting at the outside edge thread the needle through every other hole, leaving ends hang down. Next ribbon starts two rows toward center and 3rd ribbon is 2 rows in from 2nd ribbon and so on. Thread 5 beads on each end of ribbon and tie a knot below the last bead or bells may be added to the ends.
Puff Blocks to Make a Pillow or Quilt
Fabric scraps will do for a pillow
Materials:
- 45 inch wide fabric
- 4 1/2 yds. print (your choice)
- 2 1/2 yds. 2nd print
- 1 1/2 yds. each of a coordinating solid color
- Matching thread, 1 of each color
- Polyester batting – leftovers will do for pillow – for quilt 3 pkgs. each 81 x 96 inches
Procedure
Quilt will measure 49 x 91 inches – twin size. Solid block (1) cut two 4 1/2 inch squares of same color fabric. With right sides facing, allowing 1/2 inch for seam all around, sew squares together around 3 sides. Turn right side out. Cut 2 pieces of batting each 5 1/2 inch square, lay one on top of other and insert into block, having extra fullness at center.
Turn in 1/2 inch seam allowance on 4th side and whipstitch. Make 166 blocks of main color, 45 blocks of 2nd color or print, 47 blocks of 3rd color or print, 49 blocks of 4th color. Decide what pattern to arrange your puff into and whipstitch all the blocks together. You may put a border around the quilt or pillow.
If you want to make some blocks 2 color, cut the squares 5 1/2 inches and cut these in half diagonally from one corner to opposite corner forming a triangle. Allow 1/2 inch for seam and put two triangles of different colors together to form a square complete block same as solid block.