DIY Sewing Cards

Today I'm making these bright, durable sewing "cards" for my class of threes. These are very fast and easily customized.


Materials Needed

Craft foam sheets (the regular type is good; if you can find the thicker kind that's even better)
Hole punch
Permanent marker
Yarn. ribbon, cord, or shoelaces
Large plastic needles (Wal-Mart has them)
Optional: Cardstock, foam glue (again, Wal-Mart carries it), colored permanent markers


How to Do It

1. Draw the desired shape on the foam sheet. If you want, you can use stencils, or cut out computer-printed shapes. (I'm tracing shapes I made in MS Word.)
2. Cut out the foam sheet shape.
3. Optional: Glue the shape to a piece of cardstock to make the card more rigid and durable. Be sure to spread the glue evenly over the whole thing, especially the edges. To make it even better, glue on another foam sheet to the back, making a sort of sandwich.
4. Punch holes about 1" apart all around the edge of the card.
5. Optional: Decorate with colored permanent markers.
6. Give the cards to your students with pre-threaded needles and show them how to sew in and out of the holes.


Variations & Tips

• In a pinch you can use any sort of cardboard to make your cards. Try recycling cereal or tissue boxes and having the kids do the decorating. They could use markers, crayons, or decoupage with pretty paper. Reinforce the edges with clear packing tape to make these last longer.
• Wrap tape around the ends of the yarn, or dip them in glue, to prevent the frustration of fraying. Or, use a shoelace.
• If you make two of each shape and only punch 3/4 of the way around, you can make cute pockets. Add a yarn handle to make a purse.
• Use that special foam glue to attach embellishments to your shapes: buttons, fake flowers, and glitter come to mind. You could also use stickers.