Travel Games

Dateline: 01/08/99

Debbie Colgrove Make Your Own Travel Games

This week we can hit the stash and scrap pile to make travel games for the kids.
This project requires basic sewing skill. Straight sewing, seam finishes and simple lining are introduced. As well as applique, strip piecing (which enforces the importance of matching seams) and creativity.
Most of the supplies for this project can be found in your stash and scraps. Even the beginners can have fun making these. This one travel game will contain checkers and tic tac toe.

Materials Needed

• For the Bag - suggested fabrics: cotton, cotton blends - denim or heavy weight cottons for exterior of bag - this gives a stable game board on almost any surface.
  • Cut 2 pieces of fabric 13" by 11.5" (back)- one fabric for the Body of the bag and one for the lining.
  • Cut 2 more pieces of fabric 14.5" by 11.5"(front)- one fabric for the Body of the bag and one for the lining.
• For the Checker Game Board - suggested fabrics: cotton and cotton blends
  • 2 strips of light color fabric 1½" by 45 inches
  • 2 strips of dark color fabric 1½" by 45 inches
• For the Tic Tac Toe Board - suggested fabrics: cotton and cotton blends
  • One 9.5" square piece of fabric
  • Ric Rac or trim to divide blocks
• For Game Pieces - suggested fabrics: felt, fleece, cotton, cotton blends, stable knits
  • 4 different color fabrics in 4" by 6.5" rectangles(preferably a solid red and red print and a solid black and black print
  • fusible web
• Thread
• A small piece of hook and loop tape
• Pinking Shears or a decorative rotary cutter

Directions

To Make Tic Tac Toe Board:

• On the bag back, pin the Tic Tac Toe board, 1" from the bottom and centered from the sides. Pin in place at the four corners.
• Stitch ric rac or trim 3" in from all edges to form 9 squares, sewing through game board and bag body piece.
• Using a short stitch length on your zig zag setting stitch around the edges of the board, to enclose the raw edges.
• (optional)Cover the zig zag stitches with ric rac or trim.

To Make the Checker Board

• Join a strip of light color fabric to a strip of dark color fabric, along 45" edge, using ¼" seams.
• Repeat the above step with the second set of strips.
• Join the two sets of strips together matching light to dark fabric.
• Press all seams to one direction.
• Cut this pieced strip in half as in diagram and stitch light to dark again. Press.
• Cut into 1½" strips as in diagram.
• Rotate your strips to match dark to light blocks, matching seam junctions.
• Repeat to join 8 blocks by eight blocks.
• Press.
• Place checker board 1" from bottom of bag body front bottom, centered from both sides.
• Zig zag around raw edges as you did in applying the tic tac toe board.

With wrong sides together, join the two bag fronts together using a 1/2" seam, along the top edge and 1" down side seam. Notch seam allowance just below where you stop stitching. Turn and press so the right sides are out. (see diagram)

Join the top edges of the bag back pieces with right sides together, using 1/2" seams. Turn right sides out and press.

Line up bag bottoms with game boards inside. Stitch around sides and bottom of bag, using ½" seams. Turn right sides out. Press flat.

Stitch a piece of velcro to the top flap and to the bag back so that the bag will close.

For Game Pieces

• Using fusible web, layer red fabric (right side down), fusible web and red print fabric (right side up). Press together.
• Repeat with dark fabrics.
• Using pinking shears or decorative rotary cutter, cut rectangles to form 15 playing pieces, as in diagram.

Tips

Use fusible web to place your game boards on the bag.

Play the game so the pieces are turned once a player is kinged.

Use fabric paint to add numbers to the Tic Tac Toe board squares, for another game. Played the same as tic tac Toe but the player with the highest score wins once some one has achieved three pieces in a row.

Make larger game pieces or bean bags to play Tic Tac Toe.

Keep the game in the glove box of your car for unexpected delays and long trips.

Make a game sack for the front seat and the back seat... more if you have a van.

Make the games for party favors and add your party guests names to the bags.

Use different color themes to use up your scrap stash.

Project Index - By Skill Level

Would you like to be kept informed of the newest additions at About Sewing? Sign up to receive the free About Sewing Newsletter.

Subscribe to the Newsletter
Name	Email