Prettiest Checkers Ever

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

24 Jul 2006 07:34 AM

Is your little girl all about pretty princess details? Help her make her own stylish checkers game.

Items Needed:

• Thin craft wood or a piece of Plexiglas
• Craft paint
• Paintbrush
• Pink and purple fabric (solid or print, your choice)
• Glue
• Ribbon
• Flat lace (1" wide or less)
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Indelible marker
• 16 plastic caps from soda bottles

Instructions:

*These instructions are for a pink and purple, 12" x 12" checkerboard, but you can make it any size and colors you like.

First, measure and mark off a 2" border all the way around the board. Within the border, mark off a grid of 1" squares to create an 8 x 8 grid.

Cut fabric into 1 ½" x 1 ½" squares. Fold the edges over ¼" all the way around and glue the edges down. When dry, begin gluing fabric squares onto the grid, alternating pink and purple.

Glue ribbon or flat lace along the outside edge of the grid to make a border.

Paint half of the bottle caps pink and half of them purple. Glue a strand of ribbon to each side of every bottle cap. When dry, pull the ribbon to the front and tie a bow.

When your little girl gets to the other side and wants the other player to king her (or queen her), she can untie the ribbon, place another checker on top, and tie the ribbon to hold the top checker in place.

This game is played like regular checkers but it is much prettier than typical checkerboards. It's as much fun to make as it is to play with. Your little girl will love her checkerboard, and it will make a pretty addition to her room or playroom.

*You can make little bags from the extra fabric and use them to store the checkers. Just cut a rectangle, fold in half leaving about 2" extra on one side, and glue the side seams. Fold over the extra and glue ribbon to the flap and the main part of the bag to tie it closed.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger