Don't Lay Your Cards on the Table

Card games have always been a challenge for the littles -- small hands and multitudes of playing cards are not a good combination. Playing Uno Attack is quite the adventure when each child has to sort through a disorganized stack of cards, especially when the card machine is "generous!" The cards generally end up in piles on the floor or table, which is not exactly strategic (much less tidy).

We had seen simple wooden card holders on Pinterest over a year ago, and would have eventually gotten around to making some. But "eventually" can be a long time, especially just after a move. When I saw Sew Can She's Card Kitty tutorial, I was delighted. A card solution that didn't involve a table saw! 

I hesitated before using the adorable Michael Miller "Good Knight" fabrics. I really wanted to use them for something special, though I didn't have a solid plan when I bought them (naughty me!). And then I realized that these card caddies are likely to last longer than any garment, bag, etc. that I could make. Plus, they'll probably be used and enjoyed a lot, and I still have some scraps left for another project or two. I made three caddies in the Good Knight fabric, for my three boys -- Scout is still far from being able to join in the fun, but since I was making these assembly style, it made sense to make his now.

The other caddy, for Rosa, is sewn up in Birch Organics Circa 52 Tree Stripes in the colorway "Sun." I bought this fabric thinking it was a knit, and it's been in the stash ever since. I'm still working on a way to use up the rest! Maybe a skirt for Rosa? I worry the trees would be too much in a dress. The coral fabric is leftover Birch Organics chambray from my Tova, and the white pocket is a linen remnant. 

Below is a better shot of the caddies "opened." I love that they take up very little space when not in use, and they seem pretty sturdy. I didn't have the right fusible interfacing, so I substituted cut-up manila folders (single layer for the top and bottom section, and a double layer in the middle). If I ever need to replace them, it's a pretty simple matter of a seam ripper and a little time. The only change I made to the tutorial was to sew the velcro onto the backing piece before assembling the caddies (so I didn't have to sew through the manila folder).

I was so grateful to find a good tutorial to follow. While I enjoy improvising and coming up with my own designs, sometimes I just want to follow someone else's directions and have a pretty good assurance that it will turn out in the end. And any project that fulfills my creative cravings while filling a need is a win in my book.