Easter Animal Napkin Rings

Above are the finished versions of the simple fabric napkin rings for Easter dinner.

This simple sewing project may be ac-
complished in one or two afternoons prior
to a party by a child as young as 10
or 11 years old.

       It's important for parents involve their children in both the presentation of a family party and also in the execution of a party, especially if they are old enough to help out. Young people can easily decorate a table setting for a holiday event with things like: floral displays, name place tags and napkin rings.

        I've included here a sewing project that would be simple enough for a preteen to put together for their family Easter table. The felt bunnies and chicks came from a Hobby Lobby and the fabric from a local Joanne's store. Both items together did not cost me more than five dollars.
       The craft takes a little advanced planning. You will need to probably color coordinate your fabric selection with the dishes you plan to use. Let your child take a sample plate to the fabric store and hold it up next to the fabrics in order to choose something appropriate. Give him or her several days to complete this sewing project, if they have never attempted to sew before. Their stitching doesn't need to be perfect but you should give them time to practice if they are to attempt it to completion without parental help.
       Cut the fabric into strips measuring approximately 3 inches wide and 5 inches long. Allow for a seam of about half an inch. With the right sides together, sew around the perimeter of the strips after folding these in half and leave one end open in order to turn the finished tube inside out. Whip stitch the ends shut and then stitch both finished edges together with a blanket stitch. Iron or glue the felt animals onto the napkin rings. Insert pastel colored napkins (fabric or paper) and set the Easter table for company.
       If your youngsters enjoy this kind of project, why not assign the responsibility to them every year?

More Easter Crafts for the Family Dinner:

• Easter Flower Arrangements - by Patty Roller Designs
• Easter Bunny Vase - by Rittners Floral School
• Kids can design an Easter garden for the table
• How to make Easter bunny folded napkins
• A folded rose napkin tutorial 
• Folding swans from napkins 
• Easter Table Setting by Christy Rost Cooks 
• Fast and Fun Easter Centerpieces from the Supermarket

Free Vintage Patterns for Easter Eggs

Painting patterns from left to right in order: An Old-Fashioned Calico Egg,
A Design Taken From Bright Ribbons, Czechoslovakia flowers in bright colors,
A row of yellow ducks on a batik egg and flowers/bow-knots from an old silk.

      Above are very old illustrated patterns for painting eggs, below are vintage patterns for sewing eggs and carrots. The egg templates include five sizes. 

       Select the size you prefer and then make a cardboard template by tracing around the size selected. 

       Cut four copies from fabric to sew together for one egg. A 1/4 seam allowance is included with the template. 

       I suggest sewing the eggs by hand instead of on the machine because the seams are so very narrow.

       After leaving an opening of one and a half inch, turn the egg right sides out and stuff tightly. Close the opening with an invisible stitch and then apply trims and fancy embroidery.

5 egg sizes. See two sizes made up in bumble bee flannel fabric at colorthebible.blogspot.com.

 

       To make fabric carrots, select the size, cut it out and trace around for the cardboard template. Cut just one triangle from orange fabric. Fold in half, sew down the side and turn right side out. Stuff with cotton filling up to the top of the carrot. 

       Sew a straight stitch around the top opening to gather it shut. Then attach a green ruffled ribbon or ruffled felt around the top gathered edges to cover and mimic the greens on top. You could also attach green lace alternatively for a folksy looking carrot.

 

See my vintage veggies in red-orange velvet with tassel tops;
 these are made with the simple pattern below.

3 carrot sizes

Add A Few Porcelain Geese to Your Easter Eggs!

China geese laying enormous eggs!

Crazy quilt Easter eggs.

      I made these eggs many years ago when my girls were quite small. It seems as though I frequently have too many "knick-knacks" cluttering up my drawers and toy boxes! Consequently, I am always looking for a way to recycle this stuff. These little china geese dressed in their Easter splendor seemed an obvious choice for decorating eggs. On many occasions I have hollowed out the eggs to create small vignettes with similar china pieces. However, this time I thought they would look endearing as new parents. Their eggs most have been switched out by some deviant hen because these eggs are far too much for the geese to keep warm! 

      You will need too hollow out two ordinary chicken eggs for this Easter egg craft and also purchase a couple of tiny nests to hot glue to the bottom of each egg. I added a little dry moss beneath the rumps of the geese  and also between the nests and the smooth surface of the eggs in order for the hot glue to adhere to both surfaces firmly.

      This type of egg craft could be treated quite playfully depending upon the characters you happen to have on hand. 

       If you are a former quilter like me, you may also have too many scraps of lace, ribbon and embroidery floss tossed inside of an old drawer or in a basket full of all kinds of trim. These crazy quilt versions of eggs were cut from an old quilt no longer in use and stuffed with batting until they resembled Easter eggs. Additional lace and ribbon was then sewn onto the rough seams and a embroidery blanket stitch sewn around the new outside seams to decorate the quilted eggs even more. Well, they don't call crazy quilts crazy for no reason! Add a ribbon for hanging and you've found a new reason to recycle more sewing clutter!

• How to host a Mother Goose Party - adorable designs and ideas from the 1950s, very vintage!
• Visit the Nursery Rhymes & Lullabies Coloring Index at The Crayon Palace for Kids!
• Little ones can watch the Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck by Beatrix Potter
• Coloring page of Hosea 1:7

Easter by Ruth Metcalf
The birds give you greeting.
The butterflies too,
Put on winged beauty,
Sweet child for you.