Civil War "Housewife"

What You Need:

• Construction paper, at least 9" x 13”
• Glue
• Crayons
• Optional: two pieces of fabric (at least 9" x 13” each) needle and thread, and sewing-kit supplies.

What You Do:

1. Cut a piece of paper into a rectangle using the measurements given below.
2. Fold your rectangle into thirds lengthwise.
3. In the boxes on the side, draw in items that would commonly be found in a sewing kit, like needles, thread, pieces of yarn and buttons.
4. One the other side of the piece of paper, draw and colour in a pattern that would typically be found on a piece of scrap fabric. Examples include plaid, floral or stripes.
5. You can also use old clothing or fabric scraps to construct a real, working version. Simply substitute fabric for the paper, and lay two pieces 3” x 4” pieces of the fabric on the outer sections. Sew along the sides and bottom of the 3” x 4” pieces to create pockets to keep your sewing supplies in!

This activity adapted from The Civil War Kids 150: Fifty Fun Things to Do, See, Make and Find for the 150th Anniversary.