Quilted Travel Checkers Set

Create a quilted travel checkers set to throw in a tote for a long flight, car ride or restaurant night. Sort through your button jar to find like colors for each opponent or use different coins for each participant to use on the board.

FINISHED SIZE: 8 ½†square

QUILTED TRAVEL CHECKERS SET SUPPLIES

• (32) 1 1/2†squares each of 2 coordinating quilting cotton fabrics (one dark value, one light value)
• (2) 1 ½†x 14†fabric strips (ties)
• 10†square of matching Sulky Feltyâ„¢
• 10†square of cotton batting
• Sulky KK2000â„¢ Temporary Spray Adhesive
• 2â€-wide coordinating fabric strips (binding)
• 50 wt. Cotton Thread
• Size 70/10 Universal Needle
• Sulky Multipurpose Turning Tool
• Clover® Wonder Clips or pins
• 24 total game pieces (12 pennies & 12 dimes; twelve ½â€-diameter or less buttons each of two different shades – blues & whites, for example)

SEWING & PIECING

Install the size 70/10 Universal Needle into the sewing machine and thread it with 50 wt. Cotton Thread. Use the same thread in the bobbin.

Fold each tie rectangle in half with wrong sides together; press. Stitch one short end and the long edge. Then, turn each tie right side out using a Multipurpose Turning Tool. Press flat, with the seam to one side. Then, set aside the ties.

Arrange the fabric squares in eight rows of eight, alternating prints in each row to create a checkerboard pattern.

Piece together the squares for Row 1, with right sides together and pressing the seams toward the right.

Then, piece together the squares for Row 2, pressing the seams toward the left. Repeat to stitch each row, alternating the seam directions.

Stitch the rows together, nesting the seams and pressing them downward.

QUILTING

Place the Felty square on a flat work surface. Spray it with KK 2000. Then, place the batting square over the Felty square; smooth to adhere the layers.

Spray the wrong side of the pieced checkerboard top with KK 2000. Then, place it right side up over the batting; smooth to adhere.

Quilt in the ditch of each pieced seam using Sulky 50 wt. Cotton Thread.

When quilting is complete, trim the checkerboard so the backing and batting are even with the front.

TIES & BINDING

Determine the left and right side edge of the checkerboard square. Clip or pin-mark the left-edge center. Place both tie raw ends at the mark; clip or pin. Then, baste the tie ends in place.

Piece together enough 2â€-wide fabric strips to create one strip measuring 44â€. Next, fold the strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together; press.

Beginning at least 5†from one short end, stitch the binding to the checkerboard edge, securing the ties in the stitching. Be sure to miter the binding corners as you reach them. Stop stitching at least 5†from the binding beginning. Either railroad the binding ends or piece them together; then trim and finish the binding stitching.

Fold the binding toward the Felty side. Hand stitch the binding fold to secure.

USE THE TRAVEL CHECKERS SET

Roll up the checkerboard. Wrap the ties around the roll; tie in a loose knot or bow to secure.

For play, distribute the game pieces to each player. Place each piece on the darker value squares of the first three rows facing the players. Refer to Hasbro.com for full Checkers rules.

Tip: From leftover fabric, sew up a small drawstring bag to keep the game pieces together.