Sewing - playing card holder - beautiful birds, a bit of batting and some buttons

How fun is this!!!!!  One of the sewers talked about making some playing card holders for her grandchildren earlier this year and I have finally make one!!  We had several for sale at the Rhubarb tea a few weeks ago and they were popular so I thought I would make a few for a family get together this summer.  It makes it much easier to hold playing cards for little kids and any adult with arthritis or less strength in their hands.  

You will need:

** Two CDs - we have a few hanging around.  

** Two circles of fabric - 6.5" 

I found a plate the right size, traced around it and cut them with scissors

** Two circles of batting - 6.25"

I traced the same plate on the batting and cut inside of the line. 

** Two buttons larger than the hole in the CDs

** Two yards of very strong thread - heavy quilting or upholstery

A needle

Lay the batting on the wrong side of the fabric and pin in place.  Thread your needle and sew

a line of running stitch all the way around the outside edge of the circle.  Place the CD over the batting and pull one end of the thread while holding the other end.  This will draw the edge of the fabric/batting over the edge of the CD.  Pull really tight and tie off with several knots.  Trim thread leaving a couple of inches. Repeat with the second set of fabric/batting/ CD. 

Put the two sections with CD's facing each other.  Feel for the holes in the CDs and pull your threaded needle through all the layers and add your button.  Stitch through the second hole and back through all the layers.  Add several more stitches and then pull the thread tight to cinch the centers together.  Tie them off and trim the threads close.  Other tutorials bring the thread up under the button.   I found this very hard to do but on second thought if I did it before I tightened the thread that would work and gives a better finish because you tie the thread ends under the button.  Next time!!  Done!!!  You can see in the bottom photo that there is a nice space there between the two layers where you can insert your cards and the fabric provides enough friction that they stay in place but they are easily removed and rearranged.  Perfect!!!  

Therese