Camping season is here which means it's time to get out the camping gear and perhaps. . .
. . . make something. . .
. . . special and unique. . .
. . . for each of your sweet little campers to take. . .
. . . on their first camping trip.
Custom Camp Gear
Materials:
Scrap fabric of different patterns
- Small scrap of burlap or other rough textured fabric
- Cloth bags (optional, you could make your own)
- Fabric paint
- Make your own stamp kit (optional)
Camping gear is a very personal choice. What you bring out into the woods depends on your personal needs and your pack will be unique to you because of this. Setting up a little camper for their first trip is no different and this simple project can be a great way to start the conversation about camping, what to expect, and what might be fun to do.
The project is very simple and can include as much or as little sewing as you'd like. It could be done completely by the little camper themselves (highly recommended) or with the help of an adult. With the materials listed above you can make a camper starter kit that includes:
- A medium carrying bag roughly 12" x 16" (when empty can be used as a pillow by stuffing clothes inside)
- 2 cloth napkins
- 2 specimen collecting bags for treasures found on hikes
- 1 dish scrubber
I chose to use pre-made bags available at most local craft stores to let the focus be on the decorating and customization. But if you have a lot of fabric and not much time, you could make the simple pillowcase bags yourself.
Cut two 12" squares of fabric and sew a zig-zag stitch around the edges to keep them from fraying. Next cut a 4" x 6" piece of regular fabric and a piece of burlap (I used a scrap of synthetic lace I had) of the same size. Use a zig-zag stitch to sew them together. This will give you a dish scrubber that is soft on one size and rough on the other.
Once you have all of your components, have your camper select an image or a symbol that they would like to put on each of their items. This could be drawn by hand and painted with fabric paint. You could also make your own stamp with a stamp kit or carve one out of a potato.
Once your camper has their design, stamp or paint it on each piece of the kit with fabric paint. Allow the paint to dry overnight and iron to set.
Place all the items in the bag and ask the camper to include anything else they'd like to bring. Some fun things to add might be:
Happy Camping!
~ Sarah
*Last time in crafts and activities: Nature Preschool Love
