By Stephanie Chan

Homemade Dominoes

Make colorful, kid-friendly felt dominoes, or use any number of natural or repurposed materials that are about twice as long as they are wide—flat stones, wood chips, ceramic or glass tiles, for instance.

Materials
Six or nine 9 1/2 x 12" sheets of felt or 28 pieces of other material*
Fabric glue or sewing machine
Fabric scissors
Pinking shears (optional)
Permanent pen or paint pen, in a color that contrasts the felt

*Tip: If you’re not using felt, skip to step 4 of the instructions. If you’re using felt, you’ll need six sheets of the same color to make a matching set, and nine (six of one color, three of another) if you want the middle of the game pieces to be a different color.

Instructions
1. Stack together two pieces of felt (or three, with the middle being a different color). Cut a 2 1/2 x 4 1/2" rectangle through all three layers. If desired, use pinking shears to create a decorative edge.
2. Glue each of the three pieces together with fabric glue. Or use a sewing machine: Stitch around the edges of the felt sandwich, leaving a 1/2" seam allowance.
3. Repeat steps 1 & 2 to make 28 blank dominoes total.
4. Draw the pips (dots) onto the blank domino pieces using a permanent pen or paint pen, plus a line in the middle, crosswise. To create a full set, you’ll need:

• Seven dominoes with 0 pips on one side and 0-6 pips on the other
• Six dominoes with 1 pip on one side and 1-6 pips on the other
• Five dominoes with 2 pips on one side and 2-6 pips on the other
• Four dominoes with 3 pips on one side and 3-6 pips on the other
• Three dominoes with 4 pips on one side and 4-6 pips on the other
• Two dominoes with 5 pips on one side and 5-6 pips on the other
• One domino with 6 pips on one side and 6 pips on the other

Tip: Play homemade dominoes at your next game night, or take them with you to picnics and potlucks.

Quick Tip

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How to Play Dominoes

1. Lay all the dominoes face down and shuffle. Each player draws seven dominoes.
2. First player puts one domino on the playing surface.
3. Next player finds a domino with a matching number of pips and places it adjacent to the first domino, so the matching numbers touch. If a double is drawn, like a domino with 5 pips on one side and 5 on the other, lay the domino crosswise. Known as a spinner, you can connect the next domino to any of its three sides. Continue taking turns.
4. If a player doesn’t have any dominoes that match the number of pips at the path ends, the player draws from the pile. If there are no more in the pile, the player must take a pass.
5. Whoever runs out of pieces first wins the dominoes game.

Tip: Packaged in big glass jars or empty wooden boxes, sets of homemade dominoes are affordable, thoughtful gifts for kids, new parents, grandparents and hostesses.

Stephanie Chan writes The Silly Pearl {Handmade} blog about crafting, thrifting, a little bit of cooking and gardening, and married life with twin girls (currently five years old). She resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Quick Tip

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