I have a large collection of hole punches- some have handles like scissors- others are the button type. With all the junk mail paper I have collected in so many different colors, textures, and varieties I am in luck!
Make a nice pile of flower punches - preferably with no text on either side and string them (this takes some time and watch your fingers.) Sometimes I string a bead then flower then repeat- so that each flower has a center- other times I don't.
Next, with a small crochet hook - chain 10 or 20 -- depending on how you want it -- between each flower or bead/flower. Use this as a small gift tie or in your hair or hang it somewhere.
I have done the same with bears I punched from brown velour ribbon I nabbed at a garage sale, but instead of stringing them and crocheting, I went to my sewing machine and carefully fed a bear at a time in under the needle and made a string chain in between each one! I have one hanging from my desk cabinet. I tried to get every bear sewn in (with just one stitch) on its hand - so they look like they are hanging on.
Use the feed wheel instead of the foot feed so you can have better control.
You can also do the same with small satin flowers instead of the paper ones - I have made several of these and used to tie gifts. String them on Coats & Coats embroidery thread. You can sometimes find a whole sack full of leftovers at rummage sales for a quarter or so here and some plastics are thin enough to hole punch.
I once made a bunch of baby doll buttons from using only round punches from a fabric softener bottle. Look around to find a plastic you can manage to punch.
Then put 2 (or 4 if your that patient) needle holes in each "button", centering the 2 the best you can. Then sew sets of 4 or 6 onto small cards. I made mine a little over an inch rectangle.
Let you child make up a brand name for them. I called mine "Shuggies" short for my nic name Shug -- :)
melody_yesterday
