Christmas Crackers

I do get some strange requests from time to time and this week it was from a friend in the patchwork group who had purchased a couple of fabric crackers thinking they would be a good thing to make. She was unable to see immediately how they had actually been made and asked me if I could work out the method.  They are lined tubes of fabric into which you can slide a cardboard tube to hold a small gift and the ends were tied with ribbon.  She had partially unpicked one of them and I thought I could see how they were done but needed to have a try with fabric to be sure it worked out as I thought.  I've made a couple today and they turn out to be quick and easy - also  they could be adapted to other sizes depending on what size cardboard tubes you can find. If they were made in non seasonal fabrics they would be handy for parties or maybe wedding favours - endless possibilities - and they could be decorated in different ways with added embellishments!  For these ones I used the inner from a kitchen paper roll and cut it in half; measured the length and circumference to determine the size of fabric to cut; adding on sufficient for the seams and 'frilly' ends which were tied with some matching ribbon.  All that is needed now is to compose some understandable instructions and write them up - usually far more difficult than the sewing in my experience!!