Summer fruit coasters are ideal for picnics

Coasters made to look like round slices and wedges of citrus fruits bring some summer cheer to a plain glass of juice or water. Because they are so light, you can take them out with you to use on a picnic.

You will need: Sheets of felt in lime green, yellow, orange and white, scissors, fabric glue, cereal card, compass and a ruler.

Draw three circles on the back of the cereal card; 4 inches, 3.5 inches and 2.5 inches. The first circle will be a template for the peel, the medium circle for the white pith and the smallest circle for the segments. 

Cut out all three circles and place to one side.

Take the four-inch circle and pin this to a piece of the coloured felt such as the orange piece. Pin the medium circle to the white felt. Cut two circles from the orange felt and one circle from the white felt. Snip around each of the templates and remove the pins. Next pin the smallest circle to the orange felt again and cut around the template. 

Take one of the large orange circles and lay it flat down on your work surface. Place the white circle on top, and the small orange circle on top of this.

Cut the small orange circle into six or eight segments and place them into position onto the white circle. Glue each of the segments in place and then glue the white circle to the large orange circle.

Glue

Cut another circle from the cereal card using the medium circle as a guide. Next take your second large orange felt circle and place the card on top of this. Dab some glue around the border and then take the orange slice from earlier and stick this on top, sandwiching the card between the two pieces of felt.

Allow the glue to dry before using the coaster. Repeat with the remaining colours until you have the number of coasters you want. Use pink or red felt with orange pith for a grapefruit slice. 

By using glue, the coasters will be ready to use in no time. But if you wish, you can sew the pieces of felt together instead for more of a crafty look. Use a bright orange embroidery thread to sew the white felt on and use white thread to sew on the orange segments.