Five-Stones Game, also know as batu seremban, is a traditional Malaysian game originally played with ordinary stones. Today, many children, and adults, play the game using little cloth bags filled with beans, rice, fish gravel, etc. The most common shape for the Five-Stones Game Pieces are little pyramid shapes. These are easy to make and add a little pizzazz to the game!
Five-Stones Game Pieces Materials
- scrapes of woven cotton fabric
- rice, beans, fish gravel, etc.
- thread
- needle
- ruler
- pencil
- straight pins
NOTE: Visit Wee Folk Art’s Homeschool Companion blog to find directions on How to Play the Five-Stones Game (batu seremban)
How to Make the Five-Stones Game Pieces
Cut out 5 pieces of cotton fabric 2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Calico prints work great. Iron if necessary.
Turn the fabric under 1/4 inch towards the wrong side of the fabric along one long side of a rectangular piece of fabric. Iron or finger press the folded edge.
With right sides together, pin the rectangle fabric together so the folded edge is on the top.
Measure and mark a 1/4 inch seam along the unfinished side and bottom of the fabric. Make a dot where the two lines intersect on the corner.
Using a very small running stitch or back stitch, sew together the sides and bottom of the fabric along the lines starting on the side seam. When you get to the bottom of the side seam, stop at the dot. Turn your work and continue sewing the bottom seam.
You can clip away some of the seam at the two corners to prevent bulk when turning the pyramid. Be careful not to clip too close to the seam or it can unravel.
Turn the piece right side out, making sure the corners are well turned.
Fill with rice, beans, or fish gravel. We used rice. Fill enough so the pyramid is firm, but you need to be able to bring the top together and sew.
Bring the turned under top together so the seam is in the middle of one side. This will give the little bag a pyramid shape.
Sew together the top using an overcast stitch or a blind stitch. Leave a small opening near the end. Bounce the pyramid a couple of times to pack the rice. If need be, you can slip a few more grains of rice into the pyramid. Finish sewing up the opening.
Make the other 4 stones and you are ready to play!
