Sarah's Silks Mini-Playsilks

Each Mini-Playsilk is a small 53 by 53 cm square, a smaller size than the classic silks. The compact shape suits younger children and doll play, and folds down small enough to tuck into a bag or pocket. They come in eight hand-dyed colors including Turquoise, Sky, Purple, Rose, Pink, Emerald, Sea and Starry Night.

Plenty. Children use them as doll house rugs and blankets, green squares for a cow's grass, or blue water to sail a toy boat across. They stir them in a pot as pretend soup, wave them to music, tie them into a small pouch, lay them as a tablecloth, or wrap a little present. Peek-a-boo is a favorite too.

The silks are hand-dyed, so the shade of each square is applied by hand rather than machine-printed. That gives every silk a soft, slightly varied depth of color, and it means two of the same colorway are never quite identical. This variation is part of the handmade look, not a flaw.

The Mini-Playsilks come in eight options: Turquoise, Sky, Purple, Rose, Pink, Emerald, Sea and Starry Night. A basket that mixes several colors gives children more to build stories with, from lakes and grass to capes and blankets. Each color is sold as a single mini silk.

Hand-wash them and hang them to dry. Use cool water with a mild soap, avoid wringing, and lay or hang them out of direct sun so the hand-dyed colors stay bright. Because the silks are small and light, they dry quickly once shaped by hand.

The smaller 53 by 53 cm size is easy for younger children to hold, bunch up and carry. They wrap dolls, play peek-a-boo and drape the silks over toys without a large square getting in the way. The lightweight silk also packs down small for play on the go.