I’ve loved these boards for years! I don’t know why I never thought of making one before. I mean, they don’t require an embroidery machine much less a sewing machine, but it wasn’t until I got my embroidery machine that I buckled down and decided to make one. I did very little research to determine how to make them, so please feel free to adapt these instructions in anyway you think might work better for your project – this is just what works best for me!
Materials:
- 1 canvas (I used a 16x20 that came in a bulk package of 5 from Michael’s)
- 1 piece of desired fabric at least 2 inches bigger in both directions of your canvas – so if you use a 16x20, you need at least an 18x22 piece of fabric (I usually use a fat quarter J)
- Fabric & embroidery thread for the appliqué/monogram if desired
- 1 piece of light-medium weight quilting batting the same size as your fabric
- Spray adhesive
- Staple gun with staples
- ¼ inch or narrower ribbon in a color that coordinates with your fabric
- Buttons or brads for where the ribbon meets
- Sewing needle & thread if buttons are used
- Ribbon or cording the depth of the canvas to “frame” the canvas (optional)
- Hot glue gun & glue to attach the ribbon “frame”
Step One:
If your fabric isn’t already cut to the size needed, I usually just lay the canvas down on top of the fabric and cut the fabric out with at least an inch extra on each side of the canvas. Once I have my fabric cut, I go ahead and do my appliqué or monogram on my embroidery machine at this point.
Step Two
I use a little spray adhesive to put the batting onto the board. Smooth it out so there aren’t any lumps and bumps. Add a little more spray adhesive and the put the fabric on top. You may not need the adhesive, but it helps me keep the monogram in the center where I want it. If I didn’t have a specific center or patterned design, I wouldn’t worry about it J
Use your staple gun around the outer edges to attach the fabric & batting to the board. Just be careful and don’t shoot yourself in the finger with a staple! OUCH!
Step Three
Once the fabric is attached, it’s time to place your ribbon. Personally, I like to make the ribbon blend in with the fabric. In this case, the fabric had a nice pattern to it that I could follow with my ribbon to make sure it was nice and straight.
You can place the ribbons however you’d like, just remember that if the spaces in between are too small, you won’t be able to fit larger items on the board, but if they are too big, you might lose some of the smaller items. I usually cut strips of ribbon long enough to stretch the entire diagonal length of the board and then place them on the board to see how I like it before I secure anything. Once I have it placed, I sew a button covering where the ribbons meet. I also staple the ribbon on the sides or around the back to make sure they are good and secure.
Step 4
So your board is looking pretty good now right? You could leave it alone here, but I like to give it a little more polished look and add ribbon or cording around the edges. I just use hot glue to attach it but there may be something better out there to use. Feel free to share any tips you have!
Completely optional, slightly anal step: I decided I didn’t like the back of my board (because you know the wall is going to complain if it has to look at an ugly back) so I also hot glued little buttons to cover the knots where I’d sewn the buttons on the front. If you choose to do this, watch out for the hot glue that comes thru the little holes on the buttons J
If you'd rather purchase one customized just for you, visit my Etsy shop and I'll make one for you!
If you use this tutorial, I'd love to see pics of your finished projects! Thanks so much!
