While Fabgrandpa was painting the office for me today, I decided to work on a project that I saw on Pinterest. I saw it on the Hawthorne Threads Blog last year ,but when I tried to find the original post today it was gone. Good thing I pinned it! The idea is simple enough: you get some stretched canvas like a painter would use, and staple some pretty fabric on it. I loved the idea of it right away, because you know how I LOVE fabric.
Last week when we went to Rome for my gastro appointment, I saw a Michaels and asked Fabgrandpa to take me there after my appointment. We stopped there, and I got what I thought was a 2 pack of canvases. It turned out to be a grade 2, but with the packages that I bought, I wound up with 2 16″ X 20″ and 2 8″ X 10″ canvases, so it worked out to be enough.
Picking the fabrics to use was hard, because every piece I picked up, I thought of some other project I could use it for, but finally decided on four pieces to use.
For a 16″ X 20″ canvas, you need a 20″ X 24″ piece of fabric, and for an 8″ X 10″ one you’ll need a 12″ X 14″ piece of fabric. Iron the fabric to remove any wrinkles before you start.
Put the fabric face down on your work surface, then lay your canvas face down on the fabric. Fold the edges of the fabric over to the back of the canvas.
Us a staple gun to staple it in place.
Do the two longest sides first. When you do the two short sides, fold the fabric into a mitered corner.
Put one staple into the top edge of the canvas. Fold the fabric down onto the back of the canvas and staple some more.
Repeat on the other side, and you’re done. Be careful that you don’t staple your fingers. That staple gun if powerful! Also, I didn’t realize until I was finished that I got a blister on the inside of my thumb.
The finished product looks great hanging on the wall. I’ll show you the finished room tomorrow.
Henrietta says
January 7, 2013 at 7:28 pmI really really love this idea Karen! I would have a hard time choosing which fabrics to use as well, some old vintage prints that I have hanging around would be super cute! I can even see this as an adorable nursery decoration, with the right fabric!
Rachel says
January 7, 2013 at 8:21 pmWhat a great idea. I bet this would be cute with some favorite outfits from children’s clothes after they outgrow them. Now you have me thinking….
Sandy says
January 15, 2013 at 1:18 amJust saw on Pinterest where someone did this with shoebox lids…now why didn’t I think of that!
Karen Propes says
March 2, 2016 at 8:41 pmThanks for the great idea, I dyed some fabric with my Granddaughter and this is a great idea for the pieces I didn’t use in the quilt. They will match the quilt for her room.