About
Fabric covered Calendar Board tutorial
I was searching for a perfect calendar for my new blue kitchen when I decided why not just make one. Yes I realize we are a half a month into the year and many folks probably have their calendars but can't you always use another? ( or better yet one of the variations I discuss at the bottom). I have so many swatches of treasure fabric that would make a perfect focal point for a wall calendar. What was even more appealing about this project than using treasured scraps as the focal point, was that I made the whole enchilada from things I already had in my sewing studio or around my house.
At first I thought I would sew a collage for each page. But a collage for each month is just too thick....so I could scan them in right which is nice if I am making 20 but I just want one (or 3 different ones)? And plus you loose the fabric as art effect.
OK, as per usual I was making something more difficult than it need be( this is how my creative process unfolds before me) So here is the simple version. I would have one fixed image with changing calender pages. I decided to mount the calender on a fabric covered board with an attached hanger.
Now I have lots to suggest for this project. This can be a no sew project very easily. All you do is use one piece of fabric for the background. If you want to have an image on top of your background fabric you can simply use the heat and bond lite ( my new favorite fusible webbing)to iron on another piece of fabric with your image cut out of it, I want to do a cat silhouette for our Mae Me. If you are opting not to sew you would also need to glue the handle on the top in back.
A word about the heat and bond. I only bought it because my local big craft meglo store was out of Wonder under.With that said ... I love heat and bond lite. It was cleaner, easier and more sure fire in the application than wonder under . However, I have not tried it on wearable art yet. I will keep you posted on those trials. I am afraid it might be a little thick for clothing but we shall see. And of course the heat and bond name is not as super fantastic as WONDER UNDER!
Moving right along I chose to do a patchwork of fabric for my background which of course I used my sewing machine for. I am planning a tutorial that will be a simple patchwork pocket to give ya'll an easy guide as to how I make all these patchworky things. One more suggestion is that you might make a fabric scrap collage as your focal point and just applique it to a larger piece of fabric for your background.
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You Will Need
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Step 1measure and cut the following
1.Card board(I used a home depot moving box)15"x26"
2.Felt for backing 15"x26"
3.fabric for background 17"x27.5"
4.fabric for hanger 11"x2"
5.fabric behind hanger 18"x3"
6.fabric or felt for year applique' 7"x3"
7.fusible interface 15"x26"
8. trace your year or other label (backwards) onto the back of the fabric that you have back with heat and bond and cut -
Step 2(to make it all smoother make sure all your cut fabric is pressed)
I am an eyeballer.... so I cut my cardboard, then use that to cut my felt and so on...I am not saying you should be like me but you can see from my results that eyeballing it can get the job done. -
Step 3Sew the hanger. Press the fabric for hanger 11"x2" in half length wise. sew with 1/4" seam allowance the entire length of hanger. turn right side out using your loop turner
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Step 4(if you do not have this simple extremely helpful tool use this as an excuse to get one they are cheap and invaluable for turning tiny tubes)Press.
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Step 5Attach hanger. Make a sandwich starting with the background fabric right side up the hanger looped inwardly and centered on the top edge of background fabric topped by fabric behind hanger 18"x3"right side down. Pin it all in place
sew along entire width of the sandwich edge with about a 1/4 "to 1/2 " seam allowance -
Step 6catching the hanger and press the seam.
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Step 7Make your Year label and attach ~I used felt on one and fabric on the other. You could sew them on or just heat bond them, like I did. I probably would have used pinking shears on this but I will tell you my dirty little secret, I do not own any pinking sheers! (and yet I still am able to make stuff). attach the year label to your background fabric, I sewed mine on but you could also heat bond this.
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Step 8Which ever attachment method you choose, make sure to position your label relative to all of your design elements including the parts that you will fold over . I put mine at the top.
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Step 9apply interface to center back of background fabric.
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Step 10measure and mark the center of your fabric and the cardboard at both ends .
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Step 11Glue background fabric to the cardboard. lay the fabric wrong side up with cardboard on top, Line up your center marks on top and bottom. You want this to be tight and even so I start at the top flap and glue right under the seam that you made with the hanger attachment. Then I glue down the flap. Then I flip it around and glue the bottom edge next pulling evenly and taunt
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Step 12I glue the sides the same way.
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Step 13I trim the corners a little to keep it from being too bulky under the felt backing.
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Step 14Position and glue felt backing.
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Step 15I start again at the top here and glue across the top
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Step 16then slowly down the sides
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Step 17just doing a little at a time and pulling evenly and tautly on the felt
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Step 18watching to make sure I am hiding all my messy underlings.
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Step 19Then trimming off any excess
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Step 20Attach the calendar. I stapled the calender all together first in the center
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Step 21then I use the staple gun and stapled the calender onto the board. I did not press to hard here so the staples would not come out the back.
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Step 22hang it up and start planning
There are a bunch of variations for the use of a fabric covered board I have been thinking of while typing this. I will share a few... It could be a kids award board for chores or potty training or homework charts and such. It could be a to-do board with a planner attached . Or a kitchen shopping center with pockets for coupons and a weekly sales fliers and a pad for grocery lists . You could make a mail organizer with in and out going slots and a calendar for marking bill due dates.
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<3 <3 i love it!
maybe for my sister's bday?