In my last post we talked about my DIY bed frame. No bed frame is complete without a matching headboard so I had to say goodbye to the old and create a new one.

DIY Nailhead Chunky Leg Bed Frame

Since moving into the house we have had our mattress and box spring on the floor. We have a metal bed frame but because of the sloped ceilings it was too tall to use. I love upholstered beds but had no desire to pay retail and after stumbling upon Ana White's website I no longer need to. She has given us the courage and skills to build a lot of our own furniture.

Dog Bed II

You may remember the giant dog bed that I made for the huskies. Even though it took a long time to make, they didn't use it at all (I don't blame them, it was kind of hard) and it seemed silly to leave it taking up all that space. So I tore apart all my hard work and made a new smaller bolster bed.

I'm happy to report that at bedtime Sabe goes straight to his new bed.

I really couldn't even begin to create a tutorial on how I made this, it was a lot of trial and error. And if I were to make another I would do it completely differently. If you are interested in making one for your dog check ebay for McCalls Easy Stitch n Save pattern #5506. It's an older discontinued pattern but it's very similar.

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My first craft show

This past Saturday I took part in my first ever craft show. I decided to sell key fobs, checkbook covers and chocolate covered oreos. I spent the whole week sewing and wondering if anyone would buy anything. To my surprise I did sell a decent amount, although after paying to rent the table, parking, and supplies I'm not sure I came out ahead. The checkbook covers weren't very popular, I guess no one writes checks anymore? But the key fobs and oreos were well received. I will be adding the leftover inventory to my shop so make sure to check it out.

Baby Gifts

I attended my cousin's baby shower a couple months ago and took that as an opportunity to make some cute baby gifts.

Minky blanket.

Burp cloths.

Custom onesies using freezer paper, my Cricut,
Sure Cuts a Lot and fabric paint.

I even made a card and envelope. The Cricut is amazing!

Tutorials will follow.

Tutorial: Lined Grommet Top Curtains

Modified tutorial from about.com

Another wood cutout

When I found this image I knew I had to make something for my aunt. She owns donkeys and so I made her this cutout for her garden. See how I made this cute little burro here.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! Look at the cute Scooby lawn decoration I made. A little late for Christmas, but there's always next year.

See how I made Scooby here.

Tutorial: Lawn Decorations

Aren't they adorable? Originally my plan was to make a Scooby Doo scene, but since we were already into the month of October I decided to go with these characters instead.

Tutorial: Ironing Board Cover

Fabric is Anna Griffin's Lanterns

I have a cheapie ironing board from Wal Mart and the cover it came with is craptastic. Every time I iron something large, like a piece of fabric, the ironing board cover and padding shifts, driving me insane and making ironing even more of a pain in the butt than it already is. A new ironing board cover was on my list of things to do and I decided to just tackle it.

For the most part I followed this tutorial. Also see this tutorial.

My only suggestion would be to use elastic drawstring (which I found at JoAnn's) instead of twine.

If you need new padding as well, I zig-zagged a layer of cotton batting to a layer of insul-bright. I actually had to stitch it to the underside of the cover to get it to stay in place. Or a better/easier alternative is to buy one for $12 from CityChicCountryMouse on Etsy.

Fabric covered button magnet tutorial

Before taking on this project our fridge was covered in those magnets they send along when you order a pizza. Why I stick them on the fridge instead of throwing them away, I'm not sure. After using a button covering kit for my headboard project, it was incredibly easy to figure out how to make magnets. So much more attractive than pizza magnets.
Supplies needed:
Fabric scraps
Cover button tool and flat back buttons
E6000 or hot glue gun and glue sticks
Magnets

Step 1:
Cover some buttons. (If you need help see this tutorial).

Using the flat back buttons are a little tricky (or at least they were for me) because there are no loops to show you which side should be facing up. Make sure the indentation is facing up and not down. I was having a hell of a time until my bf pointed out that I was doing it the wrong way.
Step 2:
Apply a glob of glue to the back of your covered button and press on a magnet. (I used super heavy duty 3/8" neodymium magnets but regular magnets will work just fine too.)

Resources:
Three great places to buy cover buttons are coverbuttons, FiddlersCreekDesigns and everythingribbons

I bought my heavy duty magnets from DancingMagpieSupply. Or you can by regular magnets from jcaroline.

DIY Tufted Headboard

I love the look of a tufted headboard, but could never bring myself to part with $400+ to buy one. Then I thought, why not make one? The result was a fabulous looking headboard, if I do say so myself. If you have always wanted a headboard and have a free day, a friend to help out and around $100, you too can make your very own headboard. If I can do it, anyone can. Go for it.

Supplies:
1/2" Plywood
Foam (at least 2" thick)
Polyester Batting
Upholstery Fabric
Upholstery Thread
Upholstery Needle
Cover Button Tool and Buttons
Scissors
Spray Adhesive

See below for mounting options and supplies needed

Tools:
Staple Gun and 1/2" Staples
Tape measure
Drill
Hammer

Optional but helpful:
Rubber Mallet
Electric Knife

Step 1: Look for inspiration
Headboards can be made in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on how ambitious you want to be. Since I had never made one before I stuck to your standard rectangle shape. My inspiration was this Nate Berkus headboard.

Step 2: Take Measurements
Width: Measure the width of your bed. The headboard should be a about 1" or 2" larger in width than your mattress.

Height: This is up to you. If you are planning on leaning against it while in bed make sure it is tall enough. Measure from the top of the mattress to the height you want the headboard to be.


Step 3: Buy Your Supplies:
You can buy plywood in large sheets. Have the hardware store cut it to size. (Most stores will do this for free.) The sheet probably won't lay exactly flat, but it isn't a big deal.

You may know of a better source for foam but I bought mine at JoAnn fabrics for 50% off. I had to buy two pieces because their foam only comes in one width and this accounted for about half the money spent on the project.

When buying your batting and fabric, make sure you have enough to wrap around the front and secure to the back. (I wouldn't recommend a patterned fabric for your first try.) Two layers of batting over your foam is recommended.

Step 4: Put It All Together:
1. Find a clean, well ventilated work area.

2. Determine how many buttons you will use and where you want them to go. (Just a heads up the tufting was by far the most time consuming part.) Mark the board and drill small holes. (Just small enough for the upholstery needle to pass through, this will help keep the buttons lined up.)

3. Lay the plywood down and spray one side with adhesive and adhere the foam. Cut off any excess foam so that it is exactly flush with the plywood. There should be no overlap. (This is where that electric knife comes in handy.)

4. Push your upholstery needle through the holes you just drilled the foam. Make shallow cuts into the foam where your upholstery needle comes through.

5. Spray the foam with adhesive and hold one side of the batting while your friend holds the other side and pull taut. Place on top of foam. Make sure there is no puckering because it will show through the fabric. Repeat for second layer of batting.

6. Flip the plywood, foam and batting over and lay it flat on the ground. Wrap the batting around to the backside and staple in place.

7. Lay fabric on the floor wrong side facing up. Place plywood, batting side down on top of fabric. Wrap fabric around to the back of the headboard, secure the fabric loosely with a few staples.

8. Use the button covering kit to cover your buttons. (See this tutorial on youtube for help.) This part is a pain. The smaller the button, the more difficult it is to cover them. (A rubber mallet will be helpful. I ruined my button maker with a hammer.)


9. Double thread your upholstery needle with upholstery thread and poke through one of your pre-drilled holes from the back to the front. Don't pull all the way through! Make sure to leave some thread hanging out of the back. Slide the button onto the thread and poke the needle back through the same hole. Push the button on the front of your headboard into the foam while your friend tightly secures the thread on the back with a bunch of staples. You will need a hammer to bang in the staples, so that the thread will stay secure. (There is probably a better way to secure the thread but this is how I did it.)

10. Continue along and tuft each of your holes.

11. When all the tufting is finished, secure the fabric to the back of the plywood with more staples.

12. Step back and admire your work.

Mounting Options:

There are three ways that I know of to mount your headboard; legs, a french cleat or flush mounts.

Legs are the most apartment friendly method because it doesn't involve drilling holes into the walls. Just make sure that the headboard sits a little above your mattress or else it can interfere when you are trying to make the bed. For this option you will need two 1x4's cut to size. The legs should be about 2" above the floor and within 5" of the top of the headboard. Screw the 1x4's to the back of the headboard and then bolt them onto your bed frame.

A French cleat is a little more involved but this is my favorite method. To use this method take a board and rip it at a 45 degree angle. Then you mount one piece to the back of the headboard and the other to the wall. The headboard sits on the upward facing angle making it very sturdy. You will also need to attach another piece of wood to the bottom of the headboard to keep it level. Hopefully this video and image can help clarify things.

The flush mount method can be found at bejane.com.

Tips:
If you have a Joann Fabrics in the area, this is the place to buy most of your supplies. I was able to get my fabric, foam, and batting for 50% off. Most of the other supplies can be bought with one of their 40% off coupons.

DancingMagpieSupply on Etsy is a great resource for buttons.

For this project I pieced together instructions from a variety of sources online, mainly bejane and joann fabrics.

*****
I’m sharing this post at: Remodelaholic * Finding Fabulous * Miss Mustard Seed

This project was featured at:

&
Apartment Therapy

&

So Very Creative

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