Fabric Covered Message Board

Materials Needed:
12" x 18" x 1" Styrofoam® sheet
16" x 10-1/2" Flowered fabric for front
17-1/2" x 10" Flowered fabric for back
2 strips 4" x 22" Green fabric for frame
2 strips 4" x 10-1/2" Green fabric for frame
2 strips 2-1/2" x 20" Batting for padding frame
2 strips 2-1/2" x 10" Batting for padding frame
4 strips 3/8" Violet satin ribbon 13" each
1 yard 3/8" Violet satin ribbon for hanger
4 strips 1/4" Purple satin ribbon 12" each
2 colored coordinated quilting pins
Hot-melt glue gun
White craft glue
1" Putty knife
Sharp pencil
Ruler
Cuticle scissors
Straight pins

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Use a sharp pencil and ruler to mark off a 1" frame around the Styrofoam® sheet. Draw deeply with the pencil so the scored line can be felt through fabric.

2. Center 16" x 10-1/2" fabric on Styrofoam® sheet. Position putty knife on scored lines and push 1/4" seam allowances down into the Styrofoam® sheet at a 90° angle. Run the edge of the putty knife along the seam to tuck in any stray fabric. Carefully trim away any excess fabric with curved edged scissors.

3. To pad the frame, glue strips of batting over the front and sides of the frame area with hot glue. To cover frame, place 4" x 22" strip of fabric over the long edge of sheet so that 1/4" extends over scored lines. Position end of knife on scored line and push 1/4" seam allowance into the foam. Wrap the fabric around to the back and glue. Fold corners into a square and glue excess around to the back. Attach the other long side and the two short sides in a similar manner.

4. Pin wide ribbons onto the center of the board so that they cross 5" from the top and bottom and 4" in from the sides. Tuck the ends of the ribbons into the seam along the frame after applying a small dot of glue into the seam at the point of tucking. Pin the thin ribbons so that they cross at the middle of the short sides of the frame and run parallel 3-1/8" from the wide ribbons. Run the thin ribbons under the wide ones and wrap the ends of the thin ribbons around to the back and glue. Remove all pins except those at the crossing points of the wide ribbons.

5. Glue two long pieces of wide ribbon to the top of the back of the sheet for a hanger.

6. Glue a 17-1/2" x 10" piece of fabric over the back.

Craft project courtesy of FloraCraft