Notice Board Tutorial

I have been revamping my sewing room recently and decided to make a new notice board to co-ordinate with the red and grey decoration.  I have covered a notice board with grey and white ticking fabric and added some 'Oh So Vintage' name tape I already had.

If you would also like to make one, it is really simple.....

You will need
Memo board (I used a cork board from Ikea)
Fabric
Polyester wadding (the sort that you place inside curtains for extra thickness)
Stapler (the sort that will insert staples onto a flat surface, not a paper stapler)

5 Buttons
String or cord

Cover the memo board with the wadding leaving about 2 cms to fold over onto the wrong side.  Staple this to the wooden frame of the board.

Do the same with your fabric and attach this to the back of the board.

Next you will need to attach the ribbon or tape you have chosen to make a criss cross effect.

Staple the ribbon from one corner to the opposite corner so that you have an X.  Mark the middle of each side on the back.   Staple the ribbon to the middle of the top and attach this to the middle of the side, then from the middle side to the bottom of the board.  Do the same on the opposite side.

Next you will need to attach buttons wherever the ribbon crosses over.  I used vintage linen buttons but you could use any.  I sewed these throught to the back of the board.

If you want to hang the board on the wall then mark one third of the way down from the top and staple string or cord to each side.  Make sure it is fairly taut.

Your board is now ready to hang on the wall!

Upcycling Vintage Textiles

Recently I bought two boxes of vintage textiles at auction.  Rather foolishly I only gave them a cursory look before leaving a bid.  Well, I won them but it was obvious someone had just put a load of damaged and stained vintage textiles together.  They looked appealing but on close scrutiny nothing was saleable!

I was really annoyed with myself but, having put several items in the dustbin, I then washed everything else and sorted it all into what I could salvage.  The result was lots of lace and embroidered textiles which I have now resolved to upcycle and make into various items (mostly cushions).

This monogram P was all I could salvage from one piece and, as soon as I made it into a cushion and added it to my website, it sold.

Some Maltese lace doilies and a lace butterfly have now been sewn onto hessian to make lavender cushions/sachets.  I love the contrast of agricultural sacking with pretty fine lace.

Lace was also sewn onto hessian to make bunting for a vintage wedding.

Another cushion was made from parts of embroidered sheets and tablecloths,

another from a damaged sheet bearing the monogram M C.

and lastly another pair of cushions I have made using a pure linen French sheet and a very pretty hand embroided edging.

There are lots more pieces to 'salvage' and I am looking forward to using them to create more upcycled items.