Making A MEMOry Board

If you haven't noticed, I like making crafts.  Not only do I enjoy making things for myself, I get really excited when someone asks if I can make them something.  Even better…when I make someone for someone and they like it!  Last year for Christmas, my sister, Emily, asked for a memo board and this year, she wanted another one! 

I've made many memo boards, but surprisingly not one since I started this blog.  There are plenty of other tutorials on how to make a memo board, but I thought I'd still share mine. Everyone's is a little different.  Of course, you can find memo boards in the store, but they are usually over $15 or $20.  Not only can you do them on the cheap, you can make it just the way you want it!

Tools:

• Scissors
• Staple Gun and staples
• Needle
• Pliers/wire cutter (to pull out staples if needed and to cut floral wire)
• Ruler

Materials:

• 16 X 20 inch canvas (usually purchased at Michael's with coupon)
• Quilt batting cut 16 X 20 inches or slightly larger
• Choice of ironed fabric cut 21 X 25 inches or slightly larger (you can always cut smaller, but not make larger - it's always best to go larger)
• White fabric (or whatever color you want for the back) cut 15.5 X 19.5 inches
• Choice of ribbon - I use 3/8" in width for all my boards.  I usually buy a 6 yard roll.
• 5 buttons - your choice of color
• Thread
• Tacky glue

First you need to layer the fabric, batting, and canvas.  Place the fabric (face down), then the batting, and then the canvas (face down) on top of the batting.

Then, fold the bottom part of the fabric up and over the canvas and staple it three times: in the middle and on each side.  Repeat for the top. 

  Then fold over and staple each side piece of fabric to the side of the canvas (three times).

Once you've done this, you can do the corners.  Here is a video that you might find helpful, but I do mine slightly different.  Once the corners are folded, you are ready for the ribbon.

I put a tiny dab of tacky glue on the top of each corner before placing the ribbon down.  This helps keep the ribbon in place.  Then I staple the first piece of ribbon on the back of the canvas from one corner to the opposite corner, creating a diagonal line.  Then I cut the ribbon and repeat for the next corner. You will have a big X now.

Take another piece of ribbon and staple it the top middle (imagine a line going straight up from the "X" you just made).  Then I measure six inches from the "X" to the new piece of ribbon to make sure that the new piece of ribbon is parallel to the "X" piece.  Once you've made sure its parallel, staple the ribbon on the side.

You will repeat this step three more times to finish the rest of the ribbon.  This is what it should look like once finished:

Now it is time for the buttons.  I cut a piece of thread about the length of the canvas - so about 20 inches, maybe a bit longer.  I start with the middle section of the memo board and place the button in the middle.  Then I just poke through the back of the canvas until the needle finds the button hole.  Then I just sew the button on, making sure it is pretty tight.  

Repeat for four other buttons.

After the buttons are sewn on, it is practically finished!  If you don't care how the back looks, you can skip putting on the white backing and go straight to stapling on the floral wire for it to be hung.  

I stapled the white backing on to the canvas and then I used the wire cutter/pliers and cut  the floral wire to about 26 inches.  I stapled the floral wire about 1/4 of the way down from the top like I do for my frames.  Done !

Here is Emily's Christmas present :

Here are some of my old memo boards I have made for family and friends in the past:

These are pretty simple to make.  I think sewing on the buttons takes the most time.  Now that you know how to make one, you can find any fabric to match any room decor, you could get college team colors and make one for a dorm, or find a cute baby pattern and make one for a nursery.  I've also made mini ones using an 11 X 14 inch canvas.  These make great gifts for Mother's Day, graduates going off to college, birthdays, baby showers, and housewarming parties.

I'd love to see your final products!  Please share if you make one.

What kind of DIY presents did you give for Christmas?

Now you can Do It Yourself Too!

~Stephanie