DIY Upholstered Headboard

My little man recently moved from his toddler bed to a queen bed.  I can't believe my baby (almost 3 year old) boy sleeps in a queen-size bed!  I decided to make him an upholstered headboard.  To make it extra special, I wanted it to be monogrammed.  My sewing machine doesn't have the capability to make a monogram large enough for a headboard, so I enlisted help from a great local business, West End Monogram.  They've done work for me before and they're fantastic!

Here's the finished headboard!  I'm in love!  I'll say it again -- my kids' rooms are by far my favorite rooms in our home.

(The quilt and sheets are from Pottery Barn Kids.  I made the chevron pillow and artwork.)


Supply List:

• Fabric (I used 2 yards of duck cloth that I purchased at Hobby Lobby with a 40% off coupon!)
• Plywood (I bought mine from Lowe's and they cut it to size for me. My measurements were 36"x 62"x 1/4".)
• Twin size egg crate foam (I bought mine at Target.)
• Staples & Staple Gun
• Hangman 18" Picture Hanging System (I bought this at Lowes for $11.  It can hold up to 200lb.)

Let's get started!

1. Have the fabric monogrammed.  You'll need to mark the spot on the fabric where the monogram should be located.  I went with a 10"x 10" monogram.  The top of the monogram was 7" from the top edge of the fabric and the monogram was centered across the width of the fabric.
2. Lay the egg crate foam out on the floor (with the textured side up).  Lay the piece of plywood on top of the foam and try to center it on the foam. 
   
3. Pull the foam around the plywood and staple it working from the middle to the corners and pulling it tight as you go.
4. Mark the middle point of the plywood.  For me, this was 31" from each side.  I measured and then drew a line at the midpoint using a sharpie.  
   
5. Iron the fabric.
6. Lay fabric facedown on the floor and mark the middle point of the fabric.  I used a piece of chalk to make a small mark at the edge of the fabric.  Make sure this point is at the midpoint of the monogram.
7. Make a few chalk marks 4" from the top edge of the fabric.
8. Lay the piece of foam covered plywood on top of the fabric (foam side down).  The edge of the plywood should line up with the chalk marks which are 4" from the top edge of the fabric and the midpoint of the plywood (sharpie mark) should line up with the midpoint of the fabric/monogram.
9. Wrap fabric around plywood and staple.  Work from middle to edges.  Pull tight along the way.  Wrap fabric like a package to make clean corners.  
10. Attach Hangman Picture Hanging System anchor to the back of the plywood.  Make sure it's level.  
    
11. Attach the other piece of the Hangman Picture Hanging System to the wall and hang the headboard!  
    

It's (almost) Fall, Y'all!

Fall is hands down my favorite season and I know I'm not alone in that sentiment!  So, I just can't wait to start decorating for fall.  I'm proud whenever I can force myself to wait until after Labor Day to make the big switch from summer to fall.

Here's my new chalkboard for the season:

I enjoyed making that one so much that I decided to decorate Little Man's chalkboard (we painted the back of our kitchen counter with chalk paint so Little Man would have a large canvas at just the right height).  I didn't get too fancy with this one because I knew Little Man would pretty it up as soon as he woke from his nap.  But, you've got to love those toddler scribbles!  And, after all, I am the one who hijacked his chalkboard.

Before

After

I've also been working on some new fall-inspired burlap prints for my shop.