Tutorial: Inexpensive French Memo Board

 

My board is 28" wide x 22" high

Yesterday was my birthday! I gave myself a present...a "new" office space! (See yesterday's post, "Relieving Stress with a Thrifty Room Renewal" .) Once I got my office redesigned and reorganized, I had recovered something that had been "lost" for a couple of years...my craft table! There's nothing like an empty tabletop to bring out the creative side of me, and right away I knew I was going to make the French memo board I've had in my head for the last couple of years. I wanted to do this one on the cheap, and I was able to make it for $14 (cost of batting, 10 yards of ribbon, and glass beads). Happy day!
Supplies:

• Foam-core board the size you want your memo board to be. (I had one sitting in my closet...you could use an old one that has writing on it if you've got one.)
• Hot glue gun (my FAVORITE craft tool!).
  
  
  

• Batting (medium loft, or low loft and you can use 2 thicknesses of it)...you'll need it to be as big as your board PLUS add about 3 inches all around.

• Cotton/Cotton-blend fabric in the color/pattern of your choice...)...you'll need it to be as big as your board PLUS add about 3 inches all around. (I had a huge amount of cotton muslin in my closet...this is a great way to use up your fabric stash!
  
  
• Ribbon in the color/pattern of your choice, to coordinate with your fabric...I used 7/8" wide ribbon for mine, but if you're making a small board, you could use narrower ribbon. Mine required 10 yards of ribbon (2 rolls).
• Decorative buttons or other accent pieces (optional)

Here's what I did:
1) Iron fabric & batting smooth.

2) Lay foam core board on batting; bring corners over tightly (carefully...do not bend board corners) and glue to hold in place. I used my "low temp" glue gun for the polyester batting.

3) Pull firmly and fold up sides, glue in place. Trim excess from corner to reduce bulk before gluing down corners. Check to be sure all edges are securely glued down; trim excess as needed.

 4)  Lay board with batting on fabric piece (see above photo)...repeat the process with the fabric layer, being sure to pull the fabric tightly across the board before gluing in place. I used my "hi temp" glue gun for the cotton muslin fabric cover.

5) Begin to carefully cut ribbon sections. Start by cutting 2 diagonals, being sure you have at least 3" of excess length beyond each corner for wrapping around the back side. These will be your longest ribbon segments. Pull taut over corners and glue ribbon "tails" securely to back.

6) Glue ribbons together (glue dot between ribbons) in the middle to hold the center. Then glue just this center cross-point to the fabric board. You will not glue the ribbons to the fabric board anywhere else but here.

7) Lay out and cut 4 medium lengths for the next segments, one on each side of the center "X". Be sure to cut them long enough to have at least 3" of excess ribbon to wrap around the back.

8) Lay out and cut 4 short lengths for the next segments, one across each outside corner. Be sure to cut them long enough to have at least 3" of excess ribbon to wrap around the back.

(My memo board used just under 10 yards of ribbon, total.)

9) Set cut ribbons aside...you will begin with your medium length ribbons now. Lay a ribbon parallel to one of the center ribbons. Glue just along the side-edge of the board to anchor it in place. Once dry, turn the board over and glue the entire ribbon tail securely onto the back. Flip board, pull the ribbon taut across the front of the board, keeping it parallel to the center ribbon piece. Hold taut in place while flipping the board and gluing the tail securely to the back of the board. 

10) Repeat Step 9 with the second medium length ribbon, staying parallel to the ribbon you've just glued. 

11) With the remaining 2 medium length ribbons, you'll repeat steps 9 & 10, but you will be crossing over the 2 medium length ribbons you've just glued in steps 9 & 10. When you do this, you want to create a woven pattern, so you'll be weaving the ribbons over and under the previously glued ribbons.

(Tip: I always found it easiest to secure a ribbon at the side edge to "tack" it in place before I pulled taut and glued the tail down on the back side of the board.)

12) Now take your short length ribbon strips, and one at a time weave them (over and under) in place across the corners, glue the side edge to anchor them, then pull taut around the back and glue the ribbon tails securely in place.

The back is messy-looking...I plan to get some heavy-duty strapping tape (the kind used for shipping, it has the "threads" running through it) and tape over all the raw edges, just to give it extra-strong holding power.

Here it is...almost done!

Finishing:
13) I did put two rows of strapping tape around the fabric and ribbon edges on the back, with 1/2 the tape strip on the fabric and 1/2 on the foam core board. It feels very secure. Then I used one of these cheap, stick-on saw-tooth hangers, and put some strapping tape over the adhesive, just for extra hold.

I settled on a group of 7 beads for the very center, then clusters of 3 beads at every criss-cross point. A dab of glue was added between the ribbons where they crossed, and then I decided to also glue down each point to the white muslin fabric, making a "stop" at each cross to keep things from sliding through. I hadn't originally planned on doing this, but I got to thinking that over time, the ribbons would likely loosen, and things wouldn't stay in too well. I am a glue-gun-craft addict, let me tell you! I've always loved making things with my glue gun. So quick to get a nice effect!

The tapestry is something my late aunt sent me years ago. She lived in South Africa.

My FarmGirl Sisterhood pendant!

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