Friday, June 29, 2012

Fabric picture frame tutorial

how to make a fabric picture frame
I want to show you how you can make a picture frame with cardboard and fabric.  Keep reading for the tutorial.

1
Materials needed:
  • Cardboard
  • Craft sticks
  • Fabric
  • Scissors
  • X-acto knife
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Photo
2
Start with cutting out a piece of cardboard bigger than your picture.  The size is up to you, I used the width of a ruler to help with cutting out my shape.  Then you’ll trace around your photo onto the middle of the cardboard.
3
Next, make a smaller rectangle inside the one you just traced.  I did mine about a quarter of an inch smaller. 
4
Ok, time to cut out the inside.  Make sure you cut out the small rectangle you just traced and NOT the one you first did.  This is so there is a lip to hold the picture in.  It’s easier to use your blade instead of scissors.
5

6
Now you can start covering the cardboard with fabric.  Lay out your fabric face down with the cardboard on top.  Cut an X in the middle from corner to corner and trim away excess fabric. 
7

8
Please ignore my ugly glue mess, I am haphazard with the glue.  So now, fold in the inside fabric and glue it down.  Easy.
9
Then, on the outer edges, to get a nice mitered corner, fold the corner in first, glue, and then…
10
fold the sides in.  Repeat on all corners and sides.
11
Now this is where the craft sticks come in.  Remember those lines you first drew when you traced around the photo?  You may not be able to see them now but try to place your craft sticks where those lines were.  You may have to measure or use your photo as a guide.  These sticks will hold your photo in place correctly when it is finished and will also create a small slip-in space for your photo to slide in nicely.  Just be sure to only glue down three sides.  The open side will be where you insert your photo.
12
Then cut yourself another piece of cardboard somewhat smaller than your frame but large enough to be glued to the craft sticks.  After that is glued, you’re done!
how to make a fabric picture frame
I rarely use the stands that are attached to the backs of frames so I didn’t make one for mine. I usually just prop them up or hang them. It wouldn’t be hard to add a bit of string to hang or make a cutout triangle for a prop in the back piece of cardboard.
how to make a fabric picture frame
Happy crafting!

8 comments:

  1. Hi, this was very helpful to me. A couple of questions: Would you make any modifications if you were framing a mirror (because it's heavier than a photo)? And, have you ever tried padding the front of the frame? If so, what did you use and how thick was it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well... I don't know about a mirror. I don't think it would be good for one any bigger than, say, a large picture frame. But for padding you could use quilt batting. I would guess it to be about an eighth of an inch thick. I've seen that done before. It was real popular back in the late 70s early 80s.

      Delete
  2. How would you modidy this if you just purchased an inexpensive wood frame?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Super blog and very interesting information which I always wanted to search many article but you article is really fantastic.
    picture frames

    ReplyDelete
  4. These fabric pictures frame are looks like original when I opened this blog and couldn’t understand that either it is a picture or frame great work.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have been reading your posts frequently. I need to say that you are doing a fantastic work. Please keep up the great work.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Glad to visit your blog. Thanks for great post that you share to us...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Its really wonderful and watchable. I like to share it with all my friends and hope they will definitely like it.

    ReplyDelete

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