DIY Tufted Memo Board (Holiday Card and Photo Display)

Wanting a creative way to display mementos? My tufted memo board is not only the perfect Christmas card holder, but it is also terrific for displaying holiday photos. This project would be fabulous to give as gifts this holiday season, too! Using any fabric you wish, you can easily customize the look of the board to suit any holiday or decorating scheme. Let me show you how it’s done!

For this project, you will need…

• An open-back frame
• Pencil
• X-Acto knife
• Sewing shears
• Water-soluble marking pen
• Foam core board
• Fabric (enough to cover the opening of the frame, plus 4 or so inches)
• 1/2″ high-density foam
• Hot glue
• Ribbon
• Darning needle
• Brads
• Covered buttons

Directions:

• Using the frame as a template, trace around the opening of the frame with the pencil onto the foam core board. Cut the piece out using the X-Acto knife.  The goal is for this piece to fit very snugly in the opening. 
• Using the sewing shears, cut a piece of foam that  is the same size as the foam core board.
• Lay the foam core board piece onto the fabric. (If using a directional fabric design, make sure that the design is aligned properly with the top and bottom of the piece.) Use the marking pen to trace around the foam core board onto the fabric. Use the shears to cut 1.5′-2″ outside this line, all the way around the perimeter of the shape.
  
• Lay the fabric piece face down on a work surface. Position the piece of foam over the fabric so it is precisely centered, and then lay the foam core board piece on top. There should be a border of fabric all the way around the stacked pieces. (Figure 1)
• Starting along one edge, make small snips with the shears along the edge of the fabric, as shown, working all the way around the fabric. (Figure 2)
• Fold the snipped fabric edges over and use hot glue to adhere them to the foam core board backing. As you work, make sure to pull the fabric as taut as possible. (Figure 3)
• Position strips of ribbon in your desired configuration over the surface of the front of the covered board. I opted to use a cris-cross pattern, but you can use a grid or any design you wish. (Figure 4) Flip the board over, and use hot glue to affix the ends of the ribbon pieces to the back of the board. (Figure 5) It is really important to make sure the ribbon is positioned precisely, so be patient and re-position the ribbon as needed to ensure the design is symmetrical. 
• At the points where the ribbon pieces overlap, poke the darning needle through all of the layers of the board: ribbon, fabric, foam, foam core board. (Figure 6) Use the needle to enlarge the opening in the foam core board slightly. 
• Poke brads down through each of the holes, from front to back, pushing them through as tightly as possible to achieve a nice tufted effect. (Figure 7) Open the wings of the brad at the back of the board. Note: My brads are actually decorative in nature and designed to look like screws, so don’t be confused when it looks like I’ve used a screw for this step in the photos below.
• Hot glue fabric-covered buttons over the brads. If using shank-style buttons, you will need to either remove the shank or bend it back in order to get the buttons to adhere properly. (Figure 8)

You are finished!

Use this board to display any number of mementos. As perfect as it is for holiday use, it is also wonderful for use in craft rooms, offices, kids’ rooms and more!

The tufting really adds such a special touch.

For those who are curious, I purchased my frame at Ikea. 

 

For even more great holiday and gift ideas, be sure to check out these projects from the PS archives:

Framed Burlap Earring Holder

Clipboard Photo Display

No-Sew Quilted and Piped Letters