The idea for this pretty piece came from Life as a Thrifter. I fell in LOVE with her Fall decor pics, but couldn't find a DIY explanation for her door hanger. So, I got our my craft supplies and decided to figure it out on my own.
For this project you'll need:
- 1 embroidery/quilting hoop (any size you like, mine was 14 and 1/2 inches across)
- Approximately 20 inches x 20 inches square of burlap
- black acrylic paint & a foam stencil brush
- 1 large initial stencil
- Low temp hot glue gun
- Ribbon
I just happened to have all these items laying around (except for the quilting hoop, which I got from the basement at my parent's house. Thanks Mom!) so my piece was completely FREE! Whoo hoo! If you were buying all these items you could probably make this for around $25, or less. (But check the thrift store for a hoop before you hit the craft store because they're like, $17 new these days.)
So... first of all, you're going to need to put your fabric in your hoop. If it has any wrinkles, I would suggest ironing it first. Then unscrew the top of the hoop, pop out the round insert, lay your fabric over it, and pop the insert back in. Then screw the top back in until everything feels tight.
Next, prep for painting. If you bought a big stencil, then use spray adhesive (or double sided tape) to stick it down in the center of your hoop.
Now - here's a little bunny trail. For those of you who don't feel like buying a big stencil, let me tell you that you can make your own! You can do this easily with your printer, a piece of cardstock, a black marker, and some packing tape. Just print your letter the size you'd like it onto your cardstock. (I couldn't get my J big enough, so I actually hand-drew mine and then colored it in with a sharpie :). Next, cover your entire piece of cardstock with clear packing tape (this is so the paint won't soak through. I covered mine front and back, overlapping each piece just a little.) Once that is done, cut out your letter with some sharp scissors. Finally, tape the side back that you cut through, and you'll have both a stencil and a cut out of your initial! (I have heard of people doing this with freezer paper and an exacto knife, but I didn't have either of those and wasn't about to go buy them. The cardstock, tape, and scissors worked just fine!)
Okay - so you've got your stencil attached to your fabric, and the fabric is in the hoop. Double check that the fabric is tight, and go ahead and gently start dabbing your paint on. Be careful around the edges - paint can sometimes bleed on burlap. (If you've never painted a stencil before, take note that you should dab your paint on with the foam brush, don't use brush strokes. Also, hold the sides of the stencil down when you do the edges.)
Let it dry, then remove the stencil and see how it looks. If it doesn't look good, you can throw out that piece of fabric and try again. If it looks great, then you can go ahead and move on to the next step! (Don't be finicky about the edges - most people will see it from the street after all ;)
Next up, you'll want to cut the excess fabric off around the edge of your hoop. Be sure to leave an inch or two to glue it down, but trim the rest away.
Now get out your hot glue gun and glue it down to the back of the hoop, bit by bit. I would suggest a low temp glue gun so you can press it down with your fingers (and you won't burn yourself).
Now just add a ribbon to the top, hang it on your door, survey your work and SMILE!
You just made yourself a beautiful Monogrammed Burlap Door Hanger!
*Post project note :: My Dad recently warned me that the wooden hoop might split because it's hanging outside and being exposed to the elements (cold/heat/rain/etc). He suggested I seal it with something. If you want to add in this step, you can seal your wooden hoop before you start this project. Just paint it with a coat of polyacrylic, spray paint it with a clear coat, or spray paint it to match your door. Mine has been outside for a couple of weeks and seems to be okay, but I still might give it a quick coat of Annie Sloan's clear furniture wax because I'd like for it to last a few years. *Happy crafting ya'll!
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