These vintage-style felt letter boards are the perfect way to jazz up any room or space while adding functionality. They are easy to make and won’t break the bank like some of the store bought models.
I frequent many of my local craft stores for the supplies I need for my next kick-butt DIY. The last time I was at this particular store, I noticed they had a “trending” aisle. There I saw some awesome vintage-style felt letter boards with a variety of letters and sayings to match different styles or decor. Naturally, I went crazy and knew I had to get one! That was until I saw the hefty price tag that came with it. What the what! There’s no way I was paying $50 for a small vintage-style felt letter board and $75 for a larger version. I did, however, find them a little cheaper on Amazon, but now by much.
So I did what I always do when I am far too cheap to pay for something, I make it! And it cost less than $10 to do so which is a total win in my book. I was able to grab all of my supplies at the same said craft store and managed to pick up a frame from a thrift store for $1.99.
This vintage-style felt letter board DIY makes the perfect messaging center for busy parents, especially during the back-to-school season, or would look great on a dorm room door while serving a purpose. The possibilities and uses are endless and I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Here’s what you need:
- Frame with a deep backing (deep enough inset for your dowels)
- Wooden dowels
- Felt
- Hot glue
- Craft glue
- Letter board letters
- Acrylic Paint (optional)
- Ruler
This is the frame I found at a thrift store for $1.99. I could have purchased a new shadow box or something similar, but I love making old things new again. It’s exciting to transform objects people are no longer interested in, into something wonderful.
Remove the glass and if there is a picture, remove that as well. I painted my frame using a metallic gold acrylic paint and let dry. I think the actual vintage-style felt letter boards were wood frames, but I wanted to give mine a pop of color.
Like magic!
Begin measuring and cutting your dowels to fit the inside of your picture frame. If you want to be super accurate, you can measure the space between each dowel before gluing them down. I just sorta eyeballed them and it worked out well. You want to leave enough space to be able to push the felt between the spaces, but tight enough to hold the letters.
Continue gluing your dowels all the way down until the entire space is filled. Make sure they are secured in place so they don’t lift or move as you are placing the felt.
Next, coat the dowels with a thin layer of craft glue. You don’t have to do this, but it helps hold the felt in place. Take your piece of felt and secure it with hot glue to the top of the frame where the dowels begin. This part of the felt will have the most tension.
Begin tucking each layer of felt into the spaces of the dowels with a ruler. I added a bit of hot glue to the back to secure some of the spaces.
This is the fun part!
Once you have tucked the felt into each row and you’ve secured each row with hot glue, you are ready to add letters. Maybe add your favorite quote, today’s menu or a quick reminder. Whatever you decide, your vintage-style felt letter board is ready for display!
Make your own! 🙂
Posted by Life is Poppin' on Wednesday, July 19, 2017
If you enjoyed making this Vintage-Style Felt Letter Board, you’re going to love these other great DIY projects:
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