How to make a message board, and other Crafts

I love the personal touch that goes with a handmade gift, and I like teaching my children the value of creating and giving to others. We decided to make several gifts this year, and here are some of the results, and a short tutorial for a DIY message board.

Here is the short version of How to Make a Ribbon Message Board…

Get a sturdy piece of cardboard, plywood or particle board (this is what I used) and cut it into the size you want. I chose 12″ x 18″.

Next, wrap the board with quilt batting and staple it to the back.

Cover the quilt batting with fabric, fold the raw edges and staple it to the back.

Using a ruler, lay out your ribbon however you want it on the board, and attach it at the points with upholstery tacks. I added a little glue at each tack just to make sure they don’t fall off.

Staple the ends of the ribbon at the back.

Attach a hanger so it can be put on the wall.

These are the end results for my DIY message board.

Then I got to crocheting and made several items. I started with this hat and scarf set for my 6 year old son. The hat pattern is one of very few crochet patterns for men or boys, and I made a simple scarf using the same stitches as the hat. The scarf is shorter than usual so that he can wear it on the school playground without the risk of it catching on anything. It does look much shorter in this picture than it actually is though.

Next I made my daughter a hat and buttoned cowl. The hat is made from the same pattern used above, only I didn’t use a different colour for the stripe and I only did one stripe near the bottom. The cowl is my own pattern that I can try and write out if anyone is interested.

I used Paton’s Shetland Chunky yarn for both the boy set and the girl’s set, and it is so nice to work with. It’s soft and the colours were great. My son loves camouflage, which is why I chose the yarn, but the feel of it is what will keep me buying it now.

Next I started making this Baby Ruffle Hat because I think it is cute as heck, but I wasn’t as fond of it once is was done, so I pulled the ruffle out, and made my own design for the cuff and added tassles. It was made using Bernat Cottontots yarn, which I really like, but I had to adjust the pattern for the heavier yarn. I think that is why I didn’t care for the ruffle as much too. I am very happy with the end result, and it fit my two year old niece perfectly, for the 2-3 seconds she actually wore it, lol.

For my Mom, I made a rag quilt. She is a Reborn Artist, and this type of quilt makes an excellent back drop for the dolls. I also made a matching pillow for it. I am very pleased with how it turned out. I worked in strips, with guidance from my mother-in-law who is a talented quilter, and only made a couple of mistakes. I am nearly finished my second one too, that I will share in the next few days. Take a look at how to make a strip rag quilt.