Eclectic Red Barn: Home Sweet Home Sign

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Home Sweet Home Sign

I was trying to clean up some wood in my barn. I have lots of pieces and this piece of thin plywood was not particularly in good shape. I was ready to toss it when I thought of an idea - a sign.

Since the board was not great, I needed to put something on it.

Eclectic Red Barn: old board and grain sack for sign

Recently, I was at a flea market and found coffee grain sacks for $2 each. The front of the grain sacks have a pattern, but the back was plain. Perfect for my sign. You could always use burlap instead of a grain sack.

Eclectic Red Barn: coffee grain sack for sign

I cut my board to remove some bad edges, The finished board is 15 X 13. Then I cut a piece from the grain sack that was smaller than the board.

When cutting burlap, always make sure to pull a thread where you want to cut and then use that as a guide. This will give you a straight line. Next I pulled some of the threads to make a fringe all the way around.

Eclectic Red Barn: coffee grain sack back cut

For the lettering, I used some two inch letters that I had and filled them in with white paint. When I removed the paper letter, I filled in any spaces that needed some more paint.. You could always write free hand if you want or use a stencil.

Eclectic Red Barn:painting coffee grain sack

I choose Home Sweet Home for my sign. I hardest part was waiting for the letters to dry before doing the next letter.

Eclectic Red Barn:Painted grain sack sign

When it was completed, it just needed something - Fabric flowers. They are easy to make. I will post the tutorial to make them below.

I cut out two leaves from brown burlap and hot glued them in place and then added the fabric flower on top.

Eclectic Red Barn: Triple rosette on sign

I made one large one and two smaller ones for the bottom corner.

Eclectic Red Barn: Finished Home Sweet Home Sign

You could always add silk flowers or other decorative items.

Tutorial for making rosette fabric flowers:
1. For each rosette you’ll need one strip of fabric and one felt circle. The longer and wider your strip, the larger your flower will be. I like to tear a long strip about 1″ wide for most rosettes – then I can cut the length off if I don’t need it.

Eclectic Red Barn: Fabric strip for making rosettes

2. Tie a knot close to one end of the fabric strip.This is where you will start.

Eclectic Red Barn: Fabric strip with knot for making rosettes

3. Begin wrapping the fabric around the knot. You can twist and turn the fabric and play with it until you like your rosette.

Eclectic Red Barn: White Fabric Rolled Flower

4. Tuck the end under the rosette and hot glue it to the felt circle. You could also sew the ends if you don't want to use hot glue. (Sometimes I just hot glue the end and don't bother with the felt circle. )