woven pin board {tutorial}
The other day I found a large {3 ft x 4 ft} cork board at the thrift store. I figured I could always use another pin board and the price was right, so I brought it home.
I was thinking I would cover it with linen like this one from potterybarn:
But then while perusing some of my favorite blogs, I came across this photo at Grace Happens:
That little woven bench caught my eye and I just knew that was what I wanted to do with the enormous bulletin board.
Want to make one too?
Here is what you’ll need:
:: cork board
:: burlap {or other fabric of choice}
:: scissors, staple gun, ruler, sharpie, thumb tacks
STEP ONE: cut two pieces of burlap to fit cork board. Add 3 inches to each side for wrap around.
STEP TWO: cut strips of burlap.
With a ruler and sharpie, mark equal increments on your fabric piece {mine are 3 inches}.
Draw lines with the ruler and cut. Make sure you cut one piece of fabric with the strips going vertically and one horizontally so that they fit all the way across the board. {I folded my fabric in half so I didn’t have to cut all the way down}
STEP THREE: staple strips to the back of the board
STEP FOUR: add a row of strips to the vertical edge.
When you turn the cork board over, it will look like this:
STEP FIVE: weave in a basket weave pattern {over-under-over-under}
STEP SIX: pin ends in place, pulling the strip taut.
STEP SEVEN: remove pins and staple back of strips in place.
Trim excess, if you wish.
STEP EIGHT: trim frayed edges
STEP NINE: add ribbon to hang
Cut ribbon a bit longer than the board, fold end over and staple to the back of the board.
Hang and embellish!
{a little sneak peak of our *unfinished* bedroom}
Because I hung this over our bed, I wanted to embellish with thing that are just about US.
I had a great time collecting some of my most cherished love notes, wedding photos and creating a silhouette of the two of us on our wedding day.
A photo from our wedding. What a beautiful day.
An early love note from my sweet husband. Perhaps the nicest thing ever said to me.
I really love how this project turned out.



















Danielle
Been brainstorming for something to do for my 10th anniversary – Now I know
Thanks for the inspiration!
jess
i love this! it looks great! your bedroom looks beautiful! are we going to get after pictures? i am also missing your WIWW posts!!! your style is super cute!
molly
thanks for sharing, so creative! how do you come up with all these wonderful ideas & execute them??!!
Sarah
Is there anyway you could post your bedroom color:) thanks!
emily
Of course! It is Marine Magic by Behr.
Sarah
Thank you:) Going to get a sample tomorrow!
Stephanie@cre8tive
Love the look. I bet you could do the same with that chair banding fabric, can’t remember what it is called lol But then you wouldn’t have to cut all the pieces. It looks just as beautiful in burlap though.
Loli
Simply beautiful!. Emily you’re a person who inspires, you have very good style and incredible ideas. Greetings from Argentina
)
Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt
How in the world do you have time for this stuff?!!!
Laura
I love this! I knew I had a small cork board up in a closet somewhere in my house… so I went digging and I found just enough burlap to cover it. Turned out to be a double positive because I moved the project outside and my boys (3.5 and 2) had a good hour and a half outside while I crafted! Thanks for the beautiful idea AND tutorial, it was a sinch! (ok, mine may or may not be a tad bit crooked
xo
Katie B
I LOOOVE this! My co-worker and I are responsible for this “Brag Board” at work (we are elementary teachers) and we had talked about using burlap as a background. After seeing this, I thought it would be the perfect way to make a statement but keep the neutral tone of the background. I will post pics on my blog {Princess & the P} when we are finished and link to your blog/tutorial, of course! (I am a pirate, but I give credit where credit is due! haha) I love your style…it is always inspiring!
Katie @ Princess & the P
So, I tried this out at work (for a Brag Board) & I think it looks fabulous!! Check out my link to see the AFTER shot…thanks Emily for all the creativity and inspiration!
Bird Watching
[...] The queen of neutral texture is at it again. I’m gonna keep you guessing, you’ll have to click to see what she made. [...]
Rambling Heather
LOVE this, so awesome!!
Kay
I have had an enormous cork board and a few yards of burlap I’ve been wanting to use but hadn’t figured out what or where to use either, always changing my mind once I decided. I couldn’t figure out a good way to cover the ugly frame on the board either. I’m excited to try this project out. Thanks for sharing and being friends with Nester so that I could hear about it
) Enjoy your weekend!
jeni
um hello genius! I have a plain cork board of those proportions just a-hangin on my wall waiting for this post. thank you!!!
Bonita
I heart this very much!!!
Karen
Thanks to the Nester for directing us to this great idea! I love it.
Jen
this is precious. how long did this project take???
Brooke @ Inside-Out Design
Wow this looks great! So creative of you, and I love how you used it to hang love notes from you & your hubby- so sweet!
Pam
Love it!
Elisha
That is super neat ! BTW did you get married at Golden Gardens… that’s what one of the pictures reminded me of … (sorry sidenote)
lisa@fixityourself
That is sooo clever. Thanks for sharing the instructions!
Julie
Is the L on your board… is it metal or wood?? if so… did you make it or did you buy it?? and if you bought it… then where?? sorry for all the questions!! i love it! i want to try it so badly!!
emily
The L is one of those large cardboard ones from Joann’s. I decoupaged scrapbook paper on to it. Very simple project!
Megan
I LOVE your headboard! Do you mind sharing where you found it?
emily
It is from Restoration Hardware {the outlet}.
Amanda
Love, love, love it! And you must tell me the paint color of the bedroom! Pretty please?
Katie @ Princess & the P
I tried this and it turned out sooo cute! Thank you for being your cute, creative self and sharing that with us.
http://princessandthe-p.blogspot.com/2011/04/princess-and-pirate-not-trying-to-brag.html
Katie @ Princess & the P
I tried this and it turned out sooo cute! Check out the link to my blog to see it if you want. Thank you for being your cute, creative self & sharing it with us!
Katie @ Princess & the P
So, I tried this out at work & I think it looks fabulous!! Check out my link to see the AFTER shot…thanks Emily for all the creativity and inspiration!
Katie@PrincessandtheP
You are awesome! I tried this at work…check out my link to see how it turned out!
Jenny
Hi Emily!
I love this board! I am finishing up one for our bedroom right now. Thanks for the great idea! How did you affix the letter L to the board? I’m trying to figure out the best way to do that. Thanks!
Amy
Where did you get the card with enorme on it?
our bedroom | jones design company
[...] the bed is the woven pin board with mementos special to just me & [...]
Jodi Metcalf
Emily, you are a true inspiration! I have just finished graduate school in marriage and family therapy, and my husband and I are getting ready to move back to the Chicago area into a new (our first!!!) house. I cannot wait to try some of these beautiful projects in our new home. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us! After we get settled, I hope to put some work into my blog, which will feature a new company I am starting with my sister called ::::artsybird. Keep us in mind, and let me know if you have any great tips on getting started in blogging about what we are creating, and marketing our products. Thanks
Stacie
just made my woven board yesterday and i am loving it! thanks for sharing your creative ideas!
Kelsey
Hey Emily, what size was your cork board? Also, any ideas for bargain-buys on it? Its really expensive at porters. Thanks!
emily
I found my large cork board at a thrift store {it was a good find!}. I know they can be spendy – did you try an office supply store?
Mary
Oh, Emily. I found a burlap cork board on Ballard Designs’s website and thought I could make one myself…then went looking for interesting tutorial ideas. I should have expected that my search would, once again, bring me to Jones Design Co. I do believe you’re my long-lost creative twin!
grace
Thank you for posting this! It inspired to make my own version of a fabric covered bulletin board. You can check mine out here http://graceadkins.blogspot.com/2012/09/diy-framed-and-fabric-covered-bulletin.html
Jill
I love your board!!! I have a cork/chalk board in our entryway that has needed to be redone done since I found it on sale. Because of you I was inspired to to this – http://bit.ly/14oZxeE