Patchwork Headboard {Tutorial}

 

I'm so, so excited to share this with you! When I pinned this headboard a long time ago, it was one of those "it'd be cool, but we probably won't actually do it" kind of pins. Well, this past weekend, we actually did it!

I love the colors!

I love the coordination with the new bedding.

Like a quilt, it's certainly not perfect, but that's another thing that makes it great!

Love, love, love it!

It's relatively easy to make. The most difficult thing is using the staple gun! You can handle that, right? You could even do it in more subtle colors. Imagine some neutral tones or all solid fabric. Sounds pretty too!

Note: these instructions are for a queen size bed. 

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 sheets of plywood (4ft x8 ft is what we bought I believe; the original post says to use 1/4 inch but we used 3/8 inch).
• Some type of saw (a table saw will probably work best)
• High density foam (I bought 3 1/2 yards measuring 2 ft across)
• Quilt batting (I used extra-loft; I bought the crib size-45"x60"-and it wasn't quite enough, so you may want to buy bigger unless you have some left over from another project like I did)
• Spray adhesive (I used this)
• Fabric (I had a yard for each of my four colors/patterns)
• Update 12/28/12: I actually had a yard and 1/3 of two of my fabrics and 1 yard of the other two fabrics. Thanks to a commentor below for catching that mistake!
• Scissors 
• Staple gun and staples (you don't want your staples to be too long or it will be harder to get them to sink into the wood)
• Heavy duty tape
• Drill & screws (be sure your screws are long enough to attach both layers of plywood to each other but won't go all the way through to the other side)
• Ring hooks (at least 2)

Cut one sheet of plywood to measure 60"x40" You could even do less than 40 on the second measurement if you need to. My plywood ended up showing a little on the bottom.

Cut 40 8"x8" pieces of plywood.

Thanks so my husband and dad for cutting all the plywood for me!

Cut 40 8"x8" pieces of foam.

Cut 40 8"x8" pieces of batting.

Cut 40 12"x12" pieces of fabric.

And now the real fun begins!

Assemble your patchwork pieces: 

1) Start with a piece of 8"x8" inch plywood 

2) Glue a piece of foam on top of that (just enough so it doesn't slide around). Make sure the foam's not overlapping too much-you can trim it if need be.

3) Add the batting. You can glue this a little too.

4) Place the three layers face down on a piece of 12"x12" fabric that is right side down

5) Pull the fabric over the edge of the wood and tight on one side.

6) Staple the fabric to the wood in the middle of that side

7) Repeat steps 5 & 6 for all four sides making sure not to pull too tightly

8) Pull the fabric up tight (but not too tight) and staple close to both corners on 1 side of the wood

9) On one corner of the same side fold the fabric sort of like a present and pull it up over the edge of the wood

10) Staple the fold in place. Repeat Steps 9 & 10 for the other corner on this side

11) Repeat steps 8-10 for the side opposite the one you just completed.

12) On the remaining two sides, pull the fabric tight and over the edge of the wood until the fabric is smooth on the side. Staple in place.

You should have something that looks like this:

Repeat that process until you have 40 patchwork pieces.

Arrange your pieces in the pattern you'd like. I went for a random look. Normally, I go for order and patterns and things being all lined up, but this was an adventure, so random it was!

I managed to not take pictures of the next steps...oops! Let me know if you have questions, but I'll try to explain.

Flip all your pieces face down while maintaining your pattern (I put a sheet down so I was sure they wouldn't get dirty). Line up the pieces carefully (we lined up the wood edges) and tape them together.

Place your large piece of plywood over the patchwork pieces and screw them together at 8 inch intervals so that you get a screw in each patchwork piece.

Attach your ring hooks.

Hang that baby on the wall!

And enjoy your new headboard!

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