Fabric Covered Cork Board Tutorial!

This is one of my favorite projects to do over and over again.  I don't know what it is, but I just love making fabric covered cork boards.  I started making my own bulletin boards in high school, and the first one I made was very elaborate and time consuming.

Then, my freshman year of college I started making them for all of my friends as gifts.  It just became a therapeutic hobby for me. I even gave a demonstrative speech about how to make a fabric covered cork board in my college speech class.  Let me tell you, it was a pretty kick ass speech!

Over the past few years, I have refined the process, and it now only takes me about 30 minutes—give or take— to create one.  Today, I thought I would share my process and pictures of the one that I have made recently to match my room decor with you.    

You will need:

1. A hot glue gun
2. Plenty of glue sticks
3. A spool of ribbon
4. Several tacks
5. A pretty piece of fabric of your choosing
6. A cork board
7. A pair of scissors 
8. Command strips

After you have gathered your supplies, you are ready to create your own beautiful fabric covered cork board.

• Step 1:  Cut your fabric to size.  Make sure that you leave two inches of slack all the way around, so you can adhere the fabric to the back of the board.  
• Step 2:  Heat up your hot glue gun.  Flip your fabric upside down, and place your cork board upside down on top of the fabric.  Adjust the cork board until it is centered on the piece of fabric.
• Step 3:  Fold the extra two inches of fabric and pin it to the back of the cork board all around the edges.
• Step 4:  Take your hot glue gun and apply a thin layer of glue underneath the folded fabric all the way around. Remove the tacks as you go.

 At this point, you could technically be finished with your fabric covered cork board, or you could have fun and decorate it.  I generally opt for decorating it. 

• Step 5:  Take your ribbon and cut six pieces. (2 pieces long enough to create an x shape across the entire board, and 4 pieces to apply to each corner of the board.)
• Step 6:  Place each piece of ribbon on the board as mentioned above. Tack the ends of the ribbon to the back of the board like you did with the fabric.  
• Step 7:  Remove each tack individually and glue as you go.  
• Step 8:  Take 5 tacks and cut out pieces of fabric large enough to cover the tacks.
• Step 9:  Glue the fabric to the tacks, and apply the tacks to the board.  
• Step 10:  Add pictures or memos.  Attach Command adhesive strips to the back and hang on the wall.  

Here is the finished product:  

 I have made dozens of these over the years, and this one has to be my absolute favorite!  Here is a close up of one of the fabric covered tacks:

I just love all the colors that are incorporated into this fabric.  It has a little bit of bohemian and modern feel to me.  It matches the colors of my current bedspread marvelously.  Also, I have had my eye on it for quite some time.  I spotted it this past summer at Walmart.  There were three beautiful modern bolts that all had the same color scheme. I already used the paisley fabric that compliments this one when I decided to give my mismatched storage boxes a makeover.

You can see this bulletin board in its new home and those storage boxes in this picture:

I just love the way this cork board ties my room decor together. Thanks for reading!  Feel free to leave me comments and ask questions below.  Happy crafting!

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Love,