project headboard

Have you ever gone shopping for bedroom furniture? The only pieces that tickle my fancy are wayyy too expensive. And they'd never fit well in my space. Kind of like shopping for curtains for my gargantuan living room windows. So for months I have been whirling and twirling with ideas.

Ike's crib was a hand-me-down from a friend who used to own a consignment shop. I painted it off-white, and it lasted until he was about one, around the same time that I was really itching for a fun project.

This is what I came up with:

the width of the ends of a crib (side by side) is 60 inches, the same width of a queen size bed

But if you know it's a crib, it looks like a crib. I came up with the idea to slip cover it. But I had the hardest time finding the fabric I like for a price I can afford. I have watched designers slip cover furniture I don't know how many times on TLC & HGTV. "It can't be that hard" is what I tell myself.

Monday of this week I finally found some beautiful fabric, and it was on sale! Two yards of a 52 inch bolt, and we have ourselves a project. Then I had to get my pesky sewing machine to work for me. I called friends all morning, poor friends. (Thank you, Peggy & Britney! Moral support at it's finest!) About 1 o'clock I realized I had the needle threaded wrong. Once I fixed that, it was complete within an hour!

I eyeballed this whole thing, no real measuring took place. Kind of scary, I know. But here is how I did it.

First, I had to decide how I wanted it to fall. Thankfully, 26 inches (half of the 52 inch bolt) was enough height. Once the fabric was folded in half, I sewed two straight (ha!) seams the length of the headboard.

I then fitted the slip cover over the headboard and scored the rounded sides with chalk. Have you ever seen a tailor use chalk to fit someone? Clever, they are!

I sewed along the chalk lines, my first time to sew a curved line! Then I cut the excess, flipped it inside/sewn side in, and this is the finished product.

It really softens up the room. It's not perfect, but I love it! Considering that I accomplished it for under $30, I am pretty satisfied. I feel like it needs something, though I haven't figured out what that something is... Flowers? Our monogram? Edging? I will most-likely add batting, once I have a few more dollars at my disposal!