A little Burlap & Bling project

I promised down here a tutorial on my project for the Homespun and Holly event.  Here it is in detail.  Hope you have fun with it.  It’s a great little craft project to make as gifts or do with friends.  Once everything is prepared (as it was for the participants) it took about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.

Burlap & Bling Framed Tree

Supplies needed:

5” x 7” picture frame

6” x 8” piece of burlap

3/4” x 42” strip of fabric with pinked edges (tree shape)

1” x 5” strip of fabric with pinked edges (tree trunk)

1 – 3/4” blingy button (tree top)

20 – 30 beads (tree decorations)

craft glue

thread and hand sewing needle

black paint

tweezers

rotary cutter with pinking blade or pinking shears

 

Notes on supplies:

This is a great project for repurposing items.  Especially frames and blingy objects.  Remember, you can always paint a frame.  Watch for cool frames and jewelry that could be used for the top of the tree.

I’ve had the “pinking” rotary blade a long time and finally used it on this project.  I love it!  It cuts great and is the right tool for this job.  Pinking shears will work also if you prefer.

You may use black spray paint or use a sponge applicator with black acrylic paint.

Tweezers!  If you don’t own a pair of the tweezers with the point as shown in the picture – you need them (more detailed picture below).  They’re great for crafts but if you’re a quilter they are wonderful for holding ends together as they go through the machine.

 

Step 1:

Take your frame apart.  Throw away the packaging and glass.  Paint the frame insert black.  (the side the picture would lay against).  This is painted because they typically come brown, and black looks better faintly showing through the burlap.

 

 

Step 2:

Glue the burlap piece flat against the frame insert (over the black painted surface).

Step 3: 

Run a basting stitch through the center, the length of both fabric strips (my stitches are 1/8th – 1/4” long).  Gather the tree strip to 12” and the trunk strip to 1” and tie off the end.

 

Step 4:

Trim any overhang of burlap on the frame insert and insert back into the frame.

Step 5:

Don’t stress to much over this next step.  The pieces can be adjusted a bit while the glue is still wet.  Lay a generous line of glue in an elongated triangle on the burlap.  Begin with the center of the tree strip at the bottom center of the triangle and lay the strip along the glue line with the ends coming together at the tip of the tree. Press the ruffles into the glue.  Now stand up your frame and really look at your placement and adjust if you’d like.

 

 

Step 6:  if your button has a shank on the back, cut it off.  Most are plastic and you can use a pair of old scissors.  If you can’t get it off just use lots of glue and it’ll work.  Watch the positioning as it dries. 

Glue the button to the top of the tree.

Using tweezers, pick up the beads, dip in glue and place on the tree as desired.  Bling it up as much or little as you’d like.

 

 

TAA DAA!!  You’re done!

As you can see, I like the shabby chic look but this has been done in all sorts of colors and combinations.  Also the same technique could be used to make different shapes.  Wreaths were made in class.  If you haven’t checked out the post from Homespun & Holly be sure and check it out.  There are different color combos and wreaths pictured. 

If you give this a try be sure and let me know how it goes.  I love to hear from you.

Thanks for visiting!

Blessings ~ Terri