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Inspired by Fabric: DIY Projects and Instructions

April put so much love and attention into the details of her Inspired by Fabric concept, and was kind enough to share all of the DIY project instructions with us!  All of these projects can be accomplished by DIY-ers of any skill level, and April truly shows that a wedding is not about the size of your pocketbook, but the size of your imagination!

PinwheelsDessert Table

Custom Pinwheels
Printable Instructions

Materials

  • Standard white printer paper (cardstock is too thick)
  • Printer (laser is preferred)
  • Scissors
  • Paper cutter
  • Pushpin or tack
  • Pencil or wooden dowel (one needed per pinwheel)

Instructions

  1. Using Illustrator or another design program, scan fabric into computer and create pattern file
  2. Open scanned or “traced” fabric file
  3. Enlarge the image to cover a full size piece of paper
  4. Print out desired number of pages (a color laser printer is ideal for this project)
  5. Optional: print a matching solid color on opposite side of sheet (again, this works best with a laser printer)
  6. Cut two 5”x5” squares from each piece of paper
  7. Follow pinwheel making instructions from Leslie Tryon

Chocolate-Covered Rice Krispy TreatsDessert Buffet Blue and Green

Chocolate-dipped Rice Krispy Treats
Printable Instructions

Materials

  • Premade rice cereal treats cut into 1”x1” squares
  • 6” candy sticks
  • Dipping Chocolate in desired color
  • Wax Paper

Instructions

  1. Melt chocolate pieces per instructions on package
  2. Press candy stick approx. 1/3 of the way into the rice cereal treat to make a hole
  3. Dip the tip of that stick into the chocolate and insert into rice cereal treat
  4. Repeat until finished with all treats
  5. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm
  6. Once chocolate is firm, dip entire pop into chocolate
  7. Tap lightly to remove excess
  8. Place finished pop on wax paper
  9. Refrigerate all pops until firm
  10. Decorate additionally as desired

Blue and Green Wedding Table

Fabric Covered Lampshade (no sewing machine required!)
Printable Instructions

Materials

  • Drum Shaped Lampshade between 14” and 16” in diameter (drum shape important for ease of covering
  • with fabric) This lamp shade meets the criteria and is very affordable! You can also find lamps at a local home store and remove the shades.
  • Fabric
  • No Sew Tape
  • Spray adhesive
  • Yard Stick
  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Measure the height and circumference of your lamp shade
  2. Add two inches to the height (one inch for both the top and bottom sides) and two inches to the diameter
  3. Using your yardstick, cut the fabric to calculated dimensions (for example, our lampshades were 44” in circumference and 10” tall, so we cut our fabric to 46” by 12”)
  4. Create ¾” seams on the top and bottom of the fabric (the “top and bottom” of the lamp shade) and a 1” seam at one end of the long side of the fabric with your “No Sew Tape” (Follow the directions of your “No Sew Tape” – instructions vary by brand)
  5. Test your fabric to be sure it fits your lamp shade – there should be a small overlap at the top and bottom of the shade
  6. Spray wrong side of fabric with spray adhesive
  7. Starting at the seam, apply fabric to the lampshade, carefully rolling it on a few inches at a time, smoothing the fabric until the whole shade is covered
  8. Stand back and admire your work!

Framed Fabric Matted Photos

Custom Framed Matted Photos
Printable Instructions

Materials

  • 11×14 picture frame with mat for 8×10 photo
  • 8×10 picture
  • Fabric
  • Scissors
  • Scrapbook tape runner

Instructions

  1. Remove mat from frame and measure it
  2. Cut fabric 2” longer and 2” wider than mat
  3. Leaving enough room to wrap some fabric around the back, cut a rectangular hole into the center of the fabric using the mat as a guide
  4. Center mat on back side of fabric and wrap and glue the excess fabric to the back side of the outside mat using the scrapbook tape runner
  5. Make diagonal cuts from the center hole of the corners of the fabric to the inside corners of mat
  6. Wrap and glue the fabric to the back side of the mat
  7. Replace the mat in the picture frame
  8. Place the picture in the frame and close the frame

Door Escort Card DisplayEscort Card Door Display-3

Escort Card Door Display
Printable Instructions

Materials

  • Old Door with a screen or window hole on the top half/top ¾ of the door
  • Sand Paper
  • 1 Qt. Paint in Color of choice (flat finish)
  • Tack Cloth
  • 4 Metal Shelf Brackets with matching screws
  • 4” paint brush
  • Chicken Wire aka Poultry Netting : 36in x 25ft (either 1” or 2” hex — we used 2”)
  • Optional: Brass Darkening Solution
  • Tools: Heavy duty stapler, screwdriver, wire cutters, paint scraper

Instructions

  1. Remove glass or screen from door
  2. Scrape excess paint and sand door until smooth
  3. Remove excess dust by using tack cloth
  4. If desired, apply brass darkening solution to wire and allow to dry
  5. Place door on two saw horses (boxes will work just fine if you don’t own saw horses)
  6. Begin painting door — to achieve an “old door” look, be sure to use flat finish paint and a wide brush. Don’t worry about covering perfectly or showing brush strokes. The uneven paint and brush strokes will give your door an original look.
  7. Once side 1 of the door dries, flip the door and paint side 2 in the same manner
  8. When side two is dry, cover the door in the hole with chicken wire and staple it to the door
  9. Screw shelf brackets on all four sides of the bottom of the door to allow the door to stand on its own

The following Indianapolis wedding vendors participated in this Inspired Creations Contest concept (to see the full concept, click here):

Conceptualization, Design, Stationery – April Foster Events
Photography – Megan W Photography
Flowers – JP Parker Flowers
Venue – Laurel Hall Indianapolis
Cake & Cupcakes – The Cake Stand, Cheryl Blessing
Macarons and Meringue – Circle City Sweets
Rice Treat Pops and dipped cookies – April Foster Events
Calligraphy – Penned and Pretty