DIY Projects By Nina

Okay, I started on my headboard this past weekend and I'm proud of what I've done already. Just so you know, I'm making a full size diamond tufted upholstered headboard using burlap fabric. You can find many "how to" websites on making an upholstered headboard. You can find some pretty good detailed directions here. You can pretty much just do a google search to find how to make an upholstered headboard. There are pages every showing you how to do this. Now tufting the headboard is another story. Your search might not give you as many pages to view. Hopefully, I will be able to help a little in this area and add my two cents. This is my first time making a headboard and my first time tufting and I have yet to start, but I plan to share my experience. So far, I have glued the foam onto my board, added the legs (1"x4") and stapled the batting down.


My next step was to measure out my button placement. I know most people do this before putting the foam on but I had to improvise because I'm working on it by myself and don't have a nice working space for it. Anyhow, I decided to do diamond tufting for my headboard. I left 4" of space all around to take into account my 1x4's. I did my calculations on paper to see the space I would need in between each button. Depending on how dense you want your buttons or how many buttons you want to have in each row will determine the spacing between them. For my diamond tufting I have 9 buttons on the first row and then 8 buttons on the next row, alternating back and forth from 9 to 8. The spacing between my buttons is 6 inches and 6 inches between rows. Once my calculation is made I began marking on my back of my headboard in pencil where the buttons will go. This is somewhat time consuming. It's best to draw horizontal and vertical lines. To make sure your lines are vertical just tie an object to the end of the string and allow the string to hang. Gravity will give you the best vertical line... that's only if your headboard is sitting level. Other than this just do straight measurements from the edge and inward. When done... let the drilling began. I have now drilled all of my holes. This is where I finished my Saturday. I still have to lay the fabric over the headboard and begin my button tufting. I can't wait to finish my diamond tufted upholstered headboard. Oh and I'm using burlap as my fabric of choice. I've purchased 2 colors... khaki and creme that I will sew together in some type of stripe pattern... I haven't made up my mind yet. I'll be sure to post it once I've done more. Until then...