Homemade Alphabet Canvas Sign
Here is a simple tutorial for a homemade canvas alphabet sign.
This handmade canvas alphabet sign has been in the works for several months now. I started it back at our bungalow house but with the craziness that comes with moving it got pushed to the side. Recently, I decided it was time to pull it out and finish what I started.
I originally got the idea for the canvas sign from a friend. She had a similar one that had been given to her but it was no longer available at the store her mom bought it from. Since it didn’t look like it would be too hard to DIY, I decided to give it a try.
I’m very happy with how it turned out. There are some imperfections but that makes it look handmade and I love that. It was a super simple project and it will look great in our farmhouse above the kids craft table.
List of materials for Alphabet Canvas Sign:
- Canvas fabric
- Scissors
- Tape Measure
- Pencil
- Paper
- Fabric copy paper (perhaps carbon paper would work too)
- Acrylic black paint and thin paint brush
- Glue gun
- Thin wood trim
- Stain
- Old rag or sock for applying stain
- Gloves
Step One
Decide what size you want to make your alphabet sign and cut the canvas to the correct size. My finished product is 15 inches wide by 19 inches tall.
- Tip: I like to fold my canvas and iron it on the fold to make sure I’m cutting a straight line. I also iron the rest of it so there are no wrinkles.
- Tip: I decided to fray my edges a bit to add to the imperfect charm of my handmade sign. To do this, I just grabbed one or two of the strings from the edge and pull all the way up. Mine didn’t come off in a perfectly straight line but that was fine with me. After doing this a few times, I trimmed up the edges where I felt like it needed it.
Step Two
Sketch out a rough copy of what the design is going to look like. Then copy the design onto a large sheet of paper, the size you want your finished project to be. This will be your template and you can make any correction or adjustments on here before you transfer it to the the canvas.
- Tip: I folded a large sheet of paper to make the number of lines I wanted my letters on and I folded it down the middle to make sure everything was centered. After that I measured the height I wanted to make my letters (2 inches) and used a ruler to draw a line to ensure all my letters were the same height. I freehanded my letters in pencil and then traced over them in a darker color. They aren’t perfect and that is fine with me.
Step Three
Tape the template onto the canvas fabric to keep it from sliding around. Place fabric tracing paper between the template and canvas, then start tracing. Once all the letters are transferred to the canvas, copy over in pencil so your letters are easier to see.
Step Four
Use a really thin paint brush to paint over the letters on the canvas.
- Tip: I must have been deep in thought and wasn’t quite as careful as I should have been. A glob of paint fell off my paint brush and threatened to ruin the whole project. However, I was able to get the paint out with a cloth, a tiny bit of soap and scrubbing. Unless someone knew about the mishap, they would never suspect it happened.
Step Five
Cut four thin pieces of trim to the size of your canvas. Most hardware stores will do this for you. Stain them and let them dry over night.
- Funny Story: I had never used a chop saw before and was really nervous to cut even this tiny piece of wood. Thankfully, my dad was over doing work (opening up our kitchen and dining room wall!) and I asked him to watch me and make sure I was doing it right. Silly I know, but it made me feel better!
Step Six
Attach the trim piece to the front and back of your canvas sign at the top and bottom with hot glue. Make sure to add in a bit of string, cotton cord or twine to the top piece so you can hang your beautiful canvas art up!
Let me know if you try this project! I’d love to see how yours turns out, so be sure to tag me in it on social media.
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