How to Make a Baby Name Wall Hanging

Design the letters, according to your nursery color scheme.

Welcoming a new baby into your home includes preparing a space -- typically a nursery -- for the infant. Decorate the space with a wall hanging that will greet the baby and all visitors with the name of the baby. Guests will certainly remember the name of your little one when it is in bold letters on the wall above him. Customize the size and shape of the letters for a personalized decoration by designing the letters rather than purchasing pre-cut letters. Make a wall hanging for an expecting mother as a considerate baby shower gift.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard
• 6-inch letters, alphabet stencil
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Fabric
• 1-inch-wide satin ribbon
• Hot glue gun
• Craft pompoms
• Finishing nails or thumbtacks
• Clothespins
• Twine

1. Trace the first name of the baby on a sheet of cardboard using an alphabet stencil with letters that are 6 inches in height. Freehand the letters, if desired, instead of using a stencil. Include the middle name of the baby, if desired. Cut out the letters with scissors.

2. Spread out 1 yard of fabric over a flat work surface. Arrange the cut-out letters so they are spaced at least 2 inches apart on all sides; you may need to use more fabric depending on how many letters you are making. Weave two to four straight pins through the cardboard into the fabric on each of the letters.

3. Cut the fabric around each cardboard letter so the fabric is 1 inch greater than the cardboard.

4. Fold the 1-inch edge of fabric over the back of the letters. Apply hot glue under the edges of the folded fabric to secure it to the cardboard; do not put hot glue underneath the front fabric spread of the letters as the glue will cause the fabric to pucker. Remove the pins.

5. Cut an 18-inch-long strip of 1-inch-wide satin ribbon for each letter. Thread the ribbons through the letters that have an opening in the top, such as the letters A, O and P, so the letter is in the middle of the length of ribbon. Tie a knot in the ribbon just above the letter to hold it in place. Fold the ribbon in half; hot-glue the folded portion of the ribbon to the back of the top of the remaining letters.

6. Attach a pompom to the top of each letter to conceal the different ways the ribbons are attached; add more than one pompom in a cluster if necessary.

7. Tie the ends of the ribbon on each letter into a bow to form loops to hang each letter. Mount the letters on the wall using finishing nails or thumbtacks. Alternatively, string a piece of twine that is long enough to hold each letter across the wall; hang it with finishing nails. Clip the bows on each letter to the twine using clothespins; you will need to add nails to secure the twine for a name with more than five letters.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a name that is rather long or would take up too much wall space with the 6-inch letters, you may want to use smaller stencils.

References

• UniqueBabyGearIdeas.com: Personalized Names Hanging Wood Wall LettersMake Your Own Baby Stuff: DIY Baby Nursery Decorating Ideas
• Make-your-own-baby-stuff.com: DIY Baby Nursery Decorating Ideas