How to Make Cloth Picture Frames

A picture frame covered with fabric is perfect for family photos, especially photographs of children. Choose a fabric with a small print or pattern to complement the photo and you will create a beautiful picture frame to showcase a precious photograph. By simply covering a a photo mat with fabric of your choice, you can easily make cloth picture frames you will be proud to display.

Things You'll Need

• Photo mat
• Cotton fabric (two inches larger than photo mat)
• Thin batting
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Fabric pen
• Hot glue gun
• Lace
• Rickrack

Instructions

1. Lay fabric on a flat work surface with the wrong side facing up. Center the photo mat on the fabric.

2. Use a fabric pen to trace around the outer edge of the photo mat. Trace around the inside opening of the photo mat also. Remove the photo mat.

3. 

   Use a ruler to measure one inch outside the outer line on the fabric. Draw lines one inch all around the outer photo mat line. Measure one inch inside the inner line on the fabric. Draw lines one inch all around the inner photo mat line. There will now be four boxes drawn on the wrong side of the fabric.

4. 

   Cut along the outermost line. Cut along the innermost line also, so that there is now an open center in the fabric. Cut diagonal lines from the corners in the center opening to the next line (the outline of the mat).

5. Lay the batting onto the work surface and place the mat on top of the batting. Trace around the outer and inner edges of the mat and set the mat aside. Cut along both lines so that you have a batting piece that is the same size as the mat.

6. Apply hot glue to the front side of the mat and carefully glue the batting piece to the mat. Make sure it is straight and all edges are secure.

7. Lay the fabric onto the work surface with the wrong side facing up. Place the mat down onto the fabric with the batting side of the mat facing the fabric and the back side of the mat facing up. Arrange the fabric and the mat so that they are perfectly aligned and the fabric extends out from the mat evenly.

8. Fold the inner edges of the fabric around to the back side of the mat. The diagonal cuts you made in the fabric should make this simple. Fold in the top edge first and hot glue it to the back of the mat. Fold the bottom edge next and hot glue it. Finish with the left and right edges, making sure each edge is adequately glued.

9. Fold the top portion of the outer edges of the fabric around to the back side of the mat and apply hot glue. Fold up the bottom edge next and hot glue it. Fold in the left and right edges to finish, making sure all edges are secure.

10. Flip the frame over and make sure all of the edges are properly glued. Glue lace or rick rack around the inner and outer edges, if desired.

References

• Fabric Frame