How to Make a Football Jersey Display Case

Show off your favorite jersey in a jersey display case.

Whether you want to show off a special edition signed jersey from your favorite football star, or your own team jersey, a display case is your best option. This do-it-yourself case is simple and inexpensive, requiring only a few materials and little time to complete. House your favorite football memories or prized memorabilia in this simple and attractive jersey display case.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Jersey
• Picture frame (with backing)
• Measuring tape
• Fabric
• Box cutter
• Scissors
• Hot glue
• Staple gun
• 4 thin (apx. 1-2 mm) one by two-inch wooden pieces

1. Measure your jersey with measuring tape to determine what size frame to purchase. Keep in mind you may fold your jersey to fit a smaller frame, or you may need a bigger frame to display the entire jersey.

2. Purchase the appropriately sized frame and remove the backing.

3. Lay the backing down over a piece of cardboard and trace around it. Using sharp scissors or a box cutter, cut out the shape you just traced on the cardboard.

4. Choose a fabric with the color and texture of your choice to use as the backdrop of your display case.

5. Measure the cardboard rectangle you just cut out and add two inches to the width and length. Purchase a piece of fabric that fits those measurements. Stick with a thinner material, such as thin cotton or silk, so the thick jersey material fits securely in the frame.

6. Lay the piece of fabric on a flat surface and place the cardboard in the middle of it. String a line of hot glue around the edges of the cardboard and secure the fabric by folding over the edges of the cardboard and pressing it into the glue. Be sure to pull the fabric taut while pressing it into the glue so there are no wrinkles or creases on the other side. Cut away any extra fabric.

7. Turn your cardboard over so the clean fabric side is up. Position your jersey on the fabric the way you want to display it. Use straight pins to keep it in place.

8. Lay the piece of glass from the frame on top of the jersey and then carefully flip the whole thing over so the glass and jersey are face down inside the frame.

9. Lay the original frame backing over the back of the cardboard, then reattach it using the original built-in hinges.

10. Further secure the backing to the frame by placing thin one by two-inch pieces of wood diagonally across the corners of the backing, using a staple gun to staple it into place. Because the jersey is thicker than what a picture frame is made to hold, these small pieces of wood help prevent the frame from breaking.

Tips & Warnings

• Iron your jersey and the fabric backing before you assemble your display case, so the finished product looks neat and clean.

• If your jersey requires quite a bit of folding or is too thick for a traditional frame, you may have to shop around a little bit, but you can find usually deeper picture frames at craft stores.

• Use caution when operating a staple gun. Do not fire it unless your gun is flush with whatever you are stapling.