I've been wanting to make a growth chart
for the kids for awhile now and saw the perfect idea in
Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts.
Here is my finished product:
I didn't follow it step by step but
just used it as a guide.
Ideally, I would have preferred to have the muslin be
all one piece but I used what I had on hand,
which were pre-cut pieces that I cut for E's quiet book
that I didn't use. I sewed together the pieces of muslin
until I had it long enough to cover the board.
Next I used a ruler and marked the inch and foot marks
where I would need to sew the lines.
Now the tedious part.....
stitching the inch and foot points on the fabric.
I used red thread for the foot marks
and brown thread for the inch marks.
This process took a lot of time.
Next I free handed my numbers on paper first
and then traced them onto fabric and cut out.
Again, I just used scraps of fabric I had on hand.
Next, I ironed the numbers onto double sided pellon,
cut them out and then ironed onto the muslin at the foot markers.
The next step was to attach the growth chart onto
the board. We used a lightweight foam-type material that we
bought at Lowe's and cut 6 ft tall and 10 inches wide.
I'm sorry I don't have the technical name of the material
but I have a nursing baby on my lap right now and can't
go look. (how's that for multi-tasking?)
Check the comments section for the name...I'll go back and add it.
I attached the material to the board by stapling it.
Not the prettiest but it's sturdy and does the job.
After I had it attached I transferred the information I had
from my previous growth chart (a crappy sticker one that tore
the paint off my wall....ugh). I put E's measurements on one
side and L's on the other.
The last step was to hang it.
You need to make sure you hang it on the wall
the proper height for each measurement mark. I measured
a foot up from the floor and matched that mark
with my 1. This is so lightweight and could
be hung with some little command stickers.
I stapled a ribbon to the back and hung it on
a tack....that's how lightweight it is.
Now if and when we ever move out of
this house, I am able to bring the
growth chart without removing a piece
of the door molding or worse....
washing it away from the wall.
