Making a Large Work Space

I have redone a couple things in my art/craft/sewing room, and I just have to share!!!

Do you see this knot-holed sheet of plywood?  That is my base, and you get it at Home Depot for around $25.  They have a cheaper one, but it isn't as thick.  No need to do the expensive stuff, you are gonna wrap it with fabric.  Measure the length you want your work station before you go for your lumber, mine was 80".  Oh, BTW, Home Depot will cut it for you for FREE!!!!  So, that also meant that I could lay down my front passenger seat, both back seats and get the wood home in my little Neon!  Anyway....had them cut it at the 80", and save the rest for another project.  Then, had the guy to cut that down the middle longways, like a taco fold.  You do not want two squares, do it long ways. 

Make a run to the fabric store if you don't already have a stash at home, and get enough fabric to cover you board.  I got several yards, split it long ways and did both boards.  Then, put the extra fabric in my cabinet.  More on the file cabinets of fabric on another post!!!

It is an art/craft area, so I chose this teal/aqua blue color.  Work with the fabric and get it all laid out there as smooth as you can.  A friend to help is great at this point, I was home alone, so I just laid the board on it and kept tugging and pulling till I got the wrinkles and gathers out.

Now you are gonna think me crazy, but if you have a staple gun...you can use it, but I went out and bought an electric staple gun.  I used my old hand one a lot, but it is rough on the hands sometimes.  There are a few good brands out there.

"3 in 1 Electric Staple / Nail Gun" (Google Affiliate Ad)

Take the time to check it out!!!  These are great!!

You are gonna fold up the long sides of the board and start in the center and work out.  Don't worry about the staples that don't go all the way in, they hold and that is all you need at this point.

See my messy staple job, doesn't matter, this is step one.

Ah, the ends.  I am going to show you how I did the corners, but work with it and do what works for you.

I think that it is easier to show you what I did than to try and just explain it.  It is what I think of as boxing or mitering the corners.

Then, fold that flap up and over.  Put some staples in along the way to help it hold if you need to.  Don't forget to stop from time to time and look at the other side to be sure that you have not gotten ripples in there, pull it taught again if need be.

There ya go, tack away.  Oh...

See that double fold on the corner, it won't show on the front, so let it go!

This is both the long sides and one end finished.  Just repeat the same process and let's do the other end now.

Can you see some of these staples are sticking up a bit, take a hammer to them and just beat them down.  If they go a bit slanted on the way in, don't worry bout it.  Remember, this is just layer number one.

Inspect your work.  Hey, pretty good isn't it!!!

I decided that I wanted a stripe of fabric on my table top.  I turned under the right hand side and left the left side sticking out because I am laying something else over that.

This second strip of fabric covers that raw edge.  

Flip the board back over and staple away.  

Now, I am not too picky on staples, but you can see the one that I circled here.  Even I had to get a pair of pliers and yank that one back out.  lol

Next layer, now you wanna make sure that everything is stapled on good.  This is the clear plastic that is sold at the fabric stores.  It is pretty well sold at all of them, so you pick what is close or what you have a coupon for.  I got a medium weight, I knew that I would be dragging stuff across my work area and needed it to hold up.  That thin stuff...it will stretch and tear, just not worth having to re-do it later.

Before you lay that board down, you better check out your fabric.  It has been on the floor/table and you would surprised what all has grabbed onto the fabrics.  You can't see this??  Take a look at the next picture.

Chunks of fuzz, dirt, hair...get it off, ALL of it!!!  Once that plastic is stapled on there and you flip that board over, it is magnified!!!  Don't ask me how I know!!!  I put that spot at the back of my table and put something on top of it.

Alright, same process all over again.  Pull it all flat, fold up the long sides first and staple away.

Then, do the short ends.  Yeah, it starts to get a bit bulky here.

Oh drats...can you see where I circled it in the picture.  A chunk of fuzz down on the sided.  I am not pulling it apart, it won't really show once I get it all in place.

Wow!  Might not look like much in the picture, but this is great!  Can't wait to get it in the room and start using it!

Love the fabrics that I picked too.  I will put this one under the window that looks out to the backyard where all our birds gather.  I will do another one on the other side of the room for sewing, and use a different strip of fabric on it, something that reflects my love of sewing.  They will be great sharing the room because they will be the same base colors.

Here is the other one I did.  See how nice with all my sewing stuff.  Yes, that is stickers all over the sewing machine.  My daughter did most of those on there over 20 years ago, oh the memories, I had to leave them there! Surround yourself with what you need to do the job, but also include some fun stuff that you like.  I even put a measuring tape down the edge of my sewing one, just handy to have there.

Don't those filing cabinets look a sight.  The blue one was just purchased at a yard sale for $7.  I got a call from a friend that informed me that Dollar Tree just happened to have a peel and stick paper in wood grain.  Now, they both match.  I just measured and stuck it on, took two rolls.  Thank you for the call Linda, I really like the look.

Ok, I think this is enough for this week.  I will be back soon to show you what the cabinet looks like and why there are cabinets there instead of shelves. Oh, on the opposite wall, is the other table, is is on wire shelves that I got at Target.  They are sturdy and are holding file boxes of photos waiting to be organized.

Now I am finished.  See ya next time.  Feel free to leave me comments, I love hearing from you!!!!