Make a Homemade Sign with a Mosaic Theme to Hang from Your Sewing Shop's Front Door
Posted on: 12 August 2016
If you are opening a new sewing shop and would like to hang a homemade sign from the front door that lists the hours that your business is open, the following instructions will teach you how to make one that uses a mosaic theme. The sign will give the outside of your shop a distinct appearance and will be the first thing that each of your customers see when they visit your establishment.
Materials
- plywood
- sandpaper
- hand sander
- tack cloth
- wood stain
- mixing stick
- newspaper
- paintbrush
- ruler
- stencils
- marker
- craft paint
- thin paintbrush
- fabric (various colors and patterns)
- tracing paper
- scissors
- craft glue
- clear vanish
- electric drill
- drill bits
- thin rope
Sand the Plywood, and Trace Lettering and Numbers Across It
Use a hand sander to remove any rough edges from the plywood's surface. Wipe away visible dust on the piece of plywood's surface with a tack cloth. Stir a can of stain until the product is thoroughly blended. Place the plywood on a newspaper-covered surface. Use a paintbrush to apply an even coat of stain to each side of the wood. Wait for one side to dry before flipping the plywood over and coating the other side. Apply the stain by moving the paintbrush in the same direction as the grain of the wood.
Add Painted Letters and Numbers and Secure Fabric Pieces
Arrange letter and number stencils across one side of the wood that lists the days of the week and the corresponding hours of operation that your business will be open. Use a dark-colored marker to trace the stencils. Fill in the letters and numbers with craft paint. Use bright colors of paint that will stand out. Wait for the paint to dry.
Use a piece of tracing paper to trace the outline of each space that surrounds the lettering and numbers. Trace and cut small fabric pieces to fill in the empty areas. Use fabric that is a variety of colors and that contains several patterns. Apply a thin layer of craft glue to the back of each fabric piece. Press all of the fabric pieces firmly against the wood, so that they are all lined up closely together. Wait plenty of time for the craft glue to dry.
Seal the Paint and Fabric, and Hang the Sign
Stir a can of clear varnish that is suitable for outdoor use. Apply an even coat of varnish over the front of the sign with a paintbrush. Wait for the varnish to dry before adding another coat. The varnish will give the sign a glossy appearance. It will also prevent the colors of paint and fabric from fading.
Once the second coat of varnish has dried, use a power drill to create two holes in the top of the sign that are spaced apart evenly. Cut a thin piece of rope that is several feet long. Insert one end of the rope through each hole. Form a knot in each end so that the rope does not fall out of the hole. Hang the sign from the door that leads to the fabric shop that you own.
