Upholstered Headboard

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This week we took a big step with our daughter. She moved to a Big Girl Bed! She has been in her crib with the front rail off for almost a year, but the poor thing likes to stretch out and her space was getting a little cramped. So on to a twin bed with a fancy headboard to match this fancy vision I have for her room.
Her walls are purple, something special her Opa did for her! I wanted a bold headboard and simple bedding to go with the purple theme, the hunt for pieces began months ago. I finally found a sold wood headboard with a pretty scalloped top. Now I know I could have purchased plywood and cut it to whatever shape I wanted, but I don't own a saw to do that and scored this piece for only $20 plus a couple bucks in gas to pick it up.

Next we searched for fabric. Note DO NOT take a toddler to a fabric store and ask her to help you pick out the perfect fabric for her room. I should have known this going in, really, what was I thinking! She held tight to an obnoxious butterfly print and picked up multitudes of fat quarters along the way (all at eye level of course). I finally found one I loved and convinced her it was perfect....there may have been a promise of frozen yogurt if she stopped yelling and started cooperating. We walked out of the store with fabric, foam, batting and my dignity :)
To start this project I purchased:
Headboard
Fabric
Foam
Batting
Button kit - similar to this one from Joann

I used the following that I had on hand:
Staple gun and staples
Drill and bit
Hot glue
Upholstery needle
String

I loosly followed this tutorial from Little Bit Creations. She did a fabulous job with a headboard and footboard.
The first thing I did was lay out the buttons on the headboard in a pattern I liked. I marked the spot and drilled a hole though the headboard for each button.

Next I laid my foam down and traced the headboard onto it, cut it out and used a few dots of glue to hold it in place. This was necessary for me to be able to move the headboard around and not have to keep realigning the foam.

Then I laid the headboard with foam on the batting and wrapped and stapled the batting to the back of the headboard

After this I lined up the fabric and wrapped and stapled the same as the batting.

Next up, the buttons. I love the tufted look. It's subtle on this finished product but adds a nice touch.
I found a create your own fabric button kit and it was so worth it. I used a couple scraps of fabric and they came together so quickly. My daughter immediately scooped them up and told me they were her special buttons. This seriously put the project on hold for a day because I couldn't get them away from her. I went down the next day during nap to finish it up!

To attach the buttons I pushed a long upholstery needle through the back of the headboard (where I had drilled the holes earlier) and through the layers on the front. Then I threaded the button and pushed the needed back through. To secure the string I pulled it as taught as I wanted and used my staple gun to secure it.

That's it! Could have done it in 2 hours with a cooperating kiddo but I stopped planning for quick efficient projects a long time ago. This was still lots of fun. And little lady loves it! She got to pick out a blanket for her bed. I was hoping for a dark purple quilt or comforter, but again don't take your toddler shopping and ask her to help in this situation. This time I let her have whatever purple she wanted and hey it matches!

This is the first step in really decorating her room. Can't wait to add all the extra details. Realistically it will probably take the rest of the year, but it's going to be a blast.
Thanks for visiting.
♥ Sarah

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