What I learned while gathering supplies for the Tufted Headboard

Posted by Melissa Baumgart
I have officially started my first DIY project: a tufted headboard.  I found the inspiration and instructions on a website called littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com by Jenny Komenda Interiors.  I love the look of this headboard, and I think it will be nice to sit up against it in bed and read.  Let's have one more look at what I am going for, before you end up seeing my finished project this weekend. (I joked to Amy that she might just walk in to see a plain old pegboard hanging on my wall instead of a tufted headboard!)

The little Green Notebook's headboard.

I finally set out into the unfamiliar world of a hardware store.  I decided on the big-box store, Home Depot, because I heard that they will cut the pegboard that I needed for me.  Amy joined me, I think mostly for moral and muscle support.  It was much needed.  Amy is a take-care-of-business kinda gal, and sometimes, as I wandered through the aisles of wood and screws, I needed that.

Still innocently excited.

What did I learn at Home Depot?

• Home Depot does cut your wood, or pegboard, or whatever else you need.  For someone like me, that is a huge service.  I walked away with one piece of peg board 80"x40" for my king size bed.  I also walked away with two small pieces of leftovers for some other DIY in the future!
• There is no such thing as non-toxic spray adhesive.
• When you ask for upholstery foam at Home Depot, they take you to the insulation aisle.
• I walked out spending $33.00 for my pegboard, spray adhesive, D-rings (to mount the headboard), and a new tape measure.

Next stop, Pacific Fabrics for the upholstery foam, upholstery needle, upholstery thread, batting, fabric and button cover making kit.  I had only about a half and hour to gather all these things, but I felt confident that we could handle the time crunch.  A kind older woman, with long white hair walked us over to the appropriate foam after I had inquired.  We talked measurements and then she offered me a quote on the price of the foam.  A quote?  For foam?

What did I learn at Pacific Fabrics?

• Foam is super expensive!  I think I could buy a headboard for the price of the foam alone.  It was going to cost around $90.00
• I need to cover a lot of buttons.  The fabric store will do it for me, but then what kind of DIY person would I be?
• I need to look for a coupon and a cheaper button kit.  Not to mention decide on what color fabric I want to use.

The deal breaker.

I'll head back out tomorrow for the rest of my supplies, and then get started this weekend.  I'll be sure to list out all materials and costs after they are purchased.  It seems these are critical information pieces when making things yourself.  Anyone remember my dress sewing adventure?  And how much the material cost!  At least this time I asked how much it was before they cut it!

What did one of the comments say when I first posted this idea?  Oh, yes, she said, "Be prepared for whatever you're making to not meet your expectations and then do it

anyway."  I will continue on!

-Melissa