DIY Burlap Chair Signs for the Bride & Groom
“Oh they say when you marry in June you’re a bride all your life!”
My dear younger sister Lisbeth is getting married this June. And it only feels fitting to be humming along to a song from one of our favorite movie musicals, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, as I work on some of her reception decor items.
Now, “chair signs” weren’t originally on my “to make” list. But when I discovered some burlap chair banners and signs in my Pinterest-perusing, I was gripped with an inspiration I just couldn’t shake. (Tale as old as time, right?)
But I couldn’t stop there. I also sought the opportunity to try out on of my favorite stenciling methods (using freezer paper) on a new material: burlap. And despite my initial concerns that I wouldn’t be able to get crisp lines, the finished product only furthers my obsession with freezer paper stenciling.
I’m sharing the full tutorial today, which includes a FREE Silhouette cut file. I’ll also include the how-to for non-Silhouette users, too. Everyone can play! And once you see what an incredible medium freezer paper stenciling can be, I have a hunch you, too, will find yourself gripped with an inspiration you just can’t shake.
{Psst! Stick around for the clickable collage at the end because 17 of my Silhouette Challenge buddies are also sharing party projects of their own today! It’ll be a blast.}
Supplies
- burlap (enough for two 8.5″ x 11″ squares)
- scissors
- *freezer paper (check your local grocery store or Target)
- non-Silhouetters: inkjet printer, cardboard, x-acto knife
- Silhouetters: Silhouette machine, mat, hook tool
- iron and ironing board
- acrylic paint
- foam brush
- twine or lace
- hot glue
- Glue Gun Helper (highly recommended)
Tutorial
Step 1: Determine the size for your chair signs and cut them out. When holding up an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper behind a few chairs of different widths, it seemed like the perfect size! So I used that piece of cardstock to trace onto some burlap, and I cut out two rectangles, size 8.5″ x 11″. If you wanted use a product like Fray Check to seal the edges, you could. I personally don’t mind the frayed look when it comes to burlap, so I left them be.
Step 2: Create your design. This was the hardest part of the entire process for me because I couldn’t decide which two phrases to feature on my signs. There were just so many fun options! Such as…
- Mr. | Mrs.
- bride | groom
- just | married
- his | hers
- hubby | wifey
- true | love
- ever | after
- to have | and to hold
- I will walk 500 miles | and I will walk 500 more
But ultimately, “his beloved” and “her beloved” won out! I loved its subtle connection to the Song of Solomon verse:
“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” (6:3).
And “beloved” is a term of endearment my sister uses quite regularly on her blog and in her letter writing. So, that sealed the deal!
I used one of my favorite tools, http://wordmark.it/ to help me choose a font. Ultimately, I settled on a combo-move, using the “b” from Allura and all of the other lettering from Alex Brush (both of which are free for commercial use by the way).
I also included a 8.5″ x 11″ size box around my design, which made centering a breeze! I need to remember that trick more often…
If you’re not a Silhouette user, no worries! Just use a program like Microsoft Word to create your design.
If you are a Silhouette user and you’d like to whip up your own set of “his beloved” and “her beloved” chair signs…
Free Cut File
…well then I’m happy to offer up my cut file to y’all for FREE! Whatever I can do to make the creative process a little easier on my fellow crafters. You can sign up to download your free cut file using the nifty form below or by clicking HERE. {Fine print: this design is for personal use only and is not to be used for commercial purposes. Thanks!}
Step 3. Cut your design on freezer paper. Now, if you have yet to be introduced to the fabulous medium that is FREEZER PAPER, well then today is your lucky day! Prepare to be in awe of its many wonders–one of which is that you can print on it! {Evidence.}
And that’s exactly the route I want the non-Silhouetters to take. You’ll then grab an x-acto knife to carefully cut out your design, saving the interiors of the letters to iron on later. I recommend mounting to your freezer paper onto a piece of cardboard with some painter’s tape to help keep the stencil in place as you cut.
Silhouette Users: When it comes to cutting freezer paper, I typically use a blade of 3, speed of 3, thickness of 10. This time around, my blade was a bit duller, and so I upped my blade to a 4 and that cut cleanly. (Just be sure to do a test cut first! It’ll save you from wasting material.)
Also, shiny side up has always worked best for me. Since the shiny side has some adhesive on it that will be ironed down onto your fabric, be sure to flip your design horizontally so it will cut backwards.
Step 4. Weed your design. Once your design is all cut, now it’s time to remove all of the unwanted material–which is an oh-so-therapeutic process we call “weeding.”
Non-Silhouetters: you’ll just remove all of the black lettering to reveal your stencil.
Silhouetters: You’ll want to leave you material on the Silhouette mat as you use your hook tool to weed.
Then, slowly and carefully peel up your stencil, and place it face-down onto your burlap. (Don’t worry if it is all curly and hard to manage. That will all change momentarily.) Also, you should have the interior pieces left behind on your mat like this:
Hang tight because we’ll use those shortly.
Step 5. Iron down your freezer paper. Once you have your freezer paper stencil placed where you want it, apply heat from a dry iron on the settings for that material. You’ll be amazed at how the freezer paper instantly clings to the burlap as soon as heat touches it. Really make sure to press down all of the edges, especially intricate ones within letters. You want to make sure to create a strong seal between the freezer paper and the fabric to avoid paint bleeding through.
Remember all those interior pieces left behind on the mat? Well, now’s the time to carefully place them where they should, go and iron them down. Then, your design should be complete. Ta da!
Step 6. Paint it up! I chose white acrylic paint for my lettering since the burlap I purchased was dark enough to provide a nice contrast. I also don’t plan on washing these, so I didn’t bother mixing in any fabric medium this time around. (Click HERE to see my other freezer paper stenciling tutorials.)
I placed my burlap atop a cardboard box in anticipation of some of the paint bleeding through. Then, I used a rounded foam brush and applied the paint in light coats by dabbing it straight down, avoiding side to side strokes. This has been a foolproof method for me. Only when I load the paint onto the brush too heavily do I run into trouble. So, when in doubt, less is more. Especially for your first coat.
Wait for the paint to dry before applying a second coat.
Step 7. Peel it up. After an hour or so, I carefully peeled up the stencil. Yet again, that freezer paper did the job! It’s hard to believe how precise those lines turned out. Don’t you agree?
I used my hook tool to peel up the interior pieces.
Step 8. Add twine or lace ties. I opted for lace trim across the top and back with enough length to be able to tie the signs onto various types of chairs. Once I decided to use hot glue to adhere the trim, I was flooded with flashbacks from my DIY Burlap Ruffle Christmas Tree Skirt project…which of course turned out beautifully in the end, but I practically burned off all of my fingerprints in the process. And I did not want to repeat history.
Thankfully, I have since been gifted with a Glue Gun Helper kit, which really did save the day!
Between the mat and finger guards, it made it easy-peasy to adhere my lace trip to the burlap (without burning off my fingerprints this time!).
And voila! My DIY Burlap Chair Signs for the Bride and Groom were complete.
Photo Shoot
I cannot wait to snap a few pics of the bride and groom themselves seated at their wedding reception with a coupla’ sweet chair signs at their backs declaring their forever-love for one another. I’ll be sure to come back and update this post with pics in the weeks to come!
But in the meantime, here’s a trial run:
Dear reader, I hope this tutorial has inspired you venture into the wonderful world of freezer paper stenciling…especially if that world can collide with the wonderful world of burlap.
Just like Lisbeth and Ransom, there’s another match made in heaven.
Rustic Vintage Wedding Series
Here are the full collection of rustic vintage wedding tutorials for you to peruse. I hope they spark some creative inspiration for you, dear reader.
- Bride & Groom Baseball Shirts & Free Cut File
- DIY Burlap Chair Signs for the Bride & Groom (you’re here!)
- DIY Clothespin Place Card Holders
- DIY Shabby Chic Fabric Photo Booth Backdrop
- DIY Bookmark Wedding Favors
- DIY Wedding Guest Book with Creative Prompts
And if you’re eager to talk a walk down memory lane and explore the D.I.Y. elements from our Wedding by the Sea six years ago, you can do some time-traveling HERE.
Want to Check Out More Silhouette Projects?
My Silhouette Challenge buddies and I are all sharing “party” projects on our blogs today, so peruse the posts below for a wealth of Silhouette inspiration!
1. Two Purple Couches // 2. Practically Functional // 3. Crafty Bonds // 4. Dragonfly & Lily Pads // 5. From Whine to Whine // 6. Simply Kelly Designs // 7. unOriginal Mom // 8. MamaSonshine // 9. Get Silvered // 10. Made in a Day // 11. Weekend Craft // 12. Little Blue’s Room // 13. The Stamp Doc // 14. The Thinking Closet // 15. Cupcakes&Crowbars // 16. Where The Smiles Have Been // 17. DIYJustCuz // 18. My Paper Craze
*Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase after clicking through, The Thinking Closet may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping to support this site!
Okay, as if these gorgeous burlap chair signs weren’t inspirational enough, you literally just changed my life by sharing the wordmark.it website. Um, WOW. Mind is seriously blown. Life is completely changed. I’m probably pretty late to this party but seriously–it is the tool I’ve always needed and wanted but couldn’t have dreamed it up!!! Thank you…I just crumpled up my to-do list for the day and I’m off to craft :).
This is so cool. It’s the personal details that make the wedding:) Hope you guys are having a great time! xoxoxo
My mind was just blown… a hot glue gun helper! Heading to amazon now to check this out. This challenge is definitely the challenge for engagements and weddings. My brother is getting married in September and I am over the moon I am sure you are feeling the same way about your sister!
I know, right?! That’s how I felt when I first discovered it. Sheer genius.
And yay! Congrats to your broski! And to you, too, sis-of-the-groom. I’m sure their wedding will have the Weekend Craft magic touch!
I really have to try using freezer paper. It’s on my list of things to try so maybe I’ll get around to it this summer – I already have the burlap. This is beautiful and you did an awesome job!
Oh yes, you must! Especially since you’re halfway there with the burlap on hand. It’s incredibly affordable considering you’ll have enough to last you a lifetime of projects all on one roll. Can’t wait to hear what you think of it!
Beautiful Lauren and I know this is just the tip of the iceberg!! So many fabulous ideas you have!
Soooo wish we could be there 🙁
Thanks, Mom! I’m having with these projects and can’t wait to share photos with you after the big day. You’ll be with us in spirit!
So specific to your sister and a wonderful tutorial. I am pinning and hope to use someday in the future. Looking forward to celebrating with you and Mark and Lisbeth and Ransom very soon! <3
great line: Just like Lisbeth and Ransom, there’s another match made in heaven.
Thanks, Mama! You’ve been a huge help and support from afar with all of this decor planning. Looking forward to joining forces in a week and a day!
What a great addition to the wedding decor, they look so good. Enjoy the upcoming wedding.
Thanks so much, Pam! We most certainly will!
These are so precious, Lauren!! Love that freezer paper trick! Pinned!
Aw, you’re the sweetest. Thanks, Claire-Bear! Sending you a virtual hug across Orlando.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is one of my boyfriend’s favorite musicals!
I never thought I’d be interested in freezer paper painting but those little signs are way too cute! You’ve definitely inspired me…
Congrats to your sister, too!
Well, your boyfriend has fantastic taste in musical theatre, I must say!
And I’m delighted to hear you may have caught the freezer paper stenciling bug. It really is magnificent stuff! And so inexpensive. One roll will last you FOR-EV-ER! Have a blast with it. And thanks for the warm wishes for my sis!
First of all, I can’t believe you’ve never tried freezer paper stenciling on burlap…are you totally hooked? It’s one of my favorites because it’s so stinkin’ easy and it always turns out great!! Great tutorial 🙂 And I really, really love how these signs turned out…the text is perfect, the font is lovely, and I ADORE that lace – such a great touch! These will be a wonderful addition to your sister’s special day.
Yeah, it pretty much was Silhouette-sin that I hadn’t tried it yet in all this time! But don’t worry – – I’ve seen the light! And you definitely played a role in inspiring me to finally give it a go.
Thanks for your kind praise, Meredith! It means so much coming from you. Also, thanks for coordinating this month’s Challenge like the rockstar you are!
Those are so pretty! I can’t wait to see the wedding pics. You’ve inspired me to try the freezer paper stenciling. We’ll see how that goes. And thanks for the glue gun helper info….I’m absolutely certain that I need one, too!
Yes, I’ll be sure to share pics post-wedding! And now you’ve gotta send ME pics of your first freezer paper stenciling project, m’kay? That way I can feature YOU in my next reader showcase!
And yes, the glue gun helper is a must for every crafter. I truly have scars from nasty glue gun burns that could have been avoided if I had the helper soon. Oh well. Onwards and upwards, right?
Oh my gosh Lauren, those are too cute! I LOVE the lace ribbon too, it’s the perfect way to finish off the project! Pinned this!
Aw, shucks. Thanks so much, Jessi! And I’m glad to hear you approve of the lace. I wasn’t 100% sure about it at first because I worried it might be too overly feminine…but I think the burlap helps balance it all out. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. Tee hee. Thanks for the pin-love, love!
Such a cute idea! Congrats to your sister on her wedding! I hope you will be sharing all of your creativeness in action with some post wedding pictures!!!
Thank you kindly, Mackenzie! I’ll pass along your congrats to her! And I’ve already got several post drafts in the works for some of the decor projects I’m cookin’ up this month…so don’t you worry! Lol. You’ll be seeing a lot more from where this came from! Hugs!