Directions for a Monogrammed Key Rack/ March 2003
This project utilizesletters
from our Arts and Crafts Monogram
Set 4 and our Art Deco Monogram
Set 3. The letters from the Arts
and Crafts Monogram Set 4 have a flower
design to the left of each letter, so they have a feminine quality. The
letters from our Art Deco Monogram
Set 3 have a thin upright masculine
quality, with a crosshatch accent behind each letter. They look quite
nice together, and will make it easy to see where to hang your carkeys
at the end of the day.
This project utilizes a solid wood key rack, with an oak finish. It has
four brass hooks to hang your keys, with two cutouts in the back for easy
hanging on any wall.
Step 1. Print the instructions.
These are .pdf files,
and require Adobe Acrobat Reader software in order to view and print.
To insure printing in exact size, be sure that FIT TO PAGE (see Properties
under the Print Menu) is not selected.
Step 2. Prepare the fabric.
We chose white felt as the fabric for this project. It is easily available,
adds a plush depth to embroidery, and has a softer look.
In order to add some extra stability to the felt, we adhered a layer
of medium weight tear-away backing to the back of the felt with a heat
fusible
pellon ("Wonder Under" or similar product.)
This also makes it easier to trim the completed embroidery without distorting
or stretching it.
Fuse the pellon to the felt with a hot iron. Once the surface has cooled,
remove the paper surface, place the tear-away backing against the pellon
surface, and fuse the materials together with a
hot iron.
Make sure that you use a piece of fabric that is at least 2 " (50mm)
larger than the frame on all sides.
Step 3. Make a template.
Open the key rack packaging. Turn the frame over and bend the metal tabs
back toward the frame, which will allow you to remove the two precut cardboard
sheets.
Put one of the cardboard sheets on top of a sheet of paper and trace
around the perimeter. Cut along this line with a sharp pair of scissors.
Insert this paper template in the back of the frame, turn the frame over,
and transfer the location of the two drilled that are closest to the
center to the paper template. Remove the template from the frame, mark
a matching
upper point for each key location, and draw a vertical line at each
location. Measure the height of the paper template, divide in half to find
the
midpoint, and draw a horizontal line to mark the center of the space.
The intersection point of these lines will locate the center point for
each letter. Using an x-acto knife, cut out a small square at the
center point of each letter location. This will enable you to transfer
this
start point to the fabric.
Step 4. Sew out the monogram.
If you have a hoop large enough to accommodate both letters in one hooping
then you will not have to rehoop between each letter. If you have a smaller
hoop you will have to rehoop, but can still get accurate placement of the
letters by using the template.
Make sure that you have sufficient excess fabric all around, and use
the template to mark the center of each letter. You can either use an air
soluble
marker, or a small piece of masking tape with a dot on it, positioning
the dot at the design center behind the small center opening in the template.
Sew out each letter with your choice of thread colors, being careful
to locate the needle over the marked center point before beginning
to embroider
each letter.
Step 5. Assemble the Key Rack..
Using the template, mark the outside of the design area and trim the
fabric.
We felt that the design would seem a bit more formal if there was a mat
surrounding the two designs, so we cut a piece of mat board to be the same
outside dimension
as the backing boards and template, then measured in 3/4" (20mm) from
all sides and cut an opening in the matboard.
You may not feel the need to add this extra feature.
Also optional is the addition of a piece of Plexiglas to protect the
embroidery - we felt that the white felt might get dirty too quickly
without it. Plexiglas
is a better choice than glass for this use since it will not break. This
piece does not come with the key rack, so we had one cut at our local
art supply store.
Turn the frame over, insert the various layers from the back in the correct
sequence, and bend the metal tabs over with a screwdriver to secure
everything inside the frame.
Turn the frame over, facing up, and screw in the brass hooks, one for
each predrilled hole.
.Congratulations!
Your project is complete.
Felt, Heat Fusible Pelon:
Widely available from
fabric stores
Mat Board, Plexiglas:
Widely available from
art supply and craft stores
Oak Key Rack:
Manufactured for Sudberry
House, the tray is available at many gift and craft shops, online from the
companyís website at:
http://www.sudberry.com
Also available online
from Embroider This:
http://www.embroiderthis.com
(The oak key rack is # 72-10168. It has a 5" x 7" design area.)
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