DIY Headboard

I completed this project in the fall but I just had to share since it came out so much better than I expected. A few years back, I decided that I just couldn’t live without a headboard any longer. I bought some particle board, foam, brown fabric and a staple gun and threw together a simple yet sufficient headboard. Here is that finished product. (Ignore the bad lighting.):

Then, months later I was flipping through Design Sponge at work when I saw this project:

It was EXACTLY what my plain old headboard needed. I went straight out to Michale’s, bought some thick fluffy organic yarn and started my project the moment I returned home. However, I didn’t have a brand new piece of fabric to work with. I was stuck with a completed headboard that I had to stitch this pattern into somehow. I tried to draw my pattern with chalk but it wouldn’t show up on my fabric. I tried a sharpie but became too nervous that I’d make a permanent  mistake. I wasn’t deterred.  Using extra yarn and a level, I pressed on. Here are some photos of my work in progress:

It took me two full nights after work to complete. I was pretty impressed with the outcome considering I had to stitch the pattern freehand and into a headboard. I purchased two cinder blocks from the hardware store and propped up my new headboard so I could see the gate above my pillows. Then I sewed up a little felt owl to sit on top. I may have gone overboard on the cuteness there but oh well. Here is the finished product!