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GUIDE An easy way to frame your pins: Stretched Canvas

Awhile ago I was trying to come up with a cheap and easy way to display my pins. I had looked into cork boards, but I wasn't a fan of the way it looked. I tried using acid free foam board, but the pins would slip off the boards easily. Then I discovered the magic that is stretched canvas. Cheap and easy.

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All you need is a canvas like this (Found eevverryywwwhheerree... and more specifically Michaels and other craft stores),

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black fabric (the stretchier the better), strong tape (duct or Gaffers tape) and a stapler with staples. And according to the picture above, you also need Animal bandaids, a stack of DVDs, and some biscotti. More on the biscotti later.

Lay down the fabric and cut it slightly larger than the surface area of the stretched canvas. You want it to be able to wrap around the canvas to the back. Using your stapler, simply staple the fabric to the canvas back.
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(I apologize for my horrible scissor work. I can't cut straight.) As you staple the fabric to the back of the canvas, be sure to pull it tightly so that there are no weird bumps or saggy areas on the other side. One benefit to using stretchy black fabric is that it is easy to pull taught. Once the fabric has been securely stapled, trim any loos fabric.
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Time for tape! Tape over the staples and edge of the black fabric to add some additional security to the fabric. I like using gaffers tape because it is durable and bonds well. But it is expensive, so if you have duct tape, use that.
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And now you're done. You can place the canvas in a frame and hang it or just place a pin or nail in your wall and hang the canvas up with your pins!
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You may be asking yourself, how do I put my pins on this thing? Simple. Pop the pin in through the black fabric and canvas and you're good to go. The black fabric hides any holes made by the removal and moving of pins all over the canvas.
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And BAM. Before you know it, you have a wall covered in pins with a classy backing. No funky cork board, no squeaky foam board. And they look great framed too.
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You may now eat the biscotti.


- Alex
 
GUIDE An easy way to frame your pins: Stretched Canvas
Wow! The finished product looks really nice! I will definitely try this out for my next pin framing project :)
 
I just prepped my Toy Story Board - I ironed the felt fabric and stapled it well stretched... I've put in some pins, and will finish up tomorrow! I'll put up a pic when I'm done, but being that I bought a pretty large canvas, it'll probably look somewhat empty!! -- Good thing I'll have space to continue to put our Toy Story pins there!!
 
I really like this idea. I have a cork board, but it is rather soft cork. I was afraid the pins wouldn't hold in it, but they actually work quite well..but I really like the look of those framed pins. Maybe after I have a thicker collection, I'll try something like this, thanks for the brilliant idea!
 
I bought a large canvas over a year ago for my Donald collection but haven't put it together yet. (Still not enough pins...) I painted mine instead of putting fabric over it so I can't make any mistakes when I finally put them on it. I was concerned that over time the weight of the pins might make it sag or warp or something. Have you had any problems with that?
 
I bought a large canvas over a year ago for my Donald collection but haven't put it together yet. (Still not enough pins...) I painted mine instead of putting fabric over it so I can't make any mistakes when I finally put them on it. I was concerned that over time the weight of the pins might make it sag or warp or something. Have you had any problems with that?

I have a GIANT canvas with my Haunted Mansion collection (over 180 pins), and they've been on the canvas for a few years. No sag!
 
Im thinking of doing a Gaston board. But might have someone do a painting of him or something relating to him, and then just the pins.
 
Love this idea; only concern is that displaying pins in the open air over time & they can start to either rust or tarnish. I guess one could put a piece of glass over the whole thing with a frame?
 
Love this idea; only concern is that displaying pins in the open air over time & they can start to either rust or tarnish. I guess one could put a piece of glass over the whole thing with a frame?

This is an issue with any kind of open air display, that, as you pointed out, can be remedied by placing a piece of cut glass or plastic. I have one framed Star Tours print that has pins that is covered by cut glass. The print is also matted, giving a little bit of room between the pins and the glass, so they are not pushed up against the glass. For my more "special" pins up on the canvases, I have them wrapped in small clear bags to protect them from any tarnish. It seems to do the trick.
 
This is such a wonderful idea Alex!!! :bigthumb: I am going to start doing this from now on I think!!! :) And there could be some amazing fabrics I could use for Jessica!!! :D Can you then frame them yourself? I like my pins behind glass! :lol: Is it easy to frame them? How much do the run typically? Sorry for so many questions ;) I really like this idea! :D I hate having to let my pin backs rest against the wall if I use a non-box style frame! I am also digging on the Display Cases I found, they are deep enough to have backs and all in the frame, they open with hinges and they come with something you can put fabric over and a pin through! :D Thank you for sharing this valuable information my friend! :like:
 
I use stretched canvas, too. I use them "naked" for now, because I havent found the right fabric to ccover them with, but they look really cool!
 
was gone for a week.. didnt read all replys but I havve to say...

YES. Love the art canvas frames for pins. I have yet to use one, but every time i wander michaels or joannes i pause and stare at them for 5 minutes and ponder the pin display they could be used for.
 
I live these ideas!

i suppose with the canvas, one could buy Disney fabric instead of black. Or even paint, sketch, trace, and/or watercolor an appropriate background! I can't draw, but I could see me tracing an image onto the canvas--or a cloth covering the canvas.
 
I live these ideas! i suppose with the canvas, one could buy Disney fabric instead of black. Or even paint, sketch, trace, and/or watercolor an appropriate background! I can't draw, but I could see me tracing an image onto the canvas--or a cloth covering the canvas.

Most definitely! I just choose to use black for a few reasons. 1) It makes the pins stand out more when the background is a simple color 2) I like black 3) I have a habit of re-arranging my pins on a regular basis, and black fabric works the best with covering up pin holes 4) I like black.
 

Hold up ... what is that I spy ... bottom row, middle by the fish tank??? Looks like a Pirate board that be!

You know the Code ... All adherents of the Code pledge to be bound together as a brotherhood of pirates, sharing alike in one's fortunes and troubles. Now ... time for a close up of that bad boy! :poke:


Oh yeah ... nice canvasses! (<- be careful to not put the wrong emPHAsis on the wrong sylLAble :bigthumb:)
 
Drool... another amazingly organized and compact display to inspire me!

I really hope to have something like this set up someday, thank you for sharing!
 
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