Young House Love

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How To Make A Fabric Bed Canopy

*Thanks so much for all of the kind words and the love that you guys shared after yesterday’s post. It was so touching to read all of your stories and memories. 

A few weeks ago when Clara saw a canopy hanging over her friend’s bed, she was immediately in LOVE. As in, she put in a request for “daddy and mommy to build a canopy with a hammer and some blankets” for her right that second. Not surprisingly, we were in. Just not for the whole hammering blankets thing…

Hanging5

We love that it’s something she requested and that it adds more playful personality to her room, Heck, it just might get her excited enough to sleep in her daybed (yes, she’s still happily snoozing in her crib, but seems closer to making the switch every day).

So the first thing we did was grab some spare fabric that we had in my stash, not for color, but just to see if the shape that we liked most (something like this) would work, and to figure out how many yards we’d need. Oh yeah, and the first planning stages of this happened before we painted her room/closet/ceiling, but then we realized we should do that before hanging the canopy, so room-painting jumped the line.

Canopy1

Next, John made like Superman. Because, you know, that helps during any project.

Canopy2

The next day right before we hit up the fabric store I remembered we had some old sheer curtains that John could hold up so we could get a better idea of how white would look. With so much pattern in the rug and the curtains along with the art that we’re planning to rehang from her last nursery/playroom, we thought white with some colored ticking or fringe would probably be the best choice for a playful but not too circus-y canopy that would hopefully work in her room for a while, even if other colors/accessories change with Clara’s taste as she grows.

Canopy3

We liked how the white sheers looked but they were a little bland without any trim (which further confirmed that we needed to grab something colorful and fun to accent them) and they were a little short on each side. So we used them as a placeholder and measured how much more yardage we’d need to create a similar canopy that’s long enough to drape fully over each side of the bed. The magic number = six yards.

We scored bigtime at Hancock, getting all six yards of washable cotton/poly blend fabric for $20.94 thanks to a 50% off coupon that I found on their website (they just scanned my phone). We also found enough turquoise pompom trim to line the entire outside edge (another six yards) for some added flair. Clara was actually the one to point it out slash pet it first (my girl!) so that sealed the deal. Well, that and the 60% off markdown (it came to $9.54 for all of it). I was especially excited about the pom pom trim since seeing this canopy with pink poms. I think it just adds so much fun-factor.

Canopy4

After washing my fabric (that way it’s all pre-shrunk and ready to go) I hemmed in on all four sides. I actually did a double hem – folding it over and sewing it once, and then folding it again and sewing the edge one more time, just for a completely finished look on the inside so there’s nothing stringy hanging out since we figured you’d see the inside of the canopy while laying in bed.

Canopy5

Let me tell you… double hemming a giant 18 x 4′ sheet of fabric on all sides takes quite a while – at least for a #reluctantseamstress like me. But I sort of got in the zone, especially on those two 18′ long sides, and just plugged away until it was done. Afterwards I used my iphone calculator to determine that I completed 88 feet of sewing since it was 44 feet around, twice,  which was oddly satisfying. It’s like learning how many hot dogs can circle the Earth’s equator.

Next was the fun part… adding the pom pom trim. I just sewed that to the front side of the canopy along the entire 18′ edge.

Canopy6

All told, it probably took me about four hours (again, I’m a terrible sewer, so I’m sure someone else could whip this out in an hour). But I’m in love. The fun pom-poms tie into the colors in the rug and the curtains (a ton of her to-be-hung art is that color too) as well as being super fun for Clara to gaze up at.

Hanging4

As for how we hung it, we actually used the same decorative wooden brackets that we used in our kitchen. Remember we removed these two extra brackets? Well, we reused those and bought one more from Home Depot and painted it. They were only 9.5″ deep and we wanted the fabric to billow out a bit more, so we cut some scrap wood to create 17″ slats…

Brackets1

… that we nailed into the top of the brackets to make them all one piece. Then we just hung them on the wall with two screw and anchor sets for each one (the back of the brackets have two holes to slip onto screw heads so they stay firmly in place).

Brackets2

The worry-wart mom in me is glad that Clara can’t possibly jump on the bed high enough to bash her head on the top one, and we thought a bunch about where to place those side brackets so they wouldn’t be in the way. Putting them down too low would mean that we might lean back and get caught in the canopy during story time, so by placing them about 32 inches above the top of the mattress, they keep the canopy out of our way for reading, snuggling and animal-wrestling (don’t ask). And since they’re lined up with the arms of the bed there will never be someone leaning back or jumping in that area like they might towards the inside of the bed. Well, at least we hope not.

Clara3

The large flap of fabric is just resting on the brackets for now, but I was planning to use strips of velcro to hold it in place (maybe just along the top and it can just drape over the two side brackets?) but Clara has been so gentle with it – just gazing up at it, softly running her finger delicately over the pom-poms – that I think I’m going to do the lazy mom thing and say “it works for now, and if it gets yanked or drives me nuts I’ll add velcro later.”

Clara1

She’s blurry here, but this photo most accurately catches her love of her canopy. This girl is smitten.

Clara2

We’re not quite done with that wall. Along with wanting to add some chunky crown molding around the top of the room we also think it would be fun to hang a mirror or some art or a 3D paper mache collection of animals or something to break up the white triangle under the canopy, but the jury is still out on where we’ll land. Just for fun I stuck this Target mirror in there thanks to my good friend Photoshop, but who knows where we’ll end up. I’m thinking something like this could be really fun too.

Clara Mirror

In the meantime I’m loving that our canopy’s made of kid-friendly fabric that’s washable and that it was a not-too-complicated project – but most of all I love that it makes Clara so dang happy. This morning I overheard her telling Burger that he had to wear “a crown and a wand to come into my room because it’s for royal sleepovers.” Don’t think Burger’s quite sold on the idea of wearing anything on his head just yet…

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Comments

  2. Paige says

    Cute, and I love me some pom poms! I sure clara loves it bunches!

    As a pretty experienced sewist can I offer a little sewing tip? Next time you use it, I always taught to apply it under the finished edge rather than over, it gives it a much more professional feel. Like they do in this tutorial http://www.livingwithpunks.com/2012/04/tutorial-pom-pom-kerchief.html . Since I know you’re a newbie I just thought you’d might like to know!

    PS: If you want to learn some new sewing skills and just overall be less frustrated with your machine check out the classes over at Craftsy! They have a few really good free beginner courses and some great classes you pay for.

    Reply

  8. JessieBelle says

    Maybe this question has already been asked, but won’t Clara want to close the canopy around her someday? I know she is gentle now and won’t pull the sides together, but I remember my friends had canopies growing up, and the best part about them was bringing the drapes together, so the whole bed was covered! You felt like you were in a cloud or a secret room. Just a thought! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, I think since there’s so much fabric (it’s 4′ deep) we can make it deeper or adapt it to close sometime down the line for sure! Clara’s friend who has a canopy has a tent-like one like this, so I think for now it’s fun without distracting her from sleeping in the bed, so that’s one thing we wanted to keep in mind at least for this age.

      xo
      s

  9. Brenda says

    I think it’s so neat that Clara is old enough to have opinions about what her room looks like. Also, that picture of John suggests that he should wear a cape more often, if for no other reason than it’s kind of hilarious.

    Reply

  10. Sunny says

    The canopy is adorable! We are doing curtains attached to a ceiling track for our daughter’s daybed so she can close it off completely and have a private place to read and dream. Since this is also your bedtime story place I was thinking an invisible floating bookshelf or two could be really fun. Maybe two close together with larger books in fun colors to create the “shelf” and then some of Clara’s favorite books stacked on top. And maybe a great little reading lamp attached to the wall.

    Can’t wait to see what you do!

    Reply

  13. Sara says

    I love this idea, but I actually liked the shape and fullness of the coral fake John held up, better! Any reason you decided not to make the real one longer (to the floor) or fuller? for more swaggy coziness?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That sounds pretty too! I think since we have four long curtain panels we though two more on-the-floor drapey things might be too much for the room and with the clean lined daybed we liked the idea of the canopy stopping at the base of the sides.

      xo
      s

  16. Koliti says

    Hey Sherry! Did I miss a post where you & the sewing machine signed a peace treaty :) Looks like you’re in the groove! Remember the tortoise & the Hare…it matters not how slow you go!

    Clara is an awesome DIY Décor Director – she’s taking after you with “make it happen with what you have”. Pom-Pom trim takes the FUN-factor over the top!

    Re: length of bracket supports…
    How would it work/look to lengthen just the top bracket and leave the two side ones as is? Just thinking the two shorter side ones can serve as “tie-backs” when you want the canopy to be “open”, and the sides of the day-bed would serve as the “supports” when you want to fully extend the fabric for a “tent” feel.

    Since Clara is a “happy jumping bean”, I think one bad jump/landing would result in crashing into a mirror. Yikes! Can’t wait to see your fun solution.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s a fun idea about just one deeper bracket Koliti! I definitely think we’ll play around with a few things, hunt down some twinkle lights, and settle on whatever will end up on that back wall!

      xo
      s

  17. Amanda says

    That isn’t a lazy mom thing, that’s a SMART MOM thing! Love it. I long for a daughter for frilly things, but alas, a son was in the cards.

    Reply

  19. Whitney Dupuis says

    First of all, the superman shot cracks me up. Also, the canopy looks so cute, but you are right. The best part is that Clara is so in love with it. You can definitely tell that from the pictures! Oh, and that whole “royal sleepover” thing is awesome. Sophia, anyone?

    Reply

  20. Kay says

    Best parents ever? I think so.

    Also, I think John is less Superman and more Cyd Charisse in Singin’ in the Rain’s dream sequence dance :)

    Reply

  23. Milli says

    Adorable! However I think the colored fabric that John held looked much better. I agree pattern would look too busy but a solid color would look great. Plus you could add a white pom pom trim to make it work with walls and the bed.

    Reply

  24. Elizabeth J says

    I am an avid sewer…my grandma taught me. Here is one trick she showed me that I always use. Sew a line with no fold just the raw edge 1/2 to 5/8 inch. Use this sew line to fold the fabric one time and then a second time and then iron. If the raw edge (cut edge) of your fabric was straight you will always have a nice even hem. I always iron before sewing. For me it saves on pinning.

    Reply

  25. steph says

    Did I miss the post when you talk about changing out the curtain’s in Clara’s bedroom? Seems like a big deal since those were the only curtains you brought from the old house! They’re adorable! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Steph! We’d love to use them in another room since they didn’t go as well with this rug that Clara wanted to bring in since her pink one was shedding so much. Thankfully Clara loves the polka dot curtains too!

      xo
      s

  27. katalina says

    that clara is one lucky girl! Can’t wait till Burger discovers it!

    I actually love that coral fabric that superman John ran off with….

    almost a sail and boat feeling… oh where or where are those funky whale plates!

    waiting for burger to pose for an ET photo in a pile of stuffed animals!

    Reply

  29. rashi says

    Simply done well!

    So I was looking at some of your earlier posts and wondering where you bought the mirror in your current new home hallway/foyer!
    Really love the subtlety and has a good impact. :)
    Thanks!

    Reply

  31. Diane says

    What fun! I love that she is growing up knowing that it’s perfectly possible to DIY just about anything, thanks to watching you two. I love her hammer and blankets idea… it’s much more up my alley than actually sewing!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, some others have said they liked it too! I would have loved to use what we already had, but in person it looked crazy to us (it’s neon and shiny in real life).

      xo
      s

  39. Bean says

    I *love the canopy. The pom-poms are my favorite color, so I think Clara has excellent taste.

    I’m begging you not to hang anything above her bed like that mirror. I gasped when I saw it (before I read that it was photoshopped). I had art fall off my wall when I was young – and literally break over my head while I slept. It was a big wooden thing my dad had made of my name. I’ve been scarred for life (emotionally, not physically, thankfully). Go with paint or wall decals, maybe?

    Reply

  40. sarah k says

    Beautiful canopy! I love the pom-poms.

    I know you guys are all over safety and I am probably just a paranoid mom–but I would personally be nervous about a mirror over a child’s bed (sounds heavier than just a picture frame), and I would also be a little nervous about the fabric not being secured to the brackets. Just a thought brought to you by my probably overactive imagination. :)

    Reply

  41. Kelly says

    OK I am probably just being paranoid and this is partly because I live in a somewhat earthquake prone area (though they can happen even in non-earthquakey areas too!), but I don’t like the idea of a large mirror hanging over a bed, especially a child’s bed. Or anything in a glass frame either. Falling off the wall onto a sleeping person below is pretty unlikely, but possible. Just something to consider. Maybe attach it extra securely if you do put a mirror there.

    Reply

  43. Kayla Aimee says

    I love the canopy and am thinking I might do something similar in Scarlette’s room now that she’s a little older and seems to love tents and such. But! Maybe you could paint something on the wall under the canopy? Because take it from me, as soon as Scarlette realized that she could stand on her bed and take everything off the wall she totally did. And I really thought I had that clock super secure on there, until I heard a crash on the monitor and walked in to her saying “I threw that clock on the floor” :/

    Reply

  44. Mary says

    So I hope that John doesn’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t think Superman when I saw him with the fabric draped over him. I thought of Cyd Charisse in Singing in the Rain when she dances with Gene Kelly with a large scarf/wrap…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc16m2B2K1g
    I don’t know if y’all are big old movie fans, but hopefully this cracks you up Sherry!

    Reply

  46. Shanna Gilbert says

    I’m totally in love with the canopy! I always wanted one as a child but sadly my parents didn’t love me enough to get me one. I did have bunk beds and I got the top bunk so that was almost as good. Even though you say you are a terrible sewer you are still one step ahead of me. I can’t even figure out how to thread the machine. I am loving all of the amazing improvements to the new house! You guys have accomplished a lot in such a short amount of time. Do you ever sleep?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks so much Shanna! We do sleep occasionally (sometimes on the weekends). Just kidding, we’re actually aiming for 7 hours a night, which is really good for night owls like us!

      xo
      s

  48. Stacy says

    I had a canopy bed when I was Clara’s age (my first bed post crib)… *sigh.* I absolutely LOVED it. It was a full blown, pink ruffles, full-sized bed. I had that bed until college (i took down the canopy part in high school). I was telling my then-boyfriend that I had a canopy bed with pink ruffles and he looked at me and said “Of course you did!” LOL. It was hilarious. He totally called it :)
    I hope Clara loves her canopy as much as I did. Just looking at now (I’m 29) canopy’s makes me nostalgic and happy :)

    Reply

  49. Teri says

    All little princess’ need a royal canopy to sleep under. She sure seems to love it. Maybe she will love it enough to sleep under it and leave her crib!

    Reply

  50. Connie says

    For long straight hems, what you need is an edgestitch foot. It has a guide that runs along the folded edge so you stitch close to the edge and look like a sewing genius, although it’s really easier than sewing with the regular presser foot and no guide.

    If you buy the edgestitch foot, you will be surprised how often it gets used… napkins, curtains, clothing hems. Mine gets used on nearly every sewing project.

    Before you wash the canopy, do confirm that the ball fringe is washable. Needing to resew 88 feet would not be fun.

    Reply

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