I absolutely love the idea of showcasing and capturing my children's growth! Maybe it stems from my Grandpa doing this with all the grandkids...
I've found a few ideas online, but most of them were all big 7 foot long boards, and I wanted something different. Something that would be easy to move and not so big and bulky. I decided to make a roll-up growth chart!
What You'll Need:
-6.5 feet of canvas
-Canvas Marker (I used FabricMate found in the craft area of Hobby Lobby- for the numbers and lines I used the Chisel Tip and for the names and dates just the smallest tip. I also plan on doing different colors for each child - but for now I only have one!)
-2 dowels (or 1 cut in half)
-Paint (for the dowel)
-Ruler/Yard stick
-String
-Basic sewing supplies (machine, thread, rotary cutter/mat, measuring tape)
Here's how:
Cut your fabric to desired length and width. I cut mine 6.5 feet long and 12 inches wide. Iron it well. The wrinkles may fall out after a while, but with canvas it takes a long while.
The next step is completely optional. I chose to do it because it keeps it a little neater. Sew a hem all along each side of the canvas and iron it. I actually ironed it first, this made the canvas stay put better.
Sew a casing for your painted dowel (or non-painted if you so desire - if you are really rustic and outdoorsy, you could even do a tree branch or something fun like that!).
Draw your "foot" lines thick and long. Then add the "half-foot" and/or "quarter-foot" lines. Don't forget this is where you need to measure! If you just go and draw lines...well, it won't end well. Draw, stencil, or trace your numbers next to the "foot" lines.
After sliding in the dowels, wrap some string around each side of the top dowel and hang it by the string!
There you have it!
Thanks for reading!
Mandy
