Bright Spot

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Is your "tween"-ager growing up and tiring of her little-girl bedroom? Give her a thrill when you update her space with a comforter, canopy and pocketed bed skirt in bright fabrics and kicky trims using the complete instructions in our September/October '07 issue (see "Bright Spot" on pages 44 to 49; click here to order this issue).

Then complete her bedroom make-over with shams, pillows, window valance, message board and personalized wall art using the instructions below—yours only online!

Message Board

Supplies

17" x 23" corkboard
3/4 yard of stripe fabric or another coordinating fabric from room
Scraps of two more coordinating fabrics from room
Fusible mesh cut-away stabilizer
3/4 yard of lightweight batting
Embroidery, bobbin, sewing and monofilament thread
2 1/2 yards of 3/8"-wide grosgrain ribbon
Two upholstery tacks
Staple gun and staples
Flower appliqué design of your choice
Optional: Beads and hand beading needle

Cutting

Cut a 9" x 11" rectangle of fabric from tone-on-tone scrap fabric.
Cut two more 7" x 11" rectangles from coordinating scrap fabric.
Cut a 22" x 27" rectangle of stripe fabric.

Embroidery

Fuse stabilizer to the back of the tone-on-tone fabric rectangle and hoop.
Embroider a flower appliqué at the center.
Un-hoop, leaving the stabilizer intact.
Use the hand beading needle to add beading, if desired.

Construction

Sew the 11" sides of the rectangles together using a 1/2" seam, with the appliqué rectangle centered. This will become the pocket.
Turn under the upper edge 1/2" and sew to secure.
Align the raw edges of the pocket and the 22" end of the rectangle.
Sew the sides and lower edge in place.
Thread the needle with monofilament thread. Sew along the pocket seams to create three pockets.
Cover the corkboard with the batting and staple in place along the back.
Place the pocketed rectangle right side up on the corkboard and fold the edges to the back; staple in place.
Cut the 3/8"-wide grosgrain ribbon into four lengths. Refer to the photo for placement. Staple in place on the back.
Insert the upholstery tacks where the ribbons intersect at the center.
Tuck photos under the ribbons or tack notes to the cork.