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Home » Create » DIY Handkerchief Wall Art

DIY Handkerchief Wall Art

By Lynette on August 27, 2015 · 11 Comments

handkerchiefYou all, this is one of my favorite DIY projects of all time.  I have had my grandma’s handkerchief’s in a drawer for a few years.  I absolutely love them but keeping them in a drawer just didn’t feel right.  I lost my grandmother a few years ago.  I miss her all the time.  One of the things she always had with her was a pretty handkerchief.  I don’t remember a time my grandmother didn’t have one with her.  It was just her.

So when she passed away, my mom, sister and I sat in the dining room and waded through the massive amount of handkerchiefs she had owned.  I picked out 10 to keep to remind me of her.  And since that time I’ve wanted to do something special with them.  Keeping them in a drawer just didn’t feel right.  They are beautiful and I wanted to have a way to show them off and have them front and center so that everyone could enjoy them.

So, I decided to frame them.  The entire process took months.  Not because of the actual DIY but because of the fact that it is next to impossible to find good square frames that don’t cost over $20.  Since I was buying nine, I didn’t want to spend more than $100 total.  Sure, there are cheaper frames, but they look like…. cheaper frames.  I first found some really good frames at Hobby Lobby for $5.  However, they were black.  I bought them and took them home to spray paint them.  And then a few weeks ago just before I ventured to the garage to break open the spray paint, I decided to look online one more time.  I found these frames at JoAnn’s.  They were on sale and I paid around $80 for all nine.  That included shipping!

Here’s how I made the handkerchief wall art.

grandmas handkerchiefs to display on wallThe first thing I did was wash and iron all the handkerchiefs.  It pained me to wash them because they still smelled like my grandma.  It immediately took me back to her home and all the games we played there.  But I knew I wanted the next generation to enjoy these, so I wanted to get any chemicals out of the fabric to help them last longer.

handkerchief overlay on glassThe frames I bought are called float frames.  I didn’t intentionally buy them that way.  I accidentally bought that kind, however I LOVE them for this project.  A few of the handkerchiefs had the most beautiful edging.  By placing them a bit off center I could preserve the look of the edge.  And because they’re squished between two pieces of glass, it’s even more perfect.

extra fabricThe extra fabric is folded in the back.  I couldn’t bring myself to cut them.  I should probably mention that these frames are 12×12.  The handkerchiefs are around that size, but they’re not square, so it was a bit of a squeeze for most of them.

hooks for picturesEach frame had two hangy thingy’s.  (For lack of better words, of course.)  They were a pain to put on the white frames.  But I was glad to have them once I was putting nails into the walls.

close up of handkerchiefsAnd here’s the finished product.  They look so beautiful!  I can’t tell you how much I love having them in my home, displayed like this.

wall artThe hanging process was a bit tedious.  With a ruler and a level – as well as some math skills, it only took me about 30 minutes.  If you want me to share with you those details, let me know in the comments.  I can do a step by step if that’s something you’d like to see.

wall art antiqueI try to only put pieces with meaning on my walls.    Of course, that means I don’t have much on my walls because of the high standard I’ve set for myself.  But slowly, but surely I’m getting to put meaningful pieces in our home.  (The table pictured is the table I ate on as a child.  The coffee tin was my great-grandma’s.)  What can I say?  I’m sentimental.

I hope you enjoy this!  If you don’t inherit handkerchiefs like me you can always find beautiful vintage ones here on Amazon.

Lynette

About Lynette

Lynette is the home cook, recipe tester and photographer for Cleverly Simple which she created in 2010.  Most of her recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from her great-grandma, grandmother, and mother.

Lynette’s recipes and projects have been featured in Country Living, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful and others.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarMitchell

    March 16, 2019 at 1:00 am

    I did this tonight and thought I was clever, now I see everyone else has already thought of it

    Reply
  2. AvatarDebbie

    March 02, 2019 at 7:39 pm

    Thank you. Love this idea. I always wanted to know what to do with the ones I have. I’ve been searching for years. This is the best idea I’ve found.

    Reply
    • LynetteLynette

      March 10, 2019 at 2:48 pm

      Yay! It’s definitely a treasure.

      Reply
  3. AvatarIlene Schechter

    January 15, 2019 at 12:55 pm

    I decided to do this with my grandmothers’ handerkerchiefs. I’m ready to hang and need some assistance with the amount of space between each frame. Thank you for this beautiful idea!

    Reply
  4. AvatarRachel

    January 23, 2016 at 10:46 pm

    I love this so much,. Those are beautiful! I have some old hankies from my Nanna and I really want to do this with them. Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
    • LynetteLynette

      January 25, 2016 at 10:16 am

      You’re welcome Rachel. They are one of my favorite things in my home.

      Reply
  5. AvatarAmy

    December 06, 2015 at 8:25 pm

    Not only is this a beautiful display but it is such a great way to ensure your grandmother is in your daily thoughts. What a great idea!

    Reply
  6. AvatarGretchen

    August 31, 2015 at 9:29 am

    I did this a little different, but the beautiful results are the same. I folded handkerchiefs in 1/4 and was able to layer 3 or 4 in the same frame so I can see a little bit of each one. I also tried to do them in colors, like mostly pink in one frame, blue in another, etc. The walls in my bathroom are white and the frames are white. I went the thrifty route and bought frames a a thrift shop and painted them and there’s no two frames the same.

    Reply
    • LynetteLynette

      September 07, 2015 at 9:48 am

      It sounds like it turned out beautifully!

      Reply
  7. AvatarRonda

    August 30, 2015 at 4:26 pm

    I love this idea of framing the handkerchiefs. I have several that belonged to mother-in-law. She like your grandmother had several and always had one in her apron pocket or dress pocket. A dress that I made for her. She had a certain pattern she liked and fit her well and that is what I used to make several dresses for her. She never wore pants. Oh, such beautiful memories. Thanks not only for the idea, but for helping me bring back memories that I cherish.

    Reply
    • LynetteLynette

      August 31, 2015 at 9:29 am

      Thanks for sharing Ronda. 🙂

      Reply

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Lynette Rice head shotHi, I’m Lynette. My desire is to help women who feel uninspired weave time honored recipes into their routines to create a sense of simplicity. Most of my recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from my great-grandma, grandmother and mother. And I want to share them with you.  Learn more.

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