How to Make a French Memo Board

Never mind that the colour is off here, I keep holding back from deleting this photo because the world needs to know how not to make a French memo board.

First, making the board is entirely easy. Entirely. All you need is a big piece of fabric, some ribbons, some buttons, some needle and thread, a piece of foam board, and a stapler. Cover the foam board with fabric. Staple it to the back. Put the ribbons where you want them. Staple them to the back. Put the buttons where you want them. Attach with needle and thread. DONE!

But I was in such excited haste that I did all of the following to ruin this simple process, all of which you must promise not to do:

1. I bought four little pieces of fabric instead of one big piece because they only had little pieces of the fabric I liked best in the store, a fabric that now disappoints me every day because I want to incorporate more blue/purple into my green/neutrals design scheme, and I keep chickening out and playing it safe.

Buying little pieces of fabric is why there is a horizontal line (green ribbon) at the top and a vertical line (cream ribbon) off-center. It's to cover the parts where the fabric comes together. (Not seams, because I didn't actually sew anything together, which would have been all too sensible.) Furthermore, I was too impatient and didn't overlap properly and snipped too much and didn't feel like redoing and so bits of the fabric keep poking around the ribbon. Luckily, the postcards cover it up when they're inserted between the ribbons.

2. I didn't measure the postcards first. I decided to make this to store my postcards. Yeah, well, maybe I should have measured said postcards before making that horizontal line at the top where the spaces between buttons is about 11/16ths of an inch shy of being wide enough for a postcard.

3. I ran out of cream ribbon. I tell myself that the intersection to the right is an artsy contrast to the traditional French memo diamond pattern at left, and it's really the fault of the inadequate pieces of fabric that there is even this right section, but I could have faked my way out of this if I'd made sure I had enough cream ribbon, which I didn't.

So, my main advice is to not be half-assed about making your French Memo Board; they're just so dead easy to do, and you've no excuse now that I've made the mistakes so no one else has to. Meanwhile, I look forward to moving this one to the laundry room wall and running up a new one, a proper one, in shades of a Mediterranean seaside.

 

Comments

[Jaclyn]

I am about to make a French Memo Board myself, and I stumbled across your site. Thank you for your honesty! It made me laugh :-)

[Shari]

Haha - well, I'm happier with mine now that it is covered up by postcards. :) Good luck with yours!

[Emma]

What kind of foam did you use?

[dara]

memo board

[Mama Monique]

Maybe it's a little bit late, but thank you for the tip.
I bought the fabric, the ribbin, the foam and some hardboard. Now I only have to follow up your tips...

Thank you from Holland

[Lisa]

ha ha - thanks for keeping us from making the same mistakes - i promise you have kept me from making them. i ALWAYS rush into projects, so i totally relate to your experience. thanks again!

[Peggy]

What about the buttons? How do you attach the buttons? Can you hand sew them thru the board? If you just glue them on, do they pop off eventually? Is the foam board the stuff that would be used to mount, say, needlework? Thanks--appreciate your advice on the things to avoid.

[Shari]

Hi Peggy - I sewed the buttons on through the board. If you glue them, then it won't make the quilt-like indentations, which may or may not be something you want.

I don't know if the foam board is the same as what's used for mounting needlework - I just grabbed it from a rack that was near the posterboard. :) Happy boardmaking!

[Jill Hayes]

Hi,
Do you still live in Las Vegas? I am a Vegas resident. As easy as you make it sound. . .I don't do fabric! LOL! Actually, I don't think I have time to make this as I am franticly making cards and other items. Give me paper and I can do anthing! I actually need a large French Memo Board for a Holiday Party that I have coming up to disply all my handmade Christmas Cards on and other paper items. If I paid you, would you be willing to make me one of these boards. Since we live in the same city, I could just pick it from you? Let me know and shoot me a price quote.

[Cyndie]

HEY! I'm live in LV, too...and I am a teacher, too!! How funny! Anyway, how did you mount this on the wall? Or didn't you?

[Shari]

Jill: Sorry I somehow missed your comment! I'm flattered that you'd want to commission one of these, but I made so many mistakes on this one that I'd probably freak out over the idea of doing it for someone else. :) Thanks for the ego-boost, though! (Seriously, it's not hard; I'm just a dork. Give it a try!)

Cyndie: Howdy to a fellow LV teacher! I used those sticky 3M velcro "things" where one side goes on the wall and the matching side goes on the back of the memo board. They don't seem to harm the wall at all: I used the "hook" version in the laundry room, overloaded it, and sure enough - it just slid off without any damage. I've taken the memo board down a couple of times and was able to re-attach it without incident. The hardest part is placing the velcro on the memo board so each one is the same length apart as how you spaced it on the wall.

[me]

I went and did mine super fast also! I used pins all around the back instead of staples and I used like pillow foam for the layer of quilt batting. now I have a very fluffy pillow like board that I have to redue for the lack of doing a little research!!

[Michele]

How do you keep the board up on the wall? What did you use on the back to hang it?

Thank you...your honesty was great...it made me laugh....im horrible at crafts and thought I would try your way.

THnak you

[Shauna]

Just a helpful hint..use an artist canvas as your background and it will be easier to sew on the buttons... :)

[Kathy]

Is artist canvas as cheap as foam board? Can you get artist canvas at Walmart or do you have to go to JoAnn's?

[Kathy]

Oh and when you use 100% cotton fabric does that mean flannel or will that work right?

[Kyle]

A little hint when using the hook and loop style 3M Command wall hangers: attach the piece to the side you are going to hang, then stick the hook and loops pieces together, then press it on the wall and push hard for 30 seconds. You should be able to pull the item your hanging off of the wall without peeling the pieces of adhesive off the wall. The packaging says you need to wait an hour before putting weight back on it. I hope this helps.

[Vicki]

You can also use the screw in type of upholstry tacks. We made a 4' x 6' board for my daughter's office. She is a graphic designer who does web page work. It gives her someplace to put her idea pages where she can thinks and compares. We had to use a very light weight board and my husband framed it because it will be leaning against a wall rather than hanging.

[Nik]

Seems I'm late to the party here, but I recently started making these as well. Another tip(IF using an artist canvas) is to use decorative brads. Secure tightly on other side and you'll get the same quilted look with NO sewing.

[Nik]

Seems I'm late to the party here, but I recently started making these as well. Another tip(IF using an artist canvas) is to use decorative brads. Secure tightly on other side and you'll get the same quilted look with NO sewing.