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    Home » Crafts » How to Easily Prepare Burlap for Crafts

    How to Easily Prepare Burlap for Crafts

    Published: Feb 2, 2015 · Modified: Apr 30, 2018 by Bren

    I love burlap and use lots of it in my crafts and DIY projects. It’s affordable and comes in lots of great colors. However, burlap can be a messy fabric because it tends to shred, unravel and hold creases. Luckily, you can easily prepare burlap for crafts in a few simple steps.

    1. The loose weave of burlap allows you to pull out individual threads, leaving the perfect cutting channel.Measure the amount of burlap needed. Find the closest strand and give it a gently pull.

    How to easily prepare burlap for sewing and crafts

    2. Continue to pull the thread it will bunch up your burlap as it comes out of the fabric. Don’t worry if it breaks, simply look down the “path,” find the rest of the strand, and continue to pull.

    How to easily prepare burlap for sewing and crafts

    3. If desired pull a second strand out to make the channel wider. Pull a thread from the  side of the cloth to make perfect rectangles or squares.

    How to easily prepare burlap for sewing and crafts

    4. Cut the burlap.

    How to easily prepare burlap for sewing and crafts

    5. Burlap holds lots of creases. To smooth and straighten your burlap, spray with my homemade spray starch and iron on medium heat. You can add a few drops of essential oil to make it smell great. I love using lavender or lemongrass. If your burlap is extremely smelly (it sometime has a strong earthy or grass smell) spray it with my Homemade Air Freshener for Fabric and Rooms or white vinegar before the spray starch. (If you use vinegar the smell will dissipate as the fabric dries leaving it odorless.)

    This sweet Scrabble burlap bulletin board spells LOVE (in Scrabble style letters) for your favorite room. Get some Pottery Barn inspired style at a fraction of the price (77% off) with this easy project from BrenDid.

    6. To stop fraying, add a bit of school glue around the edge.

    Bren Did PB Inspired BOO Banner

    Rub the glue into the weave of the fabric a bit with your finger or a q-tip.  Allow the glue to dry completely.

    Bren Did PB Inspired BOO Banner

    7. You’re now ready to continue crafting! I use these techniques to make perfect banner pennants quickly and easily.

    Bren Did PB Inspired BOO Banner

    You can try some of my easy burlap projects:

    Bren Did PB Inspired BOO BannerPottery Barn Inspired Trick or Treat Banner Black and Harry Potter DecorBrenDid Dollar Pottery Barn Kids Inspired Trick or Treat BannerThis sweet Scrabble burlap bulletin board spells LOVE (in Scrabble style letters) for your favorite room. Get some Pottery Barn inspired style at a fraction of the price (77% off) with this easy project from BrenDid.

    I hope these tips help you complete burlap projects more quickly and easily! Comment below and let me know what you are making with burlap!

    BrenDid-Blue-Signature

     

    How to easily prepare burlap for sewing and crafts. Easy method to cut, straighten, stop fraying and deodorize!

    « Buckets of Love Free Printable Valentine Cards and Homemade Playdough Recipe
    PB Inspired Scrabble Burlap Bulletin Board »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda hawkins

      November 21, 2020 at 6:54 pm

      Can you use the same method to go the length instead of the width

      Reply
    2. Marybeth

      October 15, 2018 at 5:32 pm

      Hi there!
      I have an abundance of burlap fabric and would like to create a wreath similar to the ones crafters make using spools of “hemmed” burlap ribbon. Can you suggest a way to do this with my burlap? If I cut it into strips, it will look a mess.

      Reply
      • Bren

        October 18, 2018 at 12:30 pm

        I think you would have to sew multiple hems down the fabirc and then cut between the stitched rows. You might also try to with glue and see how it works. It will be hard to make the fabric look as good as hemmed ribbon.

        Reply
        • Marybeth

          November 13, 2018 at 5:23 pm

          Thanks for the tip!

          Reply
    3. gloria kourounis

      January 27, 2017 at 9:04 am

      Glad I read this post before trying to make burlap roses. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Bren

        January 27, 2017 at 9:12 am

        I’m glad you found it helpful, Gloria!

        Reply
    4. Karen

      March 18, 2016 at 5:46 pm

      Many thanks for the tips! I’m wanting to put burlap bunting outdoors, what would you use instead of school glue in that case?

      Reply
      • Bren

        March 21, 2016 at 11:30 pm

        I would use a washable fabric glue such as this one (affiliate link). It should hold up to humidity and a bit of rain or water.

        Reply
    5. Sofia Gomes

      February 03, 2016 at 11:02 am

      Thank you so much for advice! 😀

      Reply
      • Bren

        February 03, 2016 at 1:48 pm

        You are welcome, Sofia! I hope it is helpful.

        Reply
    6. Gina

      December 15, 2015 at 8:25 pm

      I’m making stockings to go with my Christmas tree skirt that I am also making. For the Christmas tree skirt I am using burlap that I got at Walmart it is already in strips with hem’s so I didn’t have to worry about that. The stockings have been a hassle until now! Thank you for the easy tips!

      Reply
      • Bren

        December 15, 2015 at 8:57 pm

        Thanks Gina! Glad I could help!

        Reply
    7. colleen

      November 17, 2015 at 7:38 am

      Glue is such an easy fix! Why didn’t I think of that!! Thanks.

      Reply
      • Bren

        November 17, 2015 at 10:05 am

        Thanks Colleen! Glad you found the post helpful!

        Reply
      • Anne

        May 03, 2021 at 12:50 pm

        Bonjour,
        Je pensais faire des tentures pour ma chambre en toile de jute et les doubler d’occultant. Pensez-vous que ce soit possible ?

        Reply
        • Bren

          July 20, 2021 at 9:51 am

          Hello,
          I was thinking of making curtains for my bedroom out of burlap and lining them with blackout. Do you think this is possible?

          Yes, it should be possible if you get a tighter woven burlap.

          Reply

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