| Foam-Board Box and Tabletop Box |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-143 |
|
|
|
advertisement
|
Carol Duvall, host of HGTV's The Carol Duvall Show, made a box from foam board. Here's how she describes the process: I'm not certain exactly what to call this, but it's a tiny table that is really a box. It was inspired by one that I saw in a catalog and subsequently in a store. That one was a tiny table that was also a teapot. The teapot was ceramic. Our box is foam board. Materials:
Foam board
Craft knife
Super Glue®
Ruler
Pen or pencil
Fabric for tablecloth
Fabric to line box
Roll-on tape
Miniatures for table setting: dishes, glasses, silverware, vase with flowers
Optional: Everlasting Elegance® fake water
Optional: rabbet cutter
Note: - On the show I demonstrated two methods for fitting together the pieces for the box. One requires the use of a rabbet cutter, which I purchased at an art-supply store. The following directions are for the more common method, which does not require a special cutter.
- Decide on the size of the box. Ours measures 3 1/2" by 5" by 2". Cut six pieces of foam board as pictured (figures 1, 1a and 1b) (figure A).
- Before assembling the box, line it by gluing fabric to what will be the inside of each piece. Trim to fit exactly.
- Glue the two side pieces on top of the bottom piece (figure 2). It will now be necessary to trim 1/2" from one side of the back and front pieces so that they will be able to fit inside the two side pieces. Insert as pictured (figure 3) and glue into position. The basic box is now formed (figure B).
- The top, which is the same size as the bottom piece, must also be trimmed 1/2" along one long and one short edge so that it can fit perfectly inside the opening at the top of the box (figure C).
- Cut another piece of foam that is 3/4" larger than the cut-down top on two sides. Glue the two together, centering the smaller one on the larger one. There should be a 1/8" border on all four sides. The top should now fit perfectly on the box and hold in position (figure D). The 1/8" excess around the edges of the top layer will allow the tablecloth to hang freely.
- Optional: Remove box top. Cut a strip of fabric long enough to go around the outside of the box and wide enough so it can be folded back underneath the box. Glue in position (figure E).
- Cut a length of fabric for the gathered skirt. Ours was 2 1/2" and long enough to go around the table about 2 1/2 times. Glue the top edge of the fabric around the top of the side of the box, gathering or pleating as you go. I inserted a straight pin as I went to help keep the gathers even. You might find it easier to take a row of very small running stitches and gather the fabric before gluing it to the box (figure F).
- Place the tablecloth (5 1/2" by 7 1/2" after hemming) in position on the table, using roll-on tape to hold it in place. The corners will want to form little "wings," so press them into position, and place a rubber band around the entire tabletop. Leave it for a day or so to make these pleats hold. You might also glue the cloth to the side edge of the box top as I did (figure G).
- Set the table with miniature dishes and silverware, and glue all pieces in position with Super Glue. We used fake water to add a realistic touch to the vase and drinking glasses. It wasn't real, of course, but it certainly looked that way (figure H ).
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
