The Framer’s Intent: DIY Scarf Display

A few months ago Design*Sponge posted a round-up of art scarves, including this awesome furoshiki from The Link Collective:

Furoshiki Scarf

Folded Paper Furoshiki designed by Lucinda Newton Dunn
(Photo copyright: Link)

Link says: “Furoshiki (風呂敷, fu-rosh-ki) is a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth. Each of our products has been hand printed in Japan, using traditional printing techniques.” Check out Spoon & Tamago for an interview and some great photographs of the production process.

Furoshiki Scarf Printing(Photo copyright: Link)

Because I have a gallery wall of black frames in our dining room, I thought something large, textured and non-black-framed would be nice above our sofa. This furoshiki seemed like a good bet.

Airmail

Airmail is the best mail, no?

I wanted something more substantial than simply hanging the scarf on the wall, so I bought a 36″x36″ stretched canvas and set to building a frame to wrap around it. I used inexpensive pine lattice trim, which I stained with Minwax Wood Finish in Ebony.

Lattic Wood Trim

Wood Stain

I wrapped the canvas with some lightweight, neutral fabric I had on hand. It’s barely visible, but I think it’s a much more polished-looking background for the scarf than the bare canvas would have been.

Fabric-wrapped canvas

I used my chop saw to make simple right-angle corners and nailed the wood around the frame, staining the cut edges and using wood filler to disguise any nail holes.

Frame Corner

For the final step, I attached the scarf to the canvas with brass upholstery tacks. I punctured the scarf with a fine needle first, to avoid pulling any fabric threads, and then inserted the tack through the opening.

DIY Fabric Hanging

That’s it! Doozy worked his angles like a pro as I took these photos. Just kidding: a proper catloaf does not have angles.

Living Room Wall Hanging

Living Room

Living Room

Living Room Fabric Hanging

28 thoughts on “The Framer’s Intent: DIY Scarf Display

  1. Awesome wall hanging. It answers a question we just had. Mary just bought a clothe art piece and we were wondering how to hang it. Thanks Marti.

  2. Droooool!!!! Nicely done!!! Here, here!!! Doozy is the perfect accessory for the photo shoot! I learned so much! Thank you! I will check out Spoon + Tamago!

    1. That’s a really good idea. I don’t think it would have worked for this particular scarf + frame combo because the scarf is so close to the edges of the stretched canvas that the wood frame would prevent you from using a magnet on the backside. (Oh, but I guess you could get really sneaky and glue the magnets to the canvas before you wrap it with fabric!)

    1. Hi, Tomoko: Yes! Sorry for the delay (your comment got trapped by the WordPress spam filter). I’m so pleased you like my frame. You’re welcome to use my photographs – thanks for asking. Please credit me (Marti Palermo) and/or link back to projectpalermo.com, if possible.

  3. Is that a goldfish plant hanging on the window frame? How do you take care of it and keep it blooming and looking so healthy? And what kind of pot are you using–do you have to take it down to water it or does it catch the water?

    1. It is a goldfish plant – I love it! I don’t know if I have any great tips: it gets tons of sun in that window, I’m careful not to over-water (especially since that pot doesn’t have a drain hole), and I cut it back a bit occasionally so it doesn’t get too straggly. Really, I think the sun-drenched window is doing all the heavy lifting.

  4. hello!

    i saw your tour on apartment therapy, and immediately bought one of these link scarves (the mountain blossom (https://www.etsy.com/listing/127669717/mountain-blossom-furoshiki-japanese) to hang as art. i love the way it looks in your home. :)

    this might sound really goofy, but i’m not super crafty and i’m a novice when it comes to getting art framed. is there any possible way i could pay you to frame my link scarf for me? i love the frame you created, and i’m not sure i am crafty enough to make the frame on my own. i live in logan square.

    let me know, and thanks!

  5. Great DIY artwork, and your living room looks so spare clean and lovely Your kitty is quite decorative, too! I do have a question: are there really no window coverings? I actually feel a bit vulnerable and exposed just looking at the photos!

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