Tutorial: DIY Growth Chart -- Less than $10!

There is a fact of life that everyone is aware of. We try make the best of it, sometimes avoid it and other times cherish every minute of it. But the fact is, no matter how badly we wish it wasn't so, time goes by SO fast! The worst part? When you REALLY want time to slow down, it seems like it speeds up! I feel like insert cheesy saying here it was just yesterday that I was giving birth to my twins, now they will be 18 months old in a few weeks! It makes me cry, and it also has me desperately seeking any way I can to capture their childhood which is obviously where my digital scrapbooking obsession began. Because of this, I started looking for growth charts. I found a few on Etsy that I liked but they were around $40 for ONE and I really wanted one for each of them so in the future, they can have them when they have kids to compare the heights(a mom can dream!) Then I found a tutorial here! The perfect DIY growth chart that seemed simple enough. I made a few adjustments to customize them a bit and I loved how they turned out!

I hope you like it. If you have any questions, feel free to post a comment. We would like to see your versions of growth charts as well!

Supplies:

I got the Jute Webbing from Hobby Lobby which they sale in selected stores and also online here. The stencils I used were from Walmart and they are Plaid 1 1/2 inch letter stencils. They worked perfectly because even with adding the 3/8 inch ribbon, the stencils still fit in between. 

Step 1: 

Cut jute webbing and ribbon to the size you want. I cut mine about 7 ft. I wanted a 6ft growth chart and I have a lot of extra but I wanted to be sure I had enough to cover the overlap over the dowels.

Step 2: (optional)

Add liquid stitch to the ribbon and then adhere to the jute webbing to hide the red stitching. I did this because I wanted a more customized look but I think it looks great without it as well. Let it dry for a few hours!

Step 3:

Place the dowel and wrap jute around it using liquid stitch to adhere. Then using paperclips, clip the side so that way the liquid stitch has time to bond. I have read that you are not suppose to use things to hold it together because it creates a "crease" in the fabric but because the jute is so thick, I wasn't worried about it. Let it dry OVERNIGHT!

Step 4: 

Using a ruler mark off feet and inches. Then you can go through with the stencils and add the numbers.

Step 5:

Write the info on your key tag and then attach it to the growth chart using the safety pins. 

That's it! It is a little time consuming when considering the dry time but for less than $10 each, it is definitely worth it!

These make great baby shower and 1st birthday gifts. If you go to this blog she shows a really cute way to box it up for gifting.

Check out a few pages we have done to track growth :) Go to our Facebook page to check out other pages.

Jenny