DIY Wedding Challenge: Chuppah

Materials/Supplies

Fabric Top:

10 yards dupioni silk

8 - 2.5'x 9' pieces of voile

6'x6' piece of voile

Cuttlebug

Cuttlebug die: 2x2 Fall Leaves

Tailor's Chalk

Scissors

Iron-on Hemming Tape

Sewing Machine

Iron

48 yards Satin or Velvet Ribbon

Fabric Glue

No Fray Liquid Liner

Stands:

4 - 8' Birch Poles (> 3" in diameter)

4 Patio Umbrella Stands

4 Drawer Pulls

Electric Drill

3" diameter Circular Saw Attachment for Electric Drill

4 Long Wood Screws

The Fabric Top

1. Cut 2 - 2 yard pieces of dupioni silk.

2. Use the tailor's chalk to sketch the outlines of branches onto the silk. The first branch should start from onecorner of the silk and extend a little more than halfway across. The second branch on that piece should start from the corner at the other end of the silk. The branches should intertwine. Repeat this step for the second 2 yard piece of silk.

3. Cut out the branches, leaving a 1/4" edge around the edges.

4. Using the fabric glue, fold the 1/4" edge over onto the branch and glue it in place. This process will give the branches a clean edge.

5. Use the fabric glue to glue the branches to the 6' x6' piece of voile, wrong side down. One branch should start at each corner of the voile. Leave a 1/2" seam allowance at the edge of the voile.

6. Using the cuttlebug and the fall leaves die of choice (I used the birch leaf), cut out 1000 leaves from the remaining silk (yes, 1000).

7. Use the No Fray to line the edges of each of the leaves.

8. Glue each of the leaves onto the branches at the base of each leaf. The leaves should not be completely glued flat. Leaving them only glued at one point will create a rustling effect that will make them seem alive.

9. Hem three sides of each of the 2.5' x9' pieces of voile. I used a rolled hem. These pieces will be your curtains.

10. Use pins to create pleats every 2" at the top of each curtain. Sew the curtains to the edges of the chuppah (in the positions shown below) wrong side to right side. The seam allowance should be on the wrong side of the 6' x 6' piece.

11. Once all of the curtains are attached, use the iron on hemming tape and the satin ribbon to iron the seams down on the top of the 6' x 6' piece. The satin ribbon should extend 2' from the edge at each corner.

12. Give yourself a pat on the back, you're halfway done!

The Stands

1. Make sure you unwrap your birch poles and put them in a cool dry place as soon as they arrive. If you do not unwrap them, they will mold and rot.

2. Use the circular saw to remove the outer edge of the bottom 4" of each pole. The poles should now fit down into the umbrella stands.

3. Use a wood screw through the bottom of the stand to stabilize each of the poles.

4. Attach a decorative drawer pull to the top of each pole.

5. Now tie your fabric to the poles at the drawer pull.

6. Use leftover 2' pieces of ribbon to tie back the curtains.

Congratulations! You've finished your chuppah!