Grad Cap Card Box

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• 1, 10"x 10" unfinished wood square box
• 1 yd of flat black cotton fabric
• 2 skeins of golden yellow embroidery thread
• Gold sticker letters 1" tall or gold iron-on vinyl
• 1, 12"x 12" piece of foam core board
• 1 3/4" large, round plain button
• 1 tube of Quick Grip glue
• Scrap piece of cardboard 6" wide, roughly 4" long
• Medium Paintbrush
• Mod Podge
• Cricut machine
• 1 roll of black electrical tape
• Scissors
• X-Acto knife
• Metal straight edge ruler
• Cutting surface

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut a piece of fabric to fit the bottom and sides of unfinished wood box and then go up over the sides as well.
2. Apply a layer of Mod Podge to the bottom of the unfinished wood box.
3. Center the fabric on the bottom of the box. Press it outward to the edges.
4. Apply more Mod Podge to the sides of the box and press the fabric onto the sides. Trim the fabric to fit the box as you go. Take the fabric up and over the top edge of the box and secure with glue to the inside of the box.
5. Take the piece of foam core and with your X-Acto knife and metal edge ruler, cut a slice 1/2" wide by 6" long in the box 1" above the center of the box on an angle. Above where the middle button will be placed.
6. Wrap the foam core board with the black fabric. On the back side of the foam core board pull the fabric to the center like wrapping a present. Glue it to the foam core board with the Mod Podge. Flip the foam core face down and where you have cut the slit in the foam core, cut the fabric down the center in the slot. Fold it back towards the inside of the slot and glue against the sides of the opening.
7. Take the electrical tape and place it around the sides of the opening and then back to the underside of the foam core to hold the fabric against the sides of the opening.
8. Place a thin bead of Quick Grip glue around the top edge of the wrapped box and then center the black covered foam core lid on top of the wood box.
9. Apply your gold sticker letters for the name of the graduate above the card slot on the box. If you choose to cut them out of iron-on. Then iron on the letters after you have placed the lid on top of the box.
10. Take a small piece of black fabric about 1/4" bigger than the button. Put some Quick Grip glue on the button. Then place the fabric on top of the button. Place a small amount of glue on the underside of the button and wrap the fabric onto the bottom of the button. Apply the fabric in a clockwise motion going around the button and press it firmly, tucking in the edges as you go.
11. Use the gold embroidery thread to make a tassel. To make the tassel, cut a scrap piece of cardboard about 6" long. Wrap it with the gold embroidery thread about 10 times. Snip it at the bottom with your scissors and tie it at the top with another piece of embroidery thread about 12" long. Take two long strands of the embroidery thread and twist together to make the loop to hold the tassel. Thread the twisted strands through the head of the tassel and glue it in the center of the top of the board. Glue the fabric covered button on top.

JOANN HACKS:

• Don’t apply the Mod Podge very thick as it will bleed through the black fabric.