Displaying Disney Pin Collections

The finished product

Introduction

Both my wife and my daughter have really gotten into pin trading when we go to Disney World. My wife really likes the pings, but I think my daughter really likes the social interaction with the Cast Members.

The downside to pin collecting is that you spend money on these pins but you don’t have anything to do with them between trips. Wouldn’t it be nice to display them somehow. Then they would serve as a nice reminder of the great times we’ve had at the parks.

Thus was born this relatively simple idea, the Pin Frame.

Materials

To make a pin frame you will need the following materials.

  • An inexpensive picture frame, a cheap wooden frame works well. I used 10×14 frames which seemed to be a good size. You also want to be sure that there are tabs or something on the frame that holds the back in place—not something on the back that holds it into the frame.
  • Plastic canvas. This is a plastic screen that is used to make a variety of simple crafts. You will need one sheet slightly bigger than your frame.
  • Black cloth. The local fabric store sells left over fabric pieces. I ended up with a smooth piece and a textured piece. I think the textured one worked better. I avoided any other colors or prints on the fabric thinking it would be too busy. Your call there.
  • Gold spray paint—unless your frame is already gold colored or you like it the way it is. I chose gold, because that is the color the edges of the pins are (usually). It matched a looked nice.
  • Picture frame hanger. Because of the pin backs, you won’t be able to set this frame on a table you will need to hang it. Get an inexpensive hanger that you can hammer into the top of the frame to hold the frame.

Tools

In addition to the above materials, you will need the following simple tools.

  • Black thread and a needle
  • Scissors
  • Hammer
  • Ruler or tape measure
  • Old newspapers
  • Binder clips or clothes pins

Instructions

Here, we go. This project can be completed in a couple of hours of work plus some drying time for your spray paint.

  1. Take the back off the frame and remove the glass and any cardboard sandwiched in between. Set these pieces aside.
  2. Use the ruler to mark the center of the top edge of the frame, on the back side. Put the hanger in first.
  3. Hammer the hanger into the frame, being careful to keep it on the center mark you made above. Putting the hanger in first will keep you from damaging your paint job later.
  4. Using the scissors cut your plastic canvas to the size of the back or glass you just removed—be careful not to cut your self if you use the glass. The canvas should fit snugly in the frame without warping.
  5. Set the canvas aside, and go spray paint the frame, following the directions on your can. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area. Spray painting
  6. While the paint is drying we can sew the fabric onto the plastic canvas. Cut the fabric so that it overhangs the canvas by 1/2” to 1” on each side.
  7. Stretch the fabric over the canvas. You want the fabric to be tight so that it doesn’t have any wrinkles, but it shouldn’t bend the canvas or be stretched so thin that you can see the canvas through it. I used binder clips to hold the fabric in place. Sewing
  8. Sew the fabric in place. Keep the stitches near the edge so they will be covered up by the edge of the frame. Especially if you’re as bad at this as I am. Specifics of the stitch don’t really matter. Just make sure the fabric is going to stay in place. You can remove the binder clips when you are done.
  9. When the spray paint is dry, go give it a second coat—it almost certainly needs it.
  10. While that coat of paint is drying you can put your pins into the cloth covered plastic canvas.
    Pins are in place
  11. You also need to decide if you are going to use the glass or not. It is much easier to get your pins out of the display if you don’t use the glass. You may think it looks nicer with the glass. I have a picture of each at the bottom of this article.
  12. Once the paint is dry you can assemble the frame. Put the glass in, if you are going to use it. Now put the canvas with the pins on it into the frame. Bend the tabs down to hold the canvas in place and you are done!

I hope that these instructions are clear and that you get even more enjoyment from your pins as a result.

Steve