DIY Red Cardinal Remembrance Sign
Create a meaningful remembrance sign for a loved one using vinyl and a sweet cardinal appliqué.
Hello Crafty Friends. Today I’m happy to share this very special project with, a cardinal remembrance sign. It makes a meaningful handmade gift for someone going through a difficult time.
Many believe cardinals represent deceased loved ones watching over us. Spotting a cardinal can feel special, especially in times of great sorrow or need. This sign features a fabric cardinal created with my new cardinal appliqué pattern.
I created this sign using a small wooden board that I painted white. With the help of my Cricut Explore I added the text, “Cardinals appear when Angels are near” to the sign using black vinyl. I altered a file I found in Cricut Design Space so I could add one of my fabric appliqué cardinals to the sign. The cardinal appears to be sitting on a branch and the text fits around it the cardinal perfectly.
I love mixing fabric with wood and like the added texture an appliqué piece brings to a wooden sign. My sign is small, the wooden block I used measures about 7″ square. It is a nice size to set on a shelf or table.
My cardinal appliqué pattern includes 3 sizes and for this sign I used the smallest one, measuring 5″ tall. I created it by appliquéing scraps of red fabric onto a piece of stiffened felt. It is held together with fusible interfacing and asimple running stitch sewn by hand. I have used my cardinal appliqué pennants to make ornaments and even a winter wreath.
Red Cardinal Memorial Sign
Supplies Needed
- Wood board – mine measures 7″ square
- White acrylic paint – I used Patio Paint for the thick coverage since I was painting over an old sign
- Black Vinyl
- Transfer Tape
- Cutting Machine
- Cricut Tools and Standard Mat
- Red Cardinal Appliqué Pattern – use the small 5″ size
- Cricut Design Space File for Text Design
Step By Step Tutorial
Step One: Cut and weed the vinyl design. Open my Cricut Design Space file and cut the design out of black vinyl using your cutting machine. The text design is formatted to fit nicely around my 5″ cardinal appliqué. Be sure to hide both the cardinal layer and wood sign layer before cutting so you are only cutting the text.
Weed the vinyl image.
Step Two: Apply the vinyl design to the wooden sign. Use transfer tape to transfer the vinyl design to the wooden sign.
Position the vinyl so the cardinal will fit on the sign. I tested this out with the actual appliqué bird before applying the design.
Step Three: Attach the cardinal appliqué. Use hot glue to attach the cardinal so it appears to be sitting on the branch of the tree. I made the cardinal using my Cardinal Appliqué pattern, which includes a detailed picture tutorial. You can create it out of fabric as I did, or use felt. The pattern includes three different sizes. I used the small 5″ size.
The sign is complete and ready to be gifted to someone special.
Where do I get the Files?
- The text design cut from vinyl can be found in Cricut Design Space.
- The cardinal appliqué pattern is available in my shop. It comes with three different sizes and a detailed picture tutorial for making the pennant out of fabric or felt.
