Gather Driftwood on Your Summer Vacation to the Shore!

I have wanted to make some driftwood sailboats for some time now, and on a recent trip up to Ohio I went to one of my favorite spots on the Lake Erie shore to collect some driftwood for my project.  If you are heading to the shore this year, keep your eyes open for driftwood and shells for craft projects after you return home!  

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I began by washing all of my driftwood with fresh water and then setting it out in the sun to dry.  If you want a whitewashed look, you can always soak your driftwood in a bleach and water solution.

How to make a driftwood sailboatI sorted through my driftwood and found some pieces to use for my boat base and my mast.  Then I went to work with a drill, I drilled a hole into my base, not all the way through.  How to make a driftwood sailboat

I used Gorilla brand wood glue to glue my mast into the base and let it dry completely.  The size of your drill bit will depend on the size of your mast.  Wipe off any extra glue, although it will dry a natural color and not stand out on your boat .How to make a driftwood sailboatHere are my two sailboats ready to have their sails made and be trimmed out for the summer holidays!  Time to make sails. How to make a driftwood sailboat

Fold a single layer of fabric so that the edge of the sail closest to the mast would be the fold and set your wood boat on top of it to get an idea of where you want to cut your sail. This will give your sail a double thickness of the fabric.How to make a driftwood sailboat

Use iron on hem tape on all of the edges of the inside of the triangle including the folded edge to re-enforce it, as this will be where we make holes to attach this to the mast.  How to make a driftwood sailboat

Use a nail to make a holes in your sail.  How to make a driftwood sailboat

Make 3 or 4 holes, depending upon the size of your sail.  One hole in each of the corners and if needed, a fourth hole half way down the mast side of your sail.  How to make a driftwood sailboat

Use tiny screw eyes to secure your sails to the boat base.  Screw one of these eyes solidly into the back of your boat.  This will help to hold your sail.  How to make a driftwood sailboatThread a piece of string through each of the holes and you are ready to raise your sails!  How to make a driftwood sailboatSimply tie your ropes around the ‘mast’ and tie one to the screw eye to secure the back of your boat!  How to make a driftwood sailboatRepeat the process and add your front sail to your boat!  You can stop here if you would like, but how about adding a little holiday celebration to your boat?  How to make a driftwood sailboatI bought 1/8 yard of two different red, white and blue fabrics to make a fun banner for my boats.  Fold the fabric in half and using double sided fusible webbing in between the layers you will create a fabric that is stiff and has the “front” side or print on both sides.  How to make a driftwood sailboat

Cut out triangles from the fabric leaving a little bit of a “top” to your triangles.  Fold over the top and iron the fold well.  Turn over your pennant and trim off the edges that stick out beyond the pennant shape.  Fold the top over a piece of string and use a small piece of iron on hem tape to secure your pennant to the string.  Repeat until you have the length of banner you want.  How to make a driftwood sailboatHow to make a driftwood sailboatHere they are!  A pair of driftwood sailboats all decked out for the summer!  When you head to the shore this summer, pick up some driftwood and make a fleet of sailboats!

I’ll be sharing this at the following link parties:  Project Inspired | Create Link Inspire  | Inspire Me Monday

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17 Comments

    1. Thanks Carol! Funny thing, I can’t find any in Florida on the coast but I find lots of it up near Lake Erie and along the rivers in Ohio. Try a river or a lake!

  1. Love these, I will share with friends from the yacht club. They would be perfect for centerpieces at their next gala. The banner is a perfect finishing touch.

  2. Now THIS is so pretty, and smart, Chloe! I’m so glad you shared it on Tuesday Turn About. I’ve not actually looked on our shores to see about finding driftwood pieces, but I know where I could find some for cheap! LOVE!

  3. Such a great idea. I have a few handkerchiefs from my mom, who recently died, and I’m thinking this would be a nice way to use them. Planning on making small version as a Christmas ornament to give each grandchild.
    Need to find the driftwood now, pickings are slim in my section of Florida, east coast

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