Post #518007 by DejaVoodoo on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 12:57 PM

After checking out the myriad of natural fiber and sewn/woven grasscloth wallpapers available, I decided that, at $40 and up a roll, it simply wasn't worth investing all that money for a backdrop that is, essentially, a "2 second" set dressing and may or may not be seen in great detail. Still, I didn't know where to turn.

After the wallpaper store I made my way to my local JoAnn's Fabric & Craft where I found some awesome cotton print Indonesian batiks and some generic "ethnic" block print fabrics that looked a little too African and not enough south seas jungle. I almost settled on a small brown, cream, and orange tapa-esque print however I deemed it too busy and felt that all the textures and patterns in the photograph would compete with each other. So, I started thinking what if I just use plain old burlap as a textured wall behind the tiki. I'd get the woven look I was after and it was dirt cheap at $3 a yard.

The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized the burlap was just too blah. There were no color variations and I feared it might look too much like the inside of a sack of potatoes. It didn't help that the color of the burlap I chose was IDAHO. Needless to say, I kept looking. I almost settled on a rougher woven tan and cream printed cotton that was the right color, but it just seemed too safe and predictable. And then I hit the jackpot!

In the remnant red tag sale bin, Sandwiched between two larger bolts of fabric, I found a dark tan, jade green, and cream upholstery fabric that was actually made up of long horizontal strands of rather wide chenille sewn together much like the woven grasscloth wallpapers have the little threads holding everything together. When I unrolled the fabric from the bolt, the remnant piece was the perfect size for my photo. It even had little bits of black running through it and if you didn't know it was fabric and NOT grasscloth wallpaper, I doubt you'd ever be able to tell the difference! At $6 a yard, the bolt claimed to contain 2.8 yards so I started doing the math...hmmm almost $18 - that's better than the wallpaper option, but still a bit pricey for what I needed it for. I asked the lady cutting the fabric how much was actually on the roll and turns out it was a few inches over one yard. $6 for this amazing fabric that would work perfectly for my photoshoot? SOLD! Talk about tiki on a budget! Mission accomplished!

Now I can't wait to actually take the picture. And when all is said and done, I'd be happy to post the final product here for all to see. Thanks for all the great suggestions and encouragement!