Vintage Measuring Tape Growth Chart: Free Download!

By now you can probably tell I’ll collect just about anything. At some point I began collecting measuring tapes, and then little marmalade jars, and together they make such a sweet display.I decided that it was time to put one of my vintage measuring tapes to unique use. I scanned one of the tapes, modified and touched up the image a bit and designed a free digital download for you to make a fun and unusual growth chart for your children or to give as a gift.

To begin, click on the text links to download the three files that make up the measuring tape: PART 1 and PART2 and PART3.Print the 7 pages onto 8.5″ x 14″ (legal size) paper.With a craft knife, trim precisely along the ends of the images.Use a black permanent marker to black out the white cut paper edges.Cut out the holes at the end of the tape measure and run the marker around inside the hole, again to remove the white edge.Align each section of the printed images and secure with small pieces of clear tape outside the printed area. (You can see that one of my sections got a bit crooked when feeding through the printer, so to be safe, align based on the image and not the paper.)Going section by section, align and tack with tape then flip over and run one long piece of tape along the seam. I made my chart a whopping 7′ allowing for the possibility that at least one of my kids might grow taller than 6′. You can make yours shorter by simply omitting one or more of the higher numbers. When the entire piece has been taped, flip back to the image side and trim along the sides to remove the remaining white sections. Give the corners a slightly rounded trimming.You can laminate your chart to a piece of upholstery vinyl or oilcloth with Mod Podge for a beefier chart, or simply hang as a poster. I like how it hangs loose over the baseboard for a realistic effect.
Now, go gather up some kids to measure. Mark their height and the date or occasion. If you make yours long enough, measure the adults as well, get the whole family in there!

To give as a gift, roll the tape measure growth chart around a cardboard paper towel tube trimmed to size, roll up in wrapping paper or fabric, tucking the ends into the tube and tie with a bow.

UPDATE: By special request, an enlarged centimeter tape for my metric friends. PART 1, PART2, and PART3.

FOR MORE D.I.Y. GROWTH CHART IDEAS: See my blog post over at SC Johnson’s Family Economics! CLICK HERE!