Create a yarn tapestry with just a few materials and a whole lot of time. The techniques are ones you will likely remember from childhood crafts.

Welcome to the first installment of the Craft Challenge series!

This month’s theme is “Crafting with Yarn.” The first things to come to mind when I think of yarn are knitting and crochet; however, if I told my Grannie I was going to knit or crochet, she would laugh. I cannot knit. I cannot crochet. After about one row of stitches, I get lost, so for this challenge I had to think outside the box.

No knitting

No crochet

After some experiments weaving with yarn, I decided it was too time-consuming and then final product was not right for me. After seeing some wall hangings made from woven or draped yarn, I decided to try it but with my own twist.

I started out with a simple draped yarn tapestry, but it needed more colour, more texture. What came to mind was friendship bracelets that I made with my sister when we were young. We used a simple “knot” to make them and I called it the 4 knot because you make the shape of a 4 (the triangular top at least). Using this technique you would get a spiral effect on the bracelet.

I decided to use that good memory with my sister to make a yarn tapestry with my initials to display over the mantle. And voila!

Materials:

Spool of thick yarn

Spool of thin yarn

Wooden dowel

White Glue

Scissors

Steps:

Cut 50-60 pieces of thick yarn to 80cm in length. Fold in half and loop around the dowel to create the base. For each long length of lettering, cut a piece of thin yarn to 80cm in length. In my letter M, I used 20 pieces this length to create the sides of the letter. For each short length of lettering, cut a piece of thin yarn to 30cm in length. I used over 60 pieces this length to create the arches of the M. Visualize your letter. You can move the pieces along the tapestry after they are placed, so only a general idea is needed. Take one of the thick yarn pieces that are on your dowel and separate from the others. Tie a length of thin yarn using a simple knot. Make a triangle or 4-shape with the thin yarn. The thin yarn can be over or under the thick, but keep it consistent otherwise the texture will not turn out! Take the end of the thin yarn and bring it over the thick yarn. Then under it again to create a full loop. Pull the end so the knot is tight and against the knot above it. Repeat until you reach the desired length of this section of the letter. And repeat until the letter is done. Tighten all start and end threads. Rub a small amount of white glue on the start and end of each thin yarn section then cut the excess threads off. When you glue hardens it will seal the section ensuring it will not fray or come apart.

And that is it. Using those instructions (and the picture tutorial on Pinterest), you should be able to create your own yarn tapestry.

Interested in some more yarn crafts?

Megan made this beautiful yarn basket! It turned out much better than my attempt at a woven basket. Seems like a great way to learn how to basket weave, something Megan learned in college.

Stop by and check out her post here: DIY Yarn Basket

Next month’s (April 27th) edition of the Craft Challenge will be themed: “Springtime Craft”, so be sure to come back for some crafts to break you out of the winter blues! If you have theme ideas, comment below. And if you create one of the craft challenge crafts, be sure to share it with us!