DIY Arrow String Art
I recently decided that my living room wall was in need of an update. After browsing Pinterest and getting some ideas from my friend Lauren R., I figured out an arrangement of my pictures that I really loved.
However, I felt that it was missing something... So as I browsed through Pinterest again I decided to make this project to add a little something extra to my picture arrangement on my living room wall. This string art arrow was just what my wall needed.
It was super easy to make and I love how it adds to my decor.
Here are the supplies that you will need:
~Paint (I used a glossy gold craft paint)
~ Foam paint brush
~Paper Stencil (Unless you want to be ambitious like me and make your own! There are also countless printouts online.)
~Wood (I got mine at our local hardware store. It measures 18 inches long and 3 inches wide.)
~Nails (I got mine at our local hardware store they were white and are 1 inch tall.)
~Hammer
~Embroidery Yarn
~Sawtooth Picture hangers (I got these at the local hardware store)
The first step for this project is to paint your wood. Depending on how rich you want the color to be will determine how many coats to paint. I did three on mine. Make sure to also get the edges because those can be seen on the wall.
[ If you are planning on using a sawtooth hanger to hang your art on the wall, skip down to the bottom of this post and do that step before hammering in the nails on the stencil. ]
Once the paint has dried, place your stencil on the wood. If you would like to use the stencil I made click here. On my stencil I added dots to show you where to place the nails.
When you have made or found a stencil that you like, secure it to the wood using tape!
Next, you will need nails and a hammer. Hammer in the nails on the dots of the stencil. I left quite a lot of the nail up. Just make sure that the nail doesn't move when you try to wiggle it. Also, I found that the nails need to be pretty equal in height. I placed my ruler on a few nails at a time to make sure they were all level.
The important thing to realize is the number of nails can determine how many different patterns you can make. After completing this project, I realized I should have put a few more nails in different spots to make the string look fuller.
After all of your nails are in place, it is time to use that creative talent and start making patterns with the embroidery yarn. If you are using a paper stencil, remove all of the paper and set it aside.
When you start your yarn design, tie one end of the yarn to any nail. I started at the end of my arrow.
Next begin going between each nail and wrapping the yarn around it one time. Start wrapping a little lower than the very top of the nail to give yourself some work room. I went around the border of my arrow first and then across to different nails. You want to have a little bit of tension as you do this.
I found the hard way, many times actually, that after a few nails tying another knot helps keep everything in place. If you let go, you lose all of your work, so tying a knot here and there saves time and less work.
Keep going until you have a pattern that you like. When I finished I went around the border one more time and then tied a final knot. Use scissors to cut off the excess string.
If you are wanting to add a sawtooth picture hanger to the back follow the next steps.
I found that this part was the hardest, but I feel that it needs to be done after the nails are in place.
Using your ruler find the center of the top of your board and draw a line using a pencil. I eyeballed it the first time and it ended up being crooked. Once you have marked the board, place the sawtooth hanger on the mark and hammer in the nails. I placed another piece of wood under my board that was a little thicker than the nails. Like I said earlier, this part was hard for me because I did it after making the whole thing. You are probably better off doing the hanger before the 1 inch nails.
The picture below shows a close up of what my hanger looked like after I hammered it in. Since these nails are tons smaller than the other ones we are using with the yarn, make sure to hammer these babies all the way into the wood!
And that is it! This project took me about an hour, because I made my own stencil. The total cost was around $20, but you get more than enough supplies to make even more!
I really enjoyed making this project! For some strange reason I really like using a hammer. :) PLus I just love how it adds to my living room wall!!
I may have another string art project in store with all of the extra supplies that I have.
Feel free to share and leave comments. I would love to hear from you!
I am planning on another craft pretty soon.
Happy crafting!!
Jessica
