I've joined a group of creative bloggers to bring you a monthly challenge blog hop. On the 2nd Monday of each month we share our themed creations for the month, like Upcycling, Family Recipes or Dollar Store Crafts. For February, it's the awesome Destash Challenge! For this one, we're to create a project using only items currently found in our craft stash! Which means making something with crafty supplies or re-making an item we've been holding on to for a while. And I know we have lots of those!
Looking around in my craft stash I came across a large roll of chunky yarn that I've had for awhile. I think I got it when finger knitting was so popular a few years ago. Trust me, I can't crochet or actually knit so finger knitting seems to be the only reason I have it!
When I saw the bundle of yarn I immediately thought of something involving macrame. Macrame has become popular once again. I had taken classes many, many years ago and have forgotten most of what I learned. I do know that macrame is usually done in cords or rope but I think it's a great way to use up leftover yarn, too! And the best part about macrame is that you only need to know a few basic knots to make an interesting wall hanging of any kind! And I only needed a few items from my stash to make one:
Chunky Yarn
Dowel Rod
Jute Twine
Floral Wire/small dowel/wire cutters/hairpin
Command Hook
Let's begin by tying a 38" piece of jute twine on the ends of a 24" dowel rod. I used a command hook to hold the rod in place to make it easier to knot the yarn. Next, since I had 97 yards of this chunky yarn, I cut off 16 - five feet long strips to make what's called Lark's Head Knots. Almost every macrame piece begins with lark's head knots to hold the yarn or cording on the rod.
1. To make a lark's head knot, fold the yarn in half to form a loop on one end. Place the loop over the rod.
2. With the loop hanging down over the rod, pull the two yarn strands through the loop around the rod.
3. Pull and tighten the knot.
Make 15 more lark's head knots on the rod.
Next, I started tying the only knot I remembered: The Square Knot!
1. Start with two lark's head knots - 4 yarn strands
2. Take the left yarn strand (1) and make an L shape across the next two strands (2 & 3) and under the last yarn strand (4).
3. Take strand 4 under strands 2 & 3 up over strand 1 and out.
4. Pull strands 1 and 4 tight, moving up towards the top.
Next do a reverse of the steps, starting with strand 4 to continue the look.
Next do a reverse of the steps, starting with strand 4 to continue the look.
Then group all the lark's head knots together in two's and make square knots across the entire width of rod . . .
making several rows. At this point, I really didn't have a design in mind so I began making different patterns using the same basic square knot.
I wanted to add a decorative trim to the design so I decided to make handmade wire wrapped tubes out of floral wire that I also had in my stash.
The wire tubes were so simple to make just by wrapping the wire around a small dowel rod to form a tube . . .
and then cutting off the excess wire.
I made lots of them!
Had to use a hairpin to thread the yarn through the wire tubes!
I think the wire tubes add a unique look to the wall hanging!
Then continued making square knots to complete the look with uneven ends.
Looks good for a novice, right?
Check out my creative co-hosts to see their de-stash craft creations:
