DIY || #33 || Walking on Walls

And I did it again - a DIY Woven Wall Art with less than half the effort! Clearly I really don't want to learn the beautiful art of weaving, but when you don't have much time after work it's nice to still create something similar in less time. Last year, I created this "No-Weave Wall Hanging" which introduced a new way to style tassels onto an embroidery sheet. Today's project is definitely one of my all time favorites that uses this technique and, thankfully, my roommates agree since it's now a new part of our apartment decor! I purchased this Plum & Bow Connected Stripe Rug from Urban Outfitters for $24 and bought about $20 of plastic spring flowers from Michael's Arts & Crafts Store (they were on sale!). Together, with some yarn and glue, I was able to create this wall art that adds a unique twist to the typical woven wall pieces. The main trick is to find a rug with texture and a hand woven-like pattern as a base. The way I created this piece allows for the flowers and 3D elements to be taken off and replaced if need be, so you can always change the look with the seasons or simply re-use the rug for its original purposes! Versatility and colorful creativity - that's what I'm talkin' about! Alrighty, here are the details below: 

What you'll need: a rug (ideally thin enough to pierce flora stems through or with strong weaving - I got this one at Urban Outfitters); flowers and greenery (from Michael's); yarn; string, plastic embroidery sheets, scissors; nails, glue gun.

Step-by-step Instructions: First, layout your flowers and yarn and try to sketch or visually imagine a design you want to create on your rug. Next, to create the yarn tassels, I wrap the yarn around the palm of my hand a few times (around 7-10 times). Carefully slide this off your hand and, with a thin string, make a knot on one side of the yarn loop. Use scissors to cut the other end of the loop so the bottom yarn hangs freely. Depending on the design you want to create, tie these string tassels to the plastic embroidery sheet. I easily attached the plastic embroidery sheets to the rug using bobby pins - just slid them into the string wrapping throughout the rug (this is why it's helpful to have a rug like this as your base with woven-like details!). To attach flowers to the rug, I cut the stems so there was at least 2-3 inches from the petals/leaves. Carefully, I slid the stems in between the woven parts of the rug. On the back side of the rug, I bent the floral stems so they would not move. An alternative thing that can be done (and that I did in some cases when the stems were too short), is to use a glue gun and attach the flower directly to the rug surface. 

To prepare the rug for hanging: I bought a thing wood dowel for less than $1 at Michael's. Fold one end of your rug over this wooden dowl (how much you fold over depends on how long you want your wall tapestry...I did about 3- inches). Sneaky little trick I did here! Since the rug is quite thick and heavy, I knew that glue or sewing wouldn't hold very well. SO I took some long, thick metal nails (yes, nails!) and wove them through the string on the rug as if I was threading them shut. I used three nails in total (sides and middle). Lastly, wrap string or twine around the edges of the dowel to create a line of the rug to hang on a nail. If you haven't put a nail in the wall yet - you should do that too! That's it! Super fun craft to brighten up your home decor! Give it a try or let me know what you think!