Yarn Bombed Picture Frames How-To

I love yarn bombing. But then I love all forms of graffiti so much of the time, anyway. It can be so beautiful! Who’s with me?

For this project, you’ll need yarn, of course, in whatever shades and colors you like. Dig through your leftover scraps or head to a second-hand shop. You won’t need much and you don’t have to worry about dye lots or anything like that. You’ll also need frames (I used 5×5 frames for mine), scissors, a large-eyed needle, and a little bit of time.

Begin by cutting off a length of yarn, at least a yard or so but there are no hard and fast rules. I like things to end up looking a bit random and asymmetrical, anyway. Tie one end of the yarn onto your frame with the knot in the back. Then, simply begin wrapping the yarn around and around the frame.

Keep it a little loose, especially if you’re wanting to try to get the glass back in. The yarn will make the opening smaller so you maybe have to find a smaller piece of glass if you really want it in. I ended up not using my glass at all.

You can do the entire frame in one color or change colors, which is a great way to use up those scraps. Knot the new color onto the original and again, keep the knot in the back. Leave a little of the tails and just tuck those under the yarn as you wrap. Don’t worry about wrapping the corners. We’ll get to those later.

When you get back around to where you started, tie off the yarn and tuck it under.

Now for the corners. You can totally leave the frame as it is now with corners showing, or you can cover those, as well. To cover them, cut off another length of yarn and thread it through your large-eyed needle. Pull this through a few strands of yarn in the back and tie it.

Pull this thread around the front of the frame over the corner gap and catch a few of the threads on the front, then wrap to the back again. Repeat the process on the back side of the frame. On the front, you can also weave it through the yarn and create a stitched look. Just go down and back, alternating where you weave in and out, and keep catching the threads in the back. You’ll want to avoid pulling the threads too tight, as this will create gaps in your design.

If you want to be sure the yarn stays in place, you can use a staple gun in a few places on the back, especially in all the corners.

Do as little or as much wrapping as you want. Show more of the frame if you like it. Paint the frame first in an awesome color. Weave all the yarn. Doesn’t matter- just have fun!