How to Make a Homemade String Heart

Proclaim your love by bestowing a string wound heart to the object of your affection. This string heart has longer staying power than the typical love letter or Valentine’s Day card as it can be hung on the wall as a reminder of your love forever.

EditSteps

1. Prepare wood background. Sand and cut wood if necessary (or purchase a pre-cut, pre-sanded square).
   • Apply stain or paint. Since the wood piece will be your heart’s background you will want it to look as good as possible. Determine if you want to simply stain the wood grain or paint over it. Either way, apply two coats for best results.
     
   • Allow paint or stain to fully dry before proceeding to the next step.
     
2. Trace heart onto the tracing or craft paper. You can either freehand draw the heart or go online and print out a template of a heart that will fit on your block of wood. Make sure the paper size matches the wood and you have enough room to easily create your heart.
   
3. Transfer the paper onto the wood surface. Hold the paper in place by adding a few strips of painter’s tape to each corner. Use painter’s tape because it will hold your paper in place, while at the same time not disturb the stain or paint when you are finished.
   
4. Add nails around the perimeter of the heart. Tap nails into the pencil lines, spacing them evenly apart and being sure that the nails are all the same height. One way you can determine if the nails are even is to use a level that you can lay across the nails.
   
   • If nails are not level you can tap nails in further or pull them upward.
5. Wind string around nails to create your heart. There is no specific pattern you will need to follow for the string as the nail pattern will act as your guide.
   • Tie one end of the string to the first nail (your choosing) and then wind it around the nail head and then around the next nail.
     
   • Pull tightly so the string is stiff and holds the design.
     
   • Wind around the nail head before moving onto the next nail.
   • Continue winding the string until you have a full heart pattern.
     
6. Remove paper from wood backing. Carefully tear paper away from the wood, taking extra care to peel any pieces of paper that are stuck underneath nails. You don’t want any evidence that you used the tracing or craft paper.
   
7. Finished.
   

EditThings You’ll Need

• Wood--flat piece of wood cut into a square (to hold your heart)
• Wood stain or paint
• Tracing paper (or thin craft paper)
• Pencil
• Nails
• Painter’s tape
• Level
• Embroidery string

EditTips

• Add a layer of spray adhesive to the string to hold in place.

from How to of the Day http://ift.tt/1xVHmta