String Art

String art was a popular craft during the 1970's. Designs can be three-dimensional or flat. It is this ability to create flat yet intricate designs that is appealing to the scrapbook artist.

The idea behind string art is to create pictures and shapes by connecting sets of equally spaced points. Connection is made by sewing through the cardstock, winding around brads or by threading through eyelets.

Cardstock with pierced holes and brads replace the wood and nails that are typical in traditional pattern making. The pierced holes can be re-enforced with eyelets or set with brads. Embroidery thread, twine or perle cotton can be wound around brads, threaded through eyelets or simply sewn through the pierced holes.

Patterns can be original to the creator or can be downloaded from several sites on the Internet. A paper pattern is placed over your cardstock and the points that create the shape or pattern are pierced through. Then using the colored thread to connect the points the design is formed.

The title page of our Summer Vacation album required a bit more pizzazz and some corner-to-corner string art provided just the look.

I used a ruler to mark an inch between each brad. I inserted the brad but didn't press it open on the back until I was done winding. Using four basic colors I layered four curves. Starting from the top left corner, I threaded clockwise around the second brad on the right, and I just kept winding until I reached the last brad. Each color started in a different corner.

The "Happy Birthday" card uses a pointed pattern shape and string is wound clockwise around the points. Two colors were used and each was wound on a different angle to produce different sized circles.

The possibilities are endless for creating unique string art embellishments for your scrapbook pages. Choose some colored thread and start winding!