I spent much of the past weekend getting my house guest ready for the holidays…hanging pictures, getting rid of clutter we had accumulated and a touch of decorating.
I had picked up this branch on my fall trip to Broken Bow and couldn’t decide what I was going to use it for. Until I ran across some gold yarn I had picked up for a crewel project that’s still unfinished. So I thought – quick, easy DIY. So easy in fact, I’m a bit embarrassed to post directions…but anywho. Any branch or yarn would work – one without the pinecones would be a bit easier, and just as pretty. I picked the crewel yarn for it’s color, and also for it’s texture – it’s a bit more lofty than other yarns, so has a nice cozy feel – perfect for fall. I’ve seen other variations online that mix several colors of yarn, but for me – I prefer the modern look of one bold color.
To start, I secured one end of the yarn to the branch with some heavy duty tape…which gets wrapped over and over, so it’s never seen. I would have preferred hot glue, but my gun bit the dust on my last craft project and I’ve yet to replace it.
I tried a variety of wrapping techniques…starting out using a single thread and wrapping many times around. But as I got going, I experimented with using two sets of two threads to cover more area a bit more quickly. To end each section, I would simply knot the ends and cut them off as close as possible.
Some sections I double wrapped, which went a bit slower than the above, but was easier to maneuver. To start, I would use a slip knot so the yarn stayed in place…this was a helpful way to also hide the knots.
Don’t worry if bits of the bark fall off, I lost quite a bit – but in the end you will never miss them!
And done! I left the tips exposed because I liked the juxtaposition of the bark and yarn, but feel free to end yours wherever you feel! A quick, inexpensive, cute holiday home project.