How to Make DIY String Art for Valentine's Day Crafts Tutorial [Step by Step Guide]
How to Make a Valentine's Day Heart String Art Board
Wondering how to make a DIY string art board for your loved one this Valentine's Day?
It seems as though string art, or yarn art, seems to be making a comeback, and we are definitely on board! Haha! Not only is this an easy DIY craft that you can do time and time again, but it is also a great way to get your imagination flowing. This is a project for String Art for Beginners.
For this post, we decided to make DIY string art on wood. We happen to have some extra pieces of wood from another project and thought this would be a great way to utilize and reuse our “waste.” You can make one for yourself, for a loved one or just for fun! String art for kids is another great way to stay busy during quarantine.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, what better gift is there than the gift of art made by you? Handmade crafts are heartfelt gifts and ideal to show how much you care. This timeless DIY string art board is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. It is easy, customizable, budget-friendly and is truly a gift from the heart.
For our DIY String Art Valentine's Day Board, we used our Deluxe Railroad Set. This is the perfect set for this project because it has everything you need. All items are made from high-quality materials, including stainless steel, aluminum steel and carbon steel, and the knife handles, blades and Mitre box are all proudly manufactured in the USA. It has a hammer, pliers, awl, sanding stick, knives and so much more! Everything you need to recreate this tutorial is in one convenient set.
Grab a hammer, some nails, string and a wooden board to recreate this beautiful string art board!
What You'll Need to Make String Art
Excel Blades Deluxe Railroad Set - #44289
Paper Heart Template
8” x 8” Wood Board
Nails
Yarn or String
Heart Shaped String Art Tutorial
Step 1: You can make your own template, or print one from the internet. It can be any word or design you prefer. In this case, we decided to use the word love in a heart, but you could also write your Valentine’s name, your initials as a couple or the date of your anniversary.
Grab your paper template and place it in the center of the wooden board. Use your ruler from the Deluxe Railroad Kit to establish the center of the board. The center of our board is at 4 inches.
Step 2: Next, grab a nail and the hammer. Place your first nail at the top of the heart and nail it into the board. Then, grab another nail and place it at the bottom of the heart and nail it into the board.
Tip: Avoid hammering the nails too far into the board. This ensures there is enough space to wind the string around securely. Hammering the nail in about halfway is ideal.
Step 3: Once you have placed a nail on the top and bottom of the heart, outline one side of the heart with nails. Try your best to evenly space out each nail.
Tip: The ideal spacing between each nail is about ½”. You can use a plastic sewing tape measure or a small ruler to precisely measure the spaces. You can also pre-mark the nail spaces with a pencil.
Step 4: Now, start outlining the words with the nails. Outline the letters with the nails as best as you can.
Tip: If you need to place a nail in a tight place, use your pliers to hold the nail. You can also use your pliers to remove any nails that are in the wrong place.
Step 5: Once you are done outlining the letters, finish outlining your heart. Then, go through all of the nails and straighten any that are crooked.
Tip: Use the chisel face side of the hammer to gently bend the nails into place.
Step 6: Now, grab the awl and yarn or string. Create a loop in the yarn and place it on one of the nails. Double knot the loop so it does not come undone. We decided to start stringing the letters first. Loop the yarn one nail at a time. Repeat this until you have outlined the entire word.
Tip: Use the awl to help guide the yarn or string around the nail.
Let’s fill in the heart with the yarn!
Step 7: Loop the yarn around a nail outlining the heart and then loop the yarn to one of the nails outlining the words. Continue this process until the entire heart is filled in.
Tip: Just wind the yarn around the nail once and avoid pulling the yarn too tight. You might dislodge a nail.
Step 8: Once you have filled the entire heart with yarn, cut the end of the string with your knife. Make sure it is long enough to tie a knot. Create a loop at the end of the string, loop it around a nail and double knot it. Cut off any excess string or tuck the excess inside your artwork.
Tip: Use your pliers or a needle to push the excess string inside the artwork. This avoids damaging the pattern or accidentally loosening any nails.
Step 9: Push down the string with your fingers.
Now, you can stop here and keep your string art board as is and jump to step 10 — or you can add another layer of string. If you decided to do this, switch directions when looping your string to fill the empty spaces. Once you have filled in your heart, cut off the end of the string and tie it to ensure it does not untangle. Tuck the end of the string into the artwork.
Step 10: Remove the paper from your board. Use your pliers to remove the paper from hard-to-reach areas.
You have finished your String Art Board!
Crafty Customizations
Not only is this DIY super easy, but it is the perfect handmade gift for someone special this Valentine's Day. While a string heart is an excellent Valentine’s Day gift, you can use your creativity and craft supplies you have on hand to make unique customizations for Mother’s Day, birthdays or wedding gifts.
Attach a hanging bracket to the back of the wood piece to turn your string project into wall art your loved one can hang in their home. Opt for different colored yarn to match any home decor or personal taste, such as beige, red, blue, yellow or even rainbow.
If you prefer, mix up the paper template for different holidays or events. For example, use a pumpkin template for fall or Halloween room decor or a fir tree or ornament for Christmas.
Instead of the word “love,” spell your loved one’s name or use their initials for a truly unique, thoughtful gift idea. You can also make string art in the shape of a wedding dress or cake or with the newlyweds’ last name as a one-of-a-kind, handmade present for their new home.
We hope you enjoyed creating your string art board gift hack as much as we did! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different shapes, colors and backgrounds when making string art boards. Grab a few different options from the craft store and follow our helpful tutorial to get started and then run with your creativity to see what beautiful art pieces you can make.
Don't forget to show us how you DIY by tagging us on Instagram at excelblades and excelblades.co. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more DIY projects and tips on our tools.