Alright mamas who crochet and knit, I have found the perfect craft for you and your daughters. My daughter and I are hooked on yarn wall hangings and if you give it a try, you might be too.
I love to crochet and have attempted to teach my 7-year-old daughter the hobby several times but it usually ends with us both getting frustrated. She’s just too young for that particular craft and she hasn’t really shown or held an interest in anything else. That was until I had a bunch of girlfriends over for a craft night. My daughter, not wanting to be left out, snuck downstairs and ended up sitting in on our fun. The next morning she asked if she could make something with the left over supplies and to my delight, she was able to make wall hangings all on her own! Unlike any other craft we’ve attempted, she keeps wanting to make more. And what she’s making isn’t half bad!
Friends, my craft loving mommy heart is so delighted! My daughter plans to make mini wall hangings for her friends at school as Christmas gifts. I’m totally on board with this idea because I wouldn’t mind making more myself. They are inexpensive, she can make them mostly on her own and it’s a great use for all my scraps of yarn I’ve been saving from crochet projects.
So, like any good blogger, who stumbles on something amazing, I’m going to share my find with you! Below is a step by step guide to making yarn wall hangings with your kids.
How to Make Yarn Wall Hangings with Kids
Supplies
- Wooden dowell rod, metal hoop or embroidery hoop of any size (We tried all three in less than an hour. The wooden rod is definitely the less expensive option. They come in a package with at least 10 at Hobby Lobby.)
- Yarn of any color. You can use all one color or mix it up with a fun pattern using multiple colors. The thicker or chunkier yarn looks the best.
- Scissors or a Circular Fabric Cutter
- Your choice of floral accessories (Optional)
- Floral wire (Optional)
Get Inspiration
Pinterest is full of lovely pictures of wreaths and yarn hangings. Search for “Yarn Wall Hangings” or “Boho Wreaths.” Find a couple that you and your child like. You can make something exactly like what you see online or completely different. You’re just getting inspiration.
Make a Plan
Have your child lay out where he or she would like everything to go on the rod or hoop. Let them be creative with this step! My 7 year old did a pretty good job of arranging things after seeing me do one and looking at pictures online.
Cut Yarn to Desired Length
Once your child has a general idea of where they want things to go, you’ll have them start attaching the yarn. Talk about how long they want the yarn to hang down from the hoop or rod. Then you’ll need to cut the yarn to double the desired length because you will be folding it in half to tie it onto the hoop or rod. Its best to start out with longer pieces because you can always trim the yarn when you’re finished. (If your scissors are sharp enough and the yarn is cooperating, your child should be able to cut the yarn on her own.)
Attach Yarn to Rod or Hoop
This is the part my daughter enjoyed the most. Fold the yarn in half, making a loop on one end. Take your hoop or rod. Bring the loop up and over the rod. Then bring the two strands of yarn from the other side of the rod up through the loop, making a knot with the yarn on the rod. Keep making knots with the yarn until you have the desired amount of yarn you want on the rod or hoop.
Add Accessories
This step is completely optional. A lot of the wall hangings I like don’t have anything but yarn. However your child might enjoy the extra step and getting to accessorize as they desire.
Use the floral wire to attached any accessories like fall flowers or some greenery for Christmas.
My daughter had a little trouble attaching her flowers to the embroidery hoop but was able to cut the floral wire and do everything else.
Trim Yarn
You’re almost done! Now you just need to trim your yarn. For my daughter’s first project we trimmed the yarn straight across and then tried something a little more complicated the second time. She enjoyed getting to decide how we would trim it. She did attempt to trim one on her own and did a pretty good job but the yarn wasn’t super cooperative and it looked jagged. This might be a good place to offer a little assistance. I found that placing a book on the yarn and using my circular fabric cutter was the best way to get a straight line.
That’s it! Now you have a fun craft to make with your kids for Christmas gifts or just for fun! You might even discover something new that you like to do too!
