THE RAVEN

DIFFICULTY:

The raven is one of the most intelligent and intriguing birds. They are social, clever, and really good problem-solvers. Their silhouette is instantly recognizable and converts very well to string art. You can use a spool of black crochet thread on this one, which makes for uninterrupted stringing. While this would naturally make a great piece for autumn décor, it’s stylish enough to stay up year-round.

Materials

Pine board, 1" × 10" (2.5cm × 25.5cm), cut to square and painted with yellow acrylic craft paint (see step 1)

5⁄8" (1.6cm) silver nails

Size 10 crochet thread in black

Photocopy of pattern (page 32)

Picture-hanging hardware

2 felt furniture pads

Tools: Hammer, needle-nose pliers

Basic supplies: Superglue, scissors, transparent tape

Techniques Used

Preparing a board (page 8)

Applying a nail pattern (page 9)

Stringing basics (pages 10–11)

Finished Size (h × w)

9.5" × 9.5" (24cm × 24cm)

  1. For this board, I went with paint instead of stain. To get the grain to show through, I watered down the yellow paint in a bowl first, then brushed a few coats on until it looked right.
  2. Trim your pattern to a manageable size. Position it on your board and secure it with tape. I prefer the lower right corner.
  3. Tie your thread onto a nail, sealing the knot with glue. Start with the outline of the raven, making it easier to see what areas to fill. Reference your pattern page to be sure you connect the correct nails. Keep an eye on the gap between the two legs; that will need to stay empty.
  4. Zigzag your string randomly until you are happy with the density. The feet on this pattern are based on an actual silhouette and will seem strange at first. Don’t worry; once you’re done they will look right. Tie off and seal your knot with glue.
  5. Attach your picture-hanging hardware to the back. Be sure to put your two felt pads on the lower back-side corners, so your art will sit flush to the wall. Sign and date your work.

THE RAVEN PATTERN

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