Mixed Media Cardboard Weaving Project

For this project we are going to create a fun mixed media wall hanging. You will need:

• Sheets of cardboard
• Paint
• Materials to use for texture while painting (bubble wrap, corks, bottle caps, sponges, etc.)
• Scissors
• Yarn or string.
• Awl or sharp object for punching holes
• Bowl (Cereal bowl is fine or larger)
• Pencil

Begin by taking the sheets of cardboard (I like to use fairly large pieces) and cutting them into fun organic shapes. There is no right or wrong here, but they tend to look best if they are a bit asymmetrical I think. Place your bowl somewhere on the shape you cut and trace a circle using your pencil. Use the awl to punch a hole on the circles edge large enough to put the tip of your scissors through. Cut the circle out. Save the circle cut out for future projects! Next take your awl and punch holes around the circle, about 1/2 inch from the edge. Make sure there are an odd number of holes, the spacing between will depend on the size of you circle. I have approximately an inch between holes.

Next you are going to paint your shape. You can paint it however you want. I love to offer a variety of painting/stamping tools to make cool textures on the cardboard. It can also be fun to pull off some of the top layer of the cardboard exposing the corrugated middle for texture.

Once the paining has dried you will need to string your loom. I like to use a white cotton twine for this part as it is nice and strong, but if you don’t have it just use yarn. Use a continuous string to string your loom. Start in the back pull your string through to the front leaving a couple of inches to tie it off at the end. Pull your string across the front to the opposite side and pull the string to the back. On the back again move to the very next hole in either direction, and pull the string through to the front. Again pull the string across to the opposite side and through to the back. Moving in the same direction as before pull the string through the next hole to the front again. Continue in this manner until all the holes have been strung. Tie it off in the back.

Now you can begin weaving, over under around and around. When you wish to change colors simply tie a new color on to the existing yarn and keep going. These look great when the woven section is full, but they also look awesome with just a little bit of weaving so allow the child to do as much or a little as they wish.

I hope you have fun with this project. If you are looking for a more basic weaving project check out my post about simple cardboard weaving looms. As always I would love to hear from you so feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Creating,