Easy DIY Modern Bohemian Wall Hanging

Happy New Year, friends! I apologize for the long gap between posts...everyone in our family has been sick with a cold and/or stomach virus this month and I've had a lot of work lately, but I've also been feeling mega inspired. It happens every year at this time--we take down the Christmas tree and all the decorations and I suddenly feel like giving the house a makeover. This January I decided I wanted the living room to have a slightly "cleaner" feel--and to achieve that I had to give away some of my plants that were causing it to feel just a little too jungly. So, I said goodbye to my six-foot pencil cactus and a couple of smaller plants, and moved around some others. I also acquired a new arm chair to make the space more conducive to conversations (we just had a couch before, forcing extra guests to either pull up a dining chair or sit on the floor), and I switched up some of the wall decor. The main thing I decided I wanted was a new monochromatic wall hanging to replace the one I had already, which was in a color scheme I never really loved (see my blog post from last January, "A Touch of the 70s".) It's funny to me that last January I was so excited to find that wall hanging at Target, as stylish woven wall hangings were really hard to come by a year ago. But now they can be found all over Etsy and in hipster emporiums like Urban Outfitters. The 70s have become really cool again, macrame plant hangers and all! This couldn't make me happier. :)

After doing a thorough search of handmade wall hangings on Etsy, I thought I had decided on a plain black one that was very simple and modern looking, but I found it hard to commit to the $70 price tag. I just kept thinking I bet that would be pretty easy to make. So, after looking to Pinterest for some inspiration, I came across a basic idea I liked and that looked totally doable, then put my own spin on it. Here is the result:

This wall hanging took a bit of time but was super easy to make and cost me a grand total of $15 for the yarn. Here is what I used:

-1 ball of "Ginormous" black acrylic yarn bought at Michaels
-1 ball of regular black wool yarn
-thin black hemp cord
-found branch painted white and gold

To get started, I simply cut a slew of pieces of yarn, doubled the length I wanted them to hang (I believe I did 70 inches), and then I began tying them onto the branch, using a basic macrame knot called the Reverse Larkshead. Once you have strung all your yarn, you can just start going to town, braiding pieces together, knotting them at random intervals, basically doing whatever the heck you want. The "ginormous" acrylic yarn was a great find, because it is so chunky and already has a braided look, so it fills the space up nicely and gives it texture. But supplementing it with the thinner yarn and string makes the piece look much more interesting and complicated. I also added some tassels made from the regular black wool for visual interest (you could also try pom poms). The bottom line is, there are no complicated knots to learn here and no rules to follow. I painted the branch white with gold stripes to give it a more contemporary feel, but you could just leave the wood bare or use a metal dowel instead.

If you are itching to add a touch of the 70s to your space, but are worried about it looking like Marcia Brady moved in, this is a great project to try. Bad news (good news?) is now I'm hooked on wall hangings! I already know what my next project is going to be. Stay tuned for that one and what is likely to be much more 70s style coming your way in 2016!