Things to Do with Art Yarn
Art yarn spans a vast range of strands that are more textured, often more colorful, and sometimes with added embellishments like beads or sequins compared to the relatively smooth style of ordinary yarn. People love to look at it, but they often hesitate to buy it because they don't know what they could do with it. There are lots of options, depending on the style of the yarn. If you sell art yarn, make a handout list of possible uses and good patterns, and you'll probably sell more of it.
On one end you have things like yarn made from recycled sari silk or lockspun wool. (Read about lockspinning or watch a video.) They're textured, they're visually interesting, but they're still sturdy. You can knit, crochet, or weave them into many of the same things as you would regular yarn such as shawls, scarves, hats, or sweaters. Simple patterns usually work better than elaborate ones; let the yarn create the interest.
Art yarn also makes a great accent when combined with ordinary yarn, and in this mode you can use yarns that are a bit wilder than something you'd want as a whole garment. For instance, tailspun yarn makes terrific fringe. You knit or crochet the ordinary part of the strand, letting the tails hang loose, and that process brings the tails closer together to make the fringe. Here is a knit pattern for boot toppers. Watch a video of tailspinning. Many types of art yarn can be used as accent stripes in a sweater or brim of a hat.
In general, weaving can accommodate wilder yarn than knitting or crochet. Check out this funky wrap made from several different art yarns. Items for wearing, like a shawl, will need to be sturdier; but wall hangings can be a lot looser and wilder. This video shows how to weave with art yarn.
Many types of art yarn make great doll hair, particularly for Waldorf dolls and other handmade cloth dolls. It also works with wooden dolls. This site sells lightly felted, natural fiber art yarns especially for doll hair. This tutorial discusses multiple ways to make doll hair. Here is a Honeysuckle Doll tutorial. I have a whole host of Waldorf dollmaking notes here.
On the far end, you have the kind of art yarn whose structure and/or embellishments make it unsuitable for most projects, so you have to think of something else. In one case I saw an art yarn spun like a Christmas tree, complete with plastic lights, tiny fake presents, and a star on top; I assume it was for a specific craft that would turn it into a tree sculpture of some sort. Sadly I couldn't relocate that video. A particular advantage of nonwearable art yarn projects is that you can use materials that you would be unable to wear due to allergies or other sensitivities. Just wash your hands after crafting if you're allergic to wool.
One excellent way to showcase this type of yarn is a freeform wall hanging with loose strands of yarn. You can knot, twist, or braid the strands. You can add embellishments like feathers or seashells. A good way to make the yarn hang straight is to put a bead or bell on the end of each one to weigh it down a bit. Here are a few different styles. These are more different types of yarn wall art.
Another option is couching, a type of embroidery where you make designs with one fiber and sew it down with another. You could even use the couching thread to add further embellishments such as beads or sequins. Couching is a good way to stabilize very chaotic art yarns so they don't fall apart. If you don't want to cross threads visibly over the art yarn, you can also sew into the back of it, a method that works well with bulky or fluffy yarns. This boho cushion has thick-and-thin art yarn couched over a black background.
Yarn painting is similar to couching but done with glue instead of thread to fasten the yarn onto a surface. It is typically done with thin smooth yarn, but there's no reason you can't use art yarn. This set of instructions for yarn painting shows art yarn in a few places.
For a yarn store or booth, it could interesting to set up some art yarn to sell by the foot or bag or something like that, so people could get many small samples of different colors and styles. This would be perfect for doll hair, wall hangings, etc. where you might want to mix and match many different things but couldn't afford to buy more than one or two skeins. It would also be a great way for the vendor to use up small amounts of yarn left over from craft classes or projects.
Art yarn also works great in geometric structures such as a god's eye, where the framework gives support but lets the yarn be itself. String art sculpture is another version, where the bolder colors and textures of art yarn can pop out more than thin smooth string. Here are some ideas for string art and god's eyes.
Working with art yarn means thinking about fiber like a sculptor thinks about wood or stone. In fact, if it's wool, you actually can sculpt with art yarn; people use it in needlefelting, like this sheep. You have to imagine what it wants to become, not try to force it into something you already want -- unless you're shopping at a yarn store for fiber that will suit a planned project. More often, you just fall in love a skein and then wonder what the heck to do with it. Here are some ideas for yarn art projects and pictures of art yarn projects. This video offers 12 tips for working with art yarn.
Finally, remember that art yarn is basically a very long, thin sculpture. If you love the look of a skein or a ball, there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting it in a display case like you would any other artwork. So far, people are just putting it in their craft stash and pretending they'll knit it all someday. You might as well be honest about it and just put it on display where everyone can enjoy it. If you decide to use one, you can always take it back out and replace it with a new one.
On one end you have things like yarn made from recycled sari silk or lockspun wool. (Read about lockspinning or watch a video.) They're textured, they're visually interesting, but they're still sturdy. You can knit, crochet, or weave them into many of the same things as you would regular yarn such as shawls, scarves, hats, or sweaters. Simple patterns usually work better than elaborate ones; let the yarn create the interest.
Art yarn also makes a great accent when combined with ordinary yarn, and in this mode you can use yarns that are a bit wilder than something you'd want as a whole garment. For instance, tailspun yarn makes terrific fringe. You knit or crochet the ordinary part of the strand, letting the tails hang loose, and that process brings the tails closer together to make the fringe. Here is a knit pattern for boot toppers. Watch a video of tailspinning. Many types of art yarn can be used as accent stripes in a sweater or brim of a hat.
In general, weaving can accommodate wilder yarn than knitting or crochet. Check out this funky wrap made from several different art yarns. Items for wearing, like a shawl, will need to be sturdier; but wall hangings can be a lot looser and wilder. This video shows how to weave with art yarn.
Many types of art yarn make great doll hair, particularly for Waldorf dolls and other handmade cloth dolls. It also works with wooden dolls. This site sells lightly felted, natural fiber art yarns especially for doll hair. This tutorial discusses multiple ways to make doll hair. Here is a Honeysuckle Doll tutorial. I have a whole host of Waldorf dollmaking notes here.
On the far end, you have the kind of art yarn whose structure and/or embellishments make it unsuitable for most projects, so you have to think of something else. In one case I saw an art yarn spun like a Christmas tree, complete with plastic lights, tiny fake presents, and a star on top; I assume it was for a specific craft that would turn it into a tree sculpture of some sort. Sadly I couldn't relocate that video. A particular advantage of nonwearable art yarn projects is that you can use materials that you would be unable to wear due to allergies or other sensitivities. Just wash your hands after crafting if you're allergic to wool.
One excellent way to showcase this type of yarn is a freeform wall hanging with loose strands of yarn. You can knot, twist, or braid the strands. You can add embellishments like feathers or seashells. A good way to make the yarn hang straight is to put a bead or bell on the end of each one to weigh it down a bit. Here are a few different styles. These are more different types of yarn wall art.
Another option is couching, a type of embroidery where you make designs with one fiber and sew it down with another. You could even use the couching thread to add further embellishments such as beads or sequins. Couching is a good way to stabilize very chaotic art yarns so they don't fall apart. If you don't want to cross threads visibly over the art yarn, you can also sew into the back of it, a method that works well with bulky or fluffy yarns. This boho cushion has thick-and-thin art yarn couched over a black background.
Yarn painting is similar to couching but done with glue instead of thread to fasten the yarn onto a surface. It is typically done with thin smooth yarn, but there's no reason you can't use art yarn. This set of instructions for yarn painting shows art yarn in a few places.
For a yarn store or booth, it could interesting to set up some art yarn to sell by the foot or bag or something like that, so people could get many small samples of different colors and styles. This would be perfect for doll hair, wall hangings, etc. where you might want to mix and match many different things but couldn't afford to buy more than one or two skeins. It would also be a great way for the vendor to use up small amounts of yarn left over from craft classes or projects.
Art yarn also works great in geometric structures such as a god's eye, where the framework gives support but lets the yarn be itself. String art sculpture is another version, where the bolder colors and textures of art yarn can pop out more than thin smooth string. Here are some ideas for string art and god's eyes.
Working with art yarn means thinking about fiber like a sculptor thinks about wood or stone. In fact, if it's wool, you actually can sculpt with art yarn; people use it in needlefelting, like this sheep. You have to imagine what it wants to become, not try to force it into something you already want -- unless you're shopping at a yarn store for fiber that will suit a planned project. More often, you just fall in love a skein and then wonder what the heck to do with it. Here are some ideas for yarn art projects and pictures of art yarn projects. This video offers 12 tips for working with art yarn.
Finally, remember that art yarn is basically a very long, thin sculpture. If you love the look of a skein or a ball, there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting it in a display case like you would any other artwork. So far, people are just putting it in their craft stash and pretending they'll knit it all someday. You might as well be honest about it and just put it on display where everyone can enjoy it. If you decide to use one, you can always take it back out and replace it with a new one.