Looking for a quiet-time activity that’s creative, colourful, and completely mess-free? This yarn pen painting hack might be the coolest way to “paint” without a brush — or paint! It’s a fun twist on yarn art, and all you need are a few simple supplies.
Kids can use yarn to draw directly onto sticky tape, creating one-of-a-kind works of art. It’s a simple and budget-friendly craft that’s surprisingly relaxing, and it’s perfect for exploring shapes, colour, and design. Plus, it’s a great boredom buster for kids of all ages!
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How to Make Yarn Pen Art
Materials:
Watch the step-by-step video tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Create a frame
- Cut a “picture frame” from a piece of cardboard. Ours has a 4 x 7 inch area to work in, with a 1 inch border, but you can cut yours to whatever size you’d like.
- Run packing tape across the frame, from one side to the other.
- Repeat so that the opening is completely covered in tape.
- Now flip the frame over so that the sticky side of the tape is facing up.
Step 3: Prepare the pen
- Take apart a ball point pen, removing the lid, end cover, and ink. Set those to the side and keep the pen “body” and tip.
- Feed yarn down through the pen from the top.
- Then pull the yarn through the tip of the pen.
- Screw the tip back onto the pen, and you’re ready to make some yarn pen art!
Step 4: “Draw” with the pen
- Use the pen to “draw” with the yarn. The yarn will stick to the tape as you move your hand.
- When you’re happy with what you’ve drawn with one colour, cut the yarn close to the tape.
- Remove the first yarn from the pen and feed in a different colour. Continue to make shapes across the tape.We found that rounded shapes stuck a lot easier to the tape compared to sharp angles.
- Repeat, adding another colour or two, until you’re happy with your design. You can also go back to previous colours, adding them in different areas.
- Your yarn pen art is complete!
- Have fun making different designs and using different colours to create funky abstract “paintings!”
Helpful Tips:
- Having trouble getting the yarn through the pen tip? You can use a thin wire or fishing line to thread the yarn through the tip, or even poke it through with a toothpick.
- Make sure the yarn feeding into the pen stays slack. If it doesn’t, it can pull the yarn off the tape.
What kind of pen works best for yarn pen art?
The best pen for yarn pen drawing is a basic ballpoint pen that easily comes apart. Look for one that you can unscrew and remove the ink tube from without a lot of effort. Pens with a transparent case also make it easier to feed the yarn through and see what you’re working with.
Basically, you don’t need anything fancy to make this yarn art. We bought our pens at the dollar store, but you can also look at the back of your junk drawer for a pen that’s out of ink!
Can I use any type of yarn to make this easy yarn art?
You can use just about any type of basic yarn for this yarn art painting technique, but some yarns will work better than others. This craft is also the perfect way to use up scraps from old projects, since you don’t need much of each colour.
Thin or medium weight yarn works best, since it slides through the pen tip easily. This also means it will stick to the tape better. Acrylic yarn is ideal since it’s smooth, lightweight, and flexible.
Avoid super fuzzy yarns like chenille or novelty yarns, as they’re harder to guide and may not adhere well to the tape. Chunky yarn is also harder to control, and it doesn’t glide as easily through the pen.
What kind of tape should I use for this yarn pen painting hack?
Clear packing tape is the best choice for painting with yarn, since it gives you a wide, smooth, sticky surface to “draw” on. You’ll want to layer strips of tape side-by-side until the whole opening of your cardboard frame is covered.
Clear contact paper works too, especially if you want a slightly larger sticky area, or are working with a group of kids.
If you’d like to preserve your child’s yarn masterpiece, cover the finished side with another layer of tape or contact paper to seal everything in.
Yarn pen art is such a neat way to get creative with things you probably already have at home! It’s perfect for quiet afternoons, rainy days, or just a screen-free moment of calm. Whether your kids are creating swirls, spirals, smiley faces, or flowers, they’ll love watching their yarn drawings come to life on the sticky tape.
Here’s even more yarn and cord craft ideas:
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Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
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