Yarn Hoop Lamp

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• 3 different sizes of embroidery hoops: 16", 14", 12"
• 3 different colored skeins of yarn
• 1 roll of jute, medium thickness
• 1 key ring 2" diameter
• Metal chain 36"
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Needle-nosed pliers
• Wire cutters
• Scissors

DIRECTIONS:

1. First, create the feathers: Take the jute and tie one end to a chair. Take the over end and tie around your waist, or step on it on the floor making it taut.
2. Take your first 8" piece of yarn and tie on the taut jute in the middle of the piece of yarn.
3. Continue to tie on pieces of yarn sliding them up after you have tied them on.
4. Make your feather about 6" in length. After you have created the first bunch, while still on the taut jute, trim it on both sides angling in towards the bottom tip. Place a small dab of hot glue at the bottom to keep the yarn in place on the jute.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 and make enough feathers to go around the embroidery hoop. Each hoop will take at least 12-24 feathers depending upon the size of the hoop.
6. Take each feather and place at the top of the hoop. Wrap the top center piece (the jute) over the top edge of the hoop and glue in place. Keep attaching feathers around the hoop making sure to angle them in different directions.
7. Do this for each hoop using a different color for each hoop.
8. Attaching the hoops: Once you have made each hoop covered with dangling yarn feathers, you will need to cut 4 pieces of yarn about 12" in the color for each hoop. Tie the yarn on the top hoop and then measure down about 6". Using a sharpie, make a mark on the yarn. This is where you will have the knot of the yarn stop when you attach the next lower hoop to the top one. You have to do this at 4 evenly spaced out places around the hoop.
9. Make sure you have enough distance between hoops to allow the feathers to dangle. Too tight and it looks bunched up. Too loose and you will see space (air) between the layers.
10. Repeat step 8 to attach the bottom hoop as well.
11. Once you have all three hoops together, you are going to make the chain and keyring hoop to hang the lamp.
12. Lay the top hoop on a flat surface and measure the distance from the edge to the center of the hoop. Cut three chains that length. Evenly space out the three chains around the hoop. Open the link at the end and wrap the chain around the hoop and then close it with your needle nose pliers. Do this for each chain.
13. Open the links at the end of each chain and attach to the keyring in the middle of the lamp. This will be how you can hang it or you can slip in over a light fixture that is on a hanging cord as a lampshade.

JOANN HACKS:

• When attaching the wire chain at the top, it is easier if you attach it before you glue the feathers on it. It also helps if you have a protractor. Lay the hoop on a piece of paper and trace the hoop on the inside with a pencil. Find the center of the hoop. Using the protractor, you can find exactly where to attach the chains on the hoop by dividing it into thirds from the center.