Thursday, September 5, 2013

DIY Decorated Clothes Hanger

Hey guys! Today I'm super excited to share a DIY project with you for a decorated clothes hanger! This project was actually not on my radar until late last week when I got a super exciting email from the folks at Buzzfeed asking me to come up with a DIY for a pretty decorated clothes hanger for an upcoming post! Guys, my brain kind of exploded, I was so excited!

Now that it's up on Buzzfeed, I can share the project with you here! You should also be sure to go check out the post on Buzzfeed to see all the other awesome ideas people came up with!

When I was approached about this project, I had honestly never thought about decorating my hangers before. But why not??? I love clothes, I love organizing, I love all sorts of pretty little things, so decorating clothes hangers is actually a great project. Immediately, my brain started swimming with ideas. I thought about doing some string art in the middle section, covering the hanger with fabric, painting a fun pattern on it, or maybe insetting fabric into the middle section. Then it hit me: why not decorate the hanger bar with embroidery floss? Yea, that's right, I went all friendship bracelet style on this hanger!

This project is super simple to do, but does take some time, so it's a perfect project to do while you're watching a good movie or having a relaxing day at home.
If you want to make one yourself, you'll just need some simple supplies: a hanger with a bar (preferably a wooden one), four colors of embroidery floss or thin yarn, and scissors.
1. Cut a piece of embroidery floss about 36” long, and then cut a piece of each of the remaining colors of embroidery floss to the same length.
2. Tie the bundle of embroidery floss around the bottom rung of the hanger and knot it in place. Be sure to leave about 1” of embroidery floss at the end of the knot so you’ll be able to hide the ends.
3.  Select your first color of embroidery floss. With the bar of the hanger vertical and the hook of the hanger to your right, hold the remaining pieces of embroidery floss and the ends from the knot flush with the hanger bar. Then, take the selected piece of embroidery floss, bring it to the left, and then over the hanger bar, forming what looks like a “4”. Next, bring the end of the embroidery floss around the back of the hanger, and through the “4” shape. Pull tight to make your first knot.
4.  Continue step 3 with your first color until you have a section of color the length of your liking. When you are ready to switch to the next color, simply bring the color you were working with back to flush with the hanger bar, select the next color of embroidery floss, and repeat step 3 with that color. Continue these steps, alternating colors to your liking, until you reach the end of the hanger bar.

5.  As you work, you will need to add additional lengths of embroidery floss to the existing ones so you can continue with your work. To do so, simply cut another 36” of that color and tie the new length of embroidery floss to the older one, and then trim the ends to about 1/2". Be sure to think ahead, so you can hide the knot under the other colors of embroidery floss as you work.

6. When you reach the end of the hanger bar, tie a tight knot around it, and trim the ends.
Voila! You're done! Now you have a beautiful hanger to hang your lovely clothes on!

Til next time!

-Becca


Follow me on:

29 comments:

  1. Wow! This is really really really cute! One day when I have all wooden hangers (dare to dream, am I right?), I'm totally going to be doing this for all of them!

    Elyse @ Cuddly as a Cactus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, that sounds great! I hope the day comes sooner rather than later!

      Delete
  2. Cute! Such a good idea and it uses a skill that many of us gals are quite talented at. ;) I think I could still make friendship bracelets in my sleep after all of those years at summer camp.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh man, me too! I was a friendship bracelet making machine as a kid!

      Delete
  3. Awe this is so cute! I definitely need to try this!

    heyniki.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is such a cute project and I love the colours you've used! xx

    www.jessthetics.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh sweet, congrats on the BuzzFeed feature! They are picking all the best bloggers don't you think? ;) I LOVE this idea, it is very cute. It would be a sweet way to gift a clothing article. Nicely done!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very clever idea! I really like it!

    Sofie x
    http://littlegreensofie.blogspot.be/

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is a fun idea. It reminds me of a pair of hangers that I actually own from the 50's. Instead of having the bar decorated, someone made a crochet net all over the hanger. It prevents dresses and finer things from sliding off the hanger.

    BTW, congrats on the Buzzfeed feature. That's really cool.

    Adriana | birchandleaf.blogspot.no

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! I love those crocheted hangers from the 50s. They're so cute!

      Delete
  8. This is so cute!! Thank you for the idea just followed you on bloglovin because I can't wait to see more

    xx

    www.withacitydream.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is gorge! Do u reckon you could decorate hangers with washi tape too? Xx

    http://hipslikecinders.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You could totally do washi tape! I was thinking about that, too!

      Delete
  10. That's such a cute idea! I have so many clothes though :( it would take me years to do all of them

    http://ncboodah.blogspot.ca

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi! Becca.
    I love your blog.
    Kss.
    Mercedes.
    cocoon-mer.blogspot.com.es

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the colors you selected! I can't remember - as a kid did you do the friendship bracelet hair wraps? I am guilty as charged. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't, but I was insanely jealous of everyone who did. I do remember you braiding ALL of my hair into tiny little braids. It was awesome. Or at least I thought it was when I was 10!

      Delete
  13. You could also wrap a strip on each side of the shoulder of the hanger to stop clothes from slipping off. I'm not sure what thread would be the best non-slip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Grace! That's a great idea! I bet some wool yarn would work well for that.

      Delete
  14. This DIY is so so cute! Your blog always inspires me to be more creative :)

    Xo, Hannah

    sweetsweetnoir.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thanks Hannah! I'm so glad to hear that my blog helps get your creativity flowing.

      Delete
  15. What a great idea! It looks lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  16. suuuuuuch a great idea! you're a genius!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks, Marlen! You're the best!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Why Plastic hangers do not make a slightly more resistant materials? is impossible for the clothes are thereby orderly

    ReplyDelete
  19. The whole idea is to have the magazines within arm's reach. This is a coat hanger tree made from several wooden hangers.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.