Make your own initial art— with yarn!

It’s easy to create chic personalized artwork with ombré yarn and a craft store canvas! The craft pros at Michaels.com share the simple step-by-step:

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: ❑ 12"x12" canvas (such as the Artist’s Loft ® Back Stapled Canvas) 6" letter stencil set (such as the Helvetica font plastic stencil) Darning needle (such as Loops & Threads Yarn Darners in size 14/18) 1 skein variegated yarn (such as Red Heart ® Boutique Unforgettable Yarn in Tidal ) (All supplies available at Michaels.com) 1 Choose a letter from the set of stencils. Place the letter on the canvas, measuring with a ruler to make sure that it’s centered. Hold the letter in place with one hand, while you lightly trace around it with a pencil. 2 Thread your darning needle with a long (approximately 30"36") piece of yarn, leave a tail that’s about 4"- 6" long. Then make a knot at the end of the yarn. 3 Using the photo ( above) as a guide, create long, vertical stitches by piercing through the canvas with the needle and yarn. Gently pull yarn taut as you complete each long stitch. Continue to stitch vertical lines side by side with the yarn until the entire initial is complete. ■ TIP: If inside edges of your traced letter are covered by your vertical line, then stitch down into the canvas and up again where the letter continues. 4 If you reach the end of your threaded yarn, knot it at the back of the canvas by slipping the needle under a nearby stitch twice to create a loop. Thread the needle once through the loop you have created, then pull taut to create a knot. Trim the end of the yarn, re-thread and continue. Once you have finished stitching all of the lines to create your initial, knot the yarn at the back of the canvas and trim away excess. Place your frame on a stand as shown or hang.