Our best string art tool: a hollow punch for leather | #LRCrafts - DIY Passion: if you can think it, you can make it
As string artists, my husband and I often find ourselves fielding questions about our technique. We collected them all in an FAQ page, but there’s one question, among the others, that continually pops out. It regards our weaving technique.
While some artists prefer the dexterity of hand weaving, we’ve found immense efficiency and precision using a unique tool: a hole punch for leather. This invaluable instrument, once belonging to my husband’s grandfather, has become a cornerstone of our string art projects.
String art, as many other crafts, isn’t just about creativity: it’s about finding the right tools to bring your vision to life. One of my husband’s favorite quotes: have the right tool for the task at hand.
So here’s how we use our hole punch for threading around nails.
My husband’s grandfather, as a shoemaker, used this tool to pierce holes in his leather cloths, while for us it has revolutionized our string art process.
A hole punch is a handheld tool that typically consists of a sturdy handle with a metal shaft ending in a sharp, circular blade. The blade is designed to cleanly cut through materials such as leather, paper, cardboard or fabric, creating precise holes of varying sizes, depending on the punch’s specifications. The handle sometimes includes a mechanism to compress the blade against the material with a simple squeeze, making it easy to use with minimal effort. Hole punches come in various sizes and designs, ranging from small handheld versions for crafting to larger, heavy-duty models for industrial use.
The beauty of this tool for string art creations lies in its simplicity. We take advantage of the hollow shaft, conceived to let the cut material out. The thread effortlessly slides within the punch, akin to a pen, allowing seamless maneuvering around each nail. When setting up the project, we ensure the space between nails accommodates the punch’s passage, for a smooth weaving with every stroke.
Since hole punches come in various sizes, you could have more than one, to be able to choose the most suitable for your project. The right size depends also on the yarn of choice.
Choosing the right yarn is paramount to achieving desired results. We prioritize three factors: ease of use with our weaving tool, durability against nail abrasion, and aesthetic appeal.
Our top pick? Bamboo yarn. Its smooth texture glides effortlessly through the punch, offering durability without sacrificing softness. While we’ve experimented with several fibers, such as acrylic, polyester, wool and cotton, we’ve found wool and acrylic less favorable, due to lint accumulation. Wool, moreover, is too delicate to be used with our hollow punch. Sewing thread, while sometimes delicate, lends itself well to intricate designs, offering a distinctly fine appearance.
Finding a hole punch, if you don’t have one, is pretty easy.
Since we inherited our own, we don’t have a specific brand to suggest, but searching for “hole punch leather tool” on Amazon or other craft supplies websites will get you good tools very similar to the one we use.
If you don’t want to buy one, you could nonetheless test out if this kind of weaving is right for you. A simple BIC ballpoint pen, emptied of its ink cartridge, can serve as a clever alternative. When you remove the ink cartridge from the pen, you leave an empty barrel. You can easily pass your yarn inside and weave.
So, a seemingly mundane tool, once utilized by my husband’s grandfather in his trade as a shoemaker, has become the backbone of our string art endeavors.
The simplicity of the hole punch belies its effectiveness in string art. Its hollow shaft, designed to expel cut material, serves as the perfect conduit for threading yarn, allowing for seamless weaving around each nail. The versatility of hole punches, available in various sizes and designs, further enhances their utility in crafting diverse string art projects.
As we continue to share our passion for string art, we encourage fellow artists to explore new techniques, embrace unconventional tools, and above all, find joy in the creative process. After all, as my husband often says, having the right tool for the task at hand can make all the difference in bringing your artistic vision to life.
We’d love to hear also from you! Share your own tips, tricks and favorite tools in the comments below. Let’s build a community of creativity and inspiration together!
Explore our string art projects
String artby Rici86.