DIY Harp String Art

String art made a comeback awhile ago, but have you ever seen harp string art? I might have missed the high point in its most recent revival (did I? or is it still cool?), but I hope you still enjoy this project.

This would be cool to have as decoration if you had a themed recital of either through the decades or the 1970s.

Supplies:
-wood or particle board (mine is covered with a piece of thick scrapbook paper…which is more lime green in real life than in the pictures)
-yarn, string, or thread – one color for the strings and one for the harp
-hammer
-nails
-pattern (download here)
-pliers (optional, not pictured to the left)

Secure your pattern to your board (I used duct tape eighth notes from this).
Next, hammer in nails where you want strings attached. the template has guides, but they aren’t perfect….I added a few extra nails.

Continue adding nails about the same distance apart, until you have followed along both the outside and the inside. Again, you can use the template as a guideline, but feel free to alter it (I didn’t follow it exactly).

Be careful not to hurt your harp fingers! You can use pliers or something similar to hold the nail in place if you are concerned you might whack an unsuspecting digit. 🙂

Make sure all the nails are secure in the board, and carefully tear away the paper template.

Secure any nails that might be loose. Continue to secure loose nails when necessary throughout the project.

Attach the yarn that you’re using for the strings with a double-knot. Then weave the yarn in a zigzag pattern to make the strings. Tie off with a double-knot (that part can be tricky). Trim the ends if necessary. Then, push the “strings” down to the board.

Start your next color of yarn with a double-knot like before. Wind the yarn around the nails in various patterns, filling in the body of your harp.

Finally, wind the yarn around the edges to outline the harp and strings. I did this twice, so there is yarn on each side of the nails. Tie off the yarn and trim, like you did with strings.

​Now enjoy your harp string art!

What do you think? Don’t forget to tag me in your version of this harp string art or use #Fischarper!

-Barbara

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Barbara Fischer runs Fischarper, LLC and loves her job as a harpist and private music educator. She enjoys blogging about various aspects of the music field on fischarper.com/blog. For more music resources, check out the Fischarper Teachers Pay Teachers Store and Making Harp Lessons Exciting For Young Children, written by Bambi Fischer (Barbara’s mom!) and revised and edited by Barbara. You can connect with Barbara all over the interwebs on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.