Yarn Boards: The Original Collaboration
The first iteration of this board just had these neon stripes. 
One of many boards I have repurposed over the last few years. If the original design had nails, I will usually keep them in and incorporate them into the next design. 
On this board, I experimented with gluing squiggles of yarn for the first time. 
I make these shapes with embroidery thread and finish nails, and I call them “starbursts”. 
The pottery on this board is from a mug my roommate found on a hike. It sustained a large crack and started leaking tea, so I thought I could give it another life. 
A mixed media party! This board has it all: knitted swatches, tassels, embroidery thread, keys, bisqued pottery, and a dysfunctional incense holder. 
A while ago, I made a “pantone” series with three boards and rainbow yarn swatches. After a few months, I decide to repurpose the boards. 
Another repurposed pantone board. In addition to yarn and embroidery thread, I accented this board with polymer clay cones. 
These shards are from the edge of a broken plate. To get them the correct size, I put them in a cloth bag and smash them with a hammer. 
This is the best piece from my tassel phase. 
These little boards come as a set. They can be hung in various orientations. 
When I worked in a bakery, we used big turntables (15″) like this to decorate and stack wedding cakes. My dad made me two of them, and I turned them into yarn boards when I left the bakery. 
Pictured sitting on its base, these moveable piece can also be hung on the wall. 
Another turntable. I love giving it the occasional spin when I go up the stairs. 
My dad and I have been making these boards together since the fall of 2017. It started with an uncoordinated mass of knitted rectangle stretched and nailed to a 2′ by 3′ white board, a garish display that now hides in my childhood closet. Since then, the pieces have only gotten better. I’ve learned to work with unique color schemes, and Dad outfits each board with stains, inlays, and welded fixtures.
I can’t say how the original idea got planted in my little walnut brain, but I knew I had to act on it. My art experience in college was limited to creative writing (for a grade) and knitting the occasional scarf (recreationally). I’m a bit of a, uh, collector, so my stash of yarn grew pretty quickly with each trip to the thrift store. I didn’t feel qualified to jump into something like painting or drawing, but I loved the idea of making pieces of art that could hang on the wall. Enter stage right: Dad’s carpentry skills. I guessed that if I had a board and some nails, I could figure out a way to affix pieces of knitting to it. And, oh boy, did I ever.
My yarn board debut can still be seen in the very first Instagram post I ever made. Behold at your own risk. I vaguely understood the value of natural light in photography, so I dragged the whole thing up to the top of the EMU hill (a place rich with lore and history) at sunset and did my best with the camera on my phone.
While I am so glad my work has evolved, I’m thankful for Past Justine and her willingness to carve out a niche for herself. The yarn board concept moved with me from Virginia to Austin, Texas. Recent projects incorporate less nails and more glue, less knitted rectangles and more squiggles. Some boards have even become mixed media pieces; It turns out, you can use Elmer’s glue and superglue to attach just about anything to wood or canvas. Occasionally, you’ll see some polymer clay or broken pottery or embroidery thread.
Thank you to those of you who have followed along and even purchased my work. I find it Extremely Cool that people want to hang up my stuff in their house. If you want a yarn board of your own, please reach out and I’d be happy to make you something!
Other Stuff
Photo by David Carrales Photography. 
Rainbow Cart Family. The cart on the far right was my first painted cart; it was inspired by a Louis The Child and Joey Purp music video. 
Springtime in the Attic. Previously on display at Cherrywood Coffeehouse. 
Primary Eatery. For Sale at Imagine Art’s website 
Pastel Peaks. I used some lighter colors while following a Bob Ross tutorial. 
An old watercolor experiment and one of the first pieces of art I ever sold. 
Part 2 of the set of boards I did in exchange for a tattoo from @chidgeytattoos. 
I have to get creative with my photo backgrounds. For this one, I spread out the unholy amount of grocery bags that were living in my backseat. 
Photo by David Carrales Photography. 
Me with the patchwork rug I made with carpet samples for Imagine Art. Photo by David Carrales Photography. 
The Unbelievable French Pastry Living Under My Bathroom Sink 
Out In The Blue. Please donate all unique collage materials to your local artist.
This gallery gives you a little glimpse into my various art interests. I have experimented with painting shopping carts, filling bottles with food, paper collage, and crocheting worms.