With the simple material of twine, add a rustic, homemade feel to your artwork with just a few easy steps!

Step 1: Gather Materials.

You will need three materials to complete this task: twine, tape, and scissors. You can use any kind of twine or tape you prefer, but for my own project, I will be using transparent tape and jute twine, which can both be purchased from any art supply store or superstores such as Target or Walmart.

Step 2: Cut Twine.

First, remove your twine from the packaging. Measure three pieces for each side of your art, each piece a couple of inches longer than the side you are cutting for. It does not need to be an exact length, but it is better to have a longer piece than a shorter piece when producing the finished braid of twine. You will have twelve individual strings of twine grouped into sets of three.

Step 3: Braid Twine.

Next, we will braid the twine. Each group of three will be braided to complete one side of the frame. To braid, place the three strings side by side with little space separating them. If you are unfamiliar with a classic braid, employ the following steps.

For ease, we will call the left string "A," the center string "B," and the right string "C."

Use an inch of tape to keep the twine in place at the top.

Move C over B so that it is between A and B.
Move A over C so that it is between C and B.
Move B over A so that it is between A and C.

Do this, pulling the twine tighter each time to form your braid.

Caution: Your twine will leave remnants everywhere (including all over my black sheets).

Step 4: Tie the Knot (an Actual Knot, Unless You Want to Get Married!).

After making each braid, knot each end of the braid to fit the side of the paper using an overhand knot technique. If the braid is too long, feel free to cut some of it.

Step 5: Repeat.

Repeat steps 4 and 5 with each of the four groupings of twine until you are satisfied.

Step 6: Tape the Twine Braids.

Using approximately one inch of tape for each end and the center of each braid, tape the braids to your piece of art to hold the braids in place.

Step 7: Final Cut.

Finally, cut one last piece of twine to place in a loop at the top of your picture for hanging purposes. Mine is about about the size of my palm (four inches), with each end taped to the very top of the picture.