I work at a public library that has no street signs alerting folks who we are. I wanted to make a colorful, eye-catching, make-you-stop-in-your-tracks installation for people walking down the street or even driving along the road.

It requires basic math and measuring, but the installation is totally removable and easy to put up.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Tools:

Scissors
Exacto Knife
Tape Measurer

Materials:

Yarn (The amount needed depends on your windows length)
Screw Eyes (I used forty 5/16" and thirteen 1/4" screw eyes per window.)
Adhesive Velcro
Balsa Wood 1/2"x1/2"x3' (Amount depends on window size)

Step 2: Planning Your Display

OK, here's where the math skills come into play. Measure the window's width. I suggest spacing screw eyes 1" apart at the top of the window. I used screw eyes 3" apart at the bottom of the window to create a fanning out look with the yarn.

So your math work is basic division, my windows are 42" wide, so i divided that by 3 to figure out how many screw eyes I'd use on the bottom ledge.

Since I used 3 colors, the three fans intersect on the bottom 13 screw eyes. You can change the amount of colors and spacing to create whatever design you'd like.

Step 3: Prepare the Wood

I cut the balsa wood to the window's width. I needed to add a small strip of balsa since my windows are wider than 36".

I used a measuring tape to mark off 1" and then screwed the screw eye hooks into the wood. I made sure not to press down too hard because of the softness of the balsa. I put the larger screw eye hooks 3" apart in the lower piece of wood.

Once the screw eyes were in, the wood was ready for the windows.

Step 4: Attach the Wood to the Window

I used sticky back velcro in black to attach the wood to the window. I cut the velcro strips in half so it would fit better on my window ledge.(The strips have been up for over three months in heat and cold and have not fallen off.)

Step 5: String-a-Ling

Here is the fun, most satisfying, but slightly frustrating part....stringing!

I started by threading the yarn through the lower hook and basically sewing up and down the hooks like a snake. Doing it this way, I could pull the yarn from the yarn skein, without needing to pre-cut an amount. I wanted to make sure each top screw eye had the yarn going up-in-and-down, so when tying off the last strand, it looks a little doubled up. Once you layer more strands or colors on, you won't be able to see that as much.

I tied the yarn off at the bottom screw eye since it was larger and also cut the yarn from the skein at the first large bottom screw eye and tied it there.

Tips:

Even pulling from the skein, there's a little jiggling to make enough slack as you thread. Just keep it in mind to pull extra yarn as you go along. You'll almost feel like you're raising a sail up and down as you pull the thread.
Put tape around the end of your yarn to make threading easier.

Step 6: Finishing

Continue to string through all the screw eyes.

Make sure to secure knots on the hooks.

You will be able to see saggy strings which could mean your wood is coming unstuck or the yarn needs to be pulled a little tighter.

And now enjoy!!