Part 3 of How to Distress a Window Frame Tutorial
Once I had the vinyl added to the glass, the last part of this project would be that I wanted to add jute twine to hang pictures across the bottom portion of the window. If you missed the first two portions of this project, you can read the first one here and the second one here. Then, come back to see how I finished up this project.
Notes
I kept the window laying flat in a horizontal position for doing all the items listed below. For me, it was easier to work with it while it was on a flat surface.
Tools I used
- Measuring tape
- Ruler
- Drill
- Slip joint pliers
- Scissors
- Laminating sheets
- Cutting mat
- Exacto knife
- Hanging hardware
Screw eyes installed
The screw eyes are used to tie the twine to. But I waited to install them until after having the vinyl added so I would know exactly where to put them.
I measured 12” down from the top of the window and ½” in from the inner edge and made a mark.
Next, I used the drill to start a pilot hole.
Then, I screwed in the screw eyes by hand. One of them went in and seated really well. The other one stopped about halfway. I backed it out to remove it and used the drill again in attempts to lengthen the pilot hole. I tried the screw eye again, but it stopped halfway again. Instead of fighting with it any longer, I used pliers to tighten the screw eye all the way. Got it that time!
Twine added
Time to add the jute twine. I tied the right side in a double knot. Then pulled the left side taut and tied that side in a double knot as well. I didn’t leave any slack in the twine when tying it. The weight of the pictures will pull the twine down slightly making for a nice curve.
Clothes pins added
I used mini clothes pins to hang the pictures. There is a little gap in the pin that allows space for the twine to sit while still holding the picture tightly.
Pictures laminated
The pictures I used I printed at one of those instant stations at Wal-Mart. I choose the 4 x 4 option to allow room for more pictures to the size of the window. With them being printed instead of being developed, I wasn’t sure how they would hold up later on down the road. After discussion with my husband, I decided to laminate the pictures just to be safe.
To laminate them, I used self-laminating sheets that I found at Wal-Mart. (A different Wal-Mart trip than the pictures.) The instructions on the package are pretty easy to follow. Pull the top strip off, align your item and remove the rest of the backing. I used two sheets to laminate, one for the front and one for the back. I think the pictures would have been fine with only being laminated on one side, but I went ahead and completed both sides.
Once I had stuck the two sheets together, I was able to roughly cut the pictures apart. Then, went back and used a ruler and exacto knife to cut away the laminating plastic right along the picture on all sides.
Pictures added
To add the pictures, I lined them out in the order I wanted them to be. I used (7) pictures. With using an odd number; it allowed me to center one picture, then space the others from that. I positioned the 4th picture in the middle of the glass. I used the measuring tape to eyeball the center spot.
Original hardware added
Back at the beginning of this project, I had removed the hardware that was originally on the window. Now that all the painting and sanding is done and it’s almost ready to hang, I added the hardware back. It won’t be used for anything, only for looks.
Hanging hardware attached
I sure had a time in trying to figure out how to hang this project. I was going to use command hanging velcro strips. Well, the window has a lip on the backside. This prevented it from laying flush with the wall or even for the strips to be able to touch at all. Next, I was going to try a metal hanging bracket. Using that would make it visible from the front-side through the glass. So, that option was a no-go. I wanted the hanging hardware to be as inconspicuous as possible. Lastly, I decided to go with screw eyes and hanging wire. I used only the middle third of the window so the wire wouldn’t be seen through the glass. I measured 4 inches each way from the middle and inserted the screw eyes; following the same method I used for the screw eyes for the twine. I fed the wire through each screw eye and wrapped it around itself to secure the ends. With that complete, my husband helped to hang the finished project.
Finished project
And that is how to add details to a distressed window project. Here it is…the finished project. I hope you have enjoyed following along with this project, albeit it was a pretty lengthy one.
