Project

How To Stitch A Nylon-Twine House Number

Give your screen door a simple summertime makeover.

Photography: Aaron Dyer

Source: Martha Stewart Living, July/August 2014

Introduction

Inspired by a similar idea in Abbey Hendrickson’s book You Are Awesome (Cicada, 2012), we stitched a house number in colorful nylon twine directly into the mesh, using its existing grid as our foolproof guide.

Mason twine, by Everbilt, in Neon, $5.25 for 250 ft., homedepot.com

materials

Screen door

Chalk

Twine

Size 18 tapestry needle

Lighter or matches

Screen door number zero template

Screen door number one template

Screen door number two template

Screen door number three template

Screen door number four template

Screen door number five template

Screen door number six template

Screen door number seven template

Screen door number eight template

Screen door number nine template

steps

Print desired number templates; cut out.
Trace onto screen with chalk.
Thread a few feet of twine into a size 18 tapestry needle, testing to ensure it fits through the screen (it will fit through most); knot. (To keep ends of twine from fraying, carefully melt ends with a lit match.)
Starting at a corner of the number, insert needle from back of screen and pull through. Push needle back into screen at next corner (it’s okay if it’s a very long stitch).
Continue with stitches on alternating sides of screen until you reach starting point. Then stitch entire number again, so thread appears as a continuous line.
Knot cord and melt end.