Do you guys ever feel like there’s a bit of a shortage when it comes to chic office supplies? Of course, there are the classic lucite options, but if I’m going to spend eight (or nine, or ten…) hours a day at my desk, I wouldn’t mind the company of some interesting and pretty organizational accessories. Since Lisa Frank is no longer deemed stylish, I set out to fix this problem DIY style, and discovered a new appreciation for standard steel mesh office supplies. Turns out the mesh makes the perfect canvas for cross-stitching, and since these supplies are super cheap, it’s a quick and fun way to give your workspace an instant facelift. I had so much fun working on this project that I had to share the step-by-step with all of you, after the jump!

I absolutely love the color selection offered by Lily Sugar ‘n Cream yarn. I picked up five favorites at the local craft store: pink, orange, light blue, royal blue and white.

Stitching takes time. For me, this activity was perfect for relaxing on the couch and catching up on hours of HBO.

  1. Spray paint office supplies and allow to dry.
  2. Cut a 2-foot long piece of yarn.
  3. String through the eye of a yarn needle.
  4. Determine where you would like your first ‘X’ to go. Coming from behind the mesh, thread the needle all the way through the bottom-left corner of the ‘X,’ leaving a 1-inch tail in back.
  5. Weave over and through the top-right corner of the ‘X’ to create your first stitch.
  6. From behind the mesh, thread the needle through the top-left corner, and over to the bottom-right corner.
  7. Drop down one hole and start your next ‘X’ there, repeating steps 3 and 4.
  8. Repeat step 5 to create a third ‘X’.
  9. To angle your diagonal upward, move up two holes from your last stitch, and mark that as the top-left corner of your ‘X’. Repeat once, and then begin angling downward according to steps 3 and 4.
  10. Once you’ve competed one zig-zag row, snip the yarn at the end. No need to glue or not — the stitches with stay in place.
  11. To begin the next row down, return to your starting point and repeat, moved down one hole.

*photos by Camille

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Chanel Dror