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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!

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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.

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

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  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