• 0 items$0.00
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hands Occupied

Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

  • BLOG
    • Knitting
    • Crochet
    • Latch Hook
    • Macramé
    • Punch Needle
  • ABOUT
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • TikTok
    • YouTube

How-to: Hang a Giant Map

October 22, 2012 2 Comments

My husband has had this awesome map of The Essential Geography of the United States of America for several months now. It’s a map that Slate called “The Greatest Paper Map of the United States You’ll Ever See“, which immediately appealed to my husband’s appreciation for cartographically sound maps. That’s my guy!

The problem with amazing giant maps is how hard it is to hang them without dropping a huge stack of cash on custom framing. When my husband convinced me that maps should be an essential decorating element in our living room, I put my crafty skills to work.

How-to: Hang a Giant Map | HandsOccupied.com

Supplies

12 binder clips

2, 1/2″ thick x 48″ long dowels (My map was about as wide as my dowels were long, approximately 50 inches. If your poster is bigger, you might want to spend some time finding a dowel that’s the right size for your needs.)

12 eye screws

hacksaw

string that doesn’t stretch too much

a freaking giant map or poster

Directions

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Hold your hacksaw, teeth side up, between your legs. Carefully saw a line through the center of each end of one dowel by moving it back and forth over the teeth. This method sounds a little crazy, but it’s a lot safer than using the saw normally. I almost messed up my thumb really bad, believe me!

Knot your string at each end and secure it to each end of the dowel as shown. I used fishing line in my finished project, but opted for bright yarn for demonstration’s sake in the photos.

How-to: Hang a Giant Map | HandsOccupied.com

Screw half of your eye screws into one dowel, evenly spaced apart. Screw the rest of your screws in a similar fashion to the other dowel.

How-to: Hang a Giant Map | HandsOccupied.com

Pop a wing off of a binder clip and hook it into an eye screw. Reattach it to the binder clip.

How-to: Hang a Giant Map | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Hang a Giant Map | HandsOccupied.com

Attach the rest of your binder clips to all of the eye screws. When all of the clips are attached, twist the eye screws so that the binder clips all hang facing the same direction.

How-to: Hang a Giant Map | HandsOccupied.com

Clip your map to all of the binder clips and use the string to hang it up. Simple! I really like how bookish the map looks hung with school supplies. The dowels harken back to the rolled maps we used to have in my elementary school, which as a Librarian, I love.

How-to: Hang a Giant Map | HandsOccupied.com

You can visit the cartographer’s website to learn more about him or to purchase the map featured in today’s project. 

Filed Under: How-to Tagged With: binder clip, dowel, giant map, home decor, maps

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

Previous Post: « Vogue Knitting LIVE Ticket Giveaway Winner
Next Post: Home Decor Question for You! »

Reader Interactions

DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
Visit similar articles...

  • Over the Rainbow Softie – Free Crochet PatternOver the Rainbow Softie – Free Crochet Pattern
  • Picks of the WeekPicks of the Week
  • Stenciled Coffee Table MakeoverStenciled Coffee Table Makeover
  • Giant Valentine’s Day God’s EyeGiant Valentine’s Day God’s Eye

DON’T MISS ANOTHER UPDATE

Comments

  1. andrew

    November 4, 2013 at 6:13 am

    Great tip guys. it’s just what I need. a simple and practical way to hang a freaking big map. thanks for being so crafty.
    A

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Home Decor Question for You! says:
    June 8, 2013 at 9:43 am

    […] some time (and as little money as possible) in improving our living room. So far, we’ve hung the map featured in yesterday’s post, I’ve worked some crafty magic*, and we bought some vintage […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Never miss a tutorial with these short & sweet monthly updates.

Find Me on Social Media

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
Latch Hook by Heidi GustadDiscover Unique Items

Footer

INSTAGRAM

handsoccupied

Craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé
❤️ Email preferred

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
Nobody panic. This is just the back of an (admitte Nobody panic. This is just the back of an (admittedly insane) intarsia project. One day, this will be a seamed sweater, but today is not that day. 🧶 
.
Have a good weekend, everyone! 
.
Yarn: @universal_yarn’s Fibra Natura Cobblestone in Antarctica & Dragon’s Breath 
.
#handsoccupied #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #wip #knitting
Here’s how to work a Norwegian purl stitch for e Here’s how to work a Norwegian purl stitch for easier continental style knitting. With this purling method, the working yarn says tensioned (held) at the back of your knitting at all times. For many knitters, always holding the yarn at the back helps with tension issues, as well as feeling a little more comfortable. 
.
Have you ever encountered this style of purling before? If you’ve tried it, have you found it helps with your purl tension and knitting speed? I’m curious.
.
For a written tutorial, visit handsoccupied-dot-com. For video, you guessed it, You2be. Both of these platforms allow for longer, more in-depth versions of this tutorial, including full transcripts, alt text & the ability to pause, slow down or speed up at will. (Like if you really want to learn this, I recommend using a platform that doesn’t keep your hands occupied. Thinking of putting this in all my captions these days tbh - shout out to you if you made it this far. 🙌🏻😂)
.
#handsoccupied #learntoknit #continentalknitting #howtoknit #norwegianpurl #norwegianknitting #knit #knitting #knitter #knittersofinstagram #knittinghack  #handknitting #handknit #norwegianpurling
Have you ever tried this style of purl? . All thi Have you ever tried this style of purl? 
.
All this recent talk about throwing vs. continental style knitting made it clear many people struggle with purling in continental knitting. Turns out that Norway may have the answer! In Norwegian purling, the working yarn stays tensioned at the back at all times, helping with speed and tension. 🤯
. 
Head to the bl0g (🔗 in bi0) for a more in-depth look at how to work a Norwegian purl stitch, including a photo tutorial with animated GIF & a video tutorial. Wrapping your mind around how to work a stitch you’re familiar with in a totally new way can be confusing, so I tried to give a few options for clarity. 🤙🏻 Video is also on You2be. 
.
#handsoccupied #norwegianpurl #norwegianknitting #norwegianpurling #continentalknitting #howtoknit #learntoknit #knitterofinstagram #knitters
It’s been a hot second since I showed my face or It’s been a hot second since I showed my face or reintroduced myself, so here goes! I’m Heidi Gustad, a craft book author, pattern designer, and tutorial creator who specializes in yarn crafts. Lately, I’ve been focused on releasing quality knitting videos and related blog posts to help teach things like the difference between provisional cast ons and how to fix common knitting mistakes. Next week I’m shooting requested crochet and latch hook videos, so h👀kers, your time is coming! And if you ever have tutorial requests, please let me know. ☺️
. 
TLDR: I’m Heidi. I design & teach yarn crafts. You can find tutorials on my blog (est. 2010) & You2be. I also have several knitting & crochet patterns + a book about latch hook available. / All of these can be found on my website, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
.
#handsoccupied #fridayintroduction #heidigustad #knitting #knitter #knittersofinstagram #yarncrafts #latchhookbook
Are you a picker or a thrower? Do you knit Contine Are you a picker or a thrower? Do you knit Continental or English Style? Here’s a quick overview of the differences between the two most common knitting styles, including a side by side comparison. (A good one to save for future reference. 👍🏻) 
.
There’s more on the differences between picking and throwing in my latest blog post & You 2ube video - the l1nk is where you’d think!
.
#handsoccupied #learntoknit #knittingstyles #howtoknit #knittersofinstagram #knitter
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 / Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework / Branding by Ink + Mortar
All Site & Shop Policies / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy