design considerations

material

You can use any wood you choose so long as it is relatively strong and has the look that you are trying to achieve. We chose jute string because it has a very natural look and we liked the color. Other strings possess these characteristics and they are worth trying out. You could also try synthetic materials but keep in mind that pulling the string through the small holes involves plenty of rubbing which could damage the integrity of the string itself. Jute held up well to the rigors of the process.

size

We made a moderately sized wall hanging. This can be increased or decreased as desired. Keep in mind that the more holes you have and the larger the frame, the more string you will have to handle and pull through the holes. Doubling the size would make this project considerably more difficult.

other ideas

You could simplify this project dramatically by not using one string. You could tie knots along the way preventing you from having to pull the entire length through each cycle of the weaving process. We endured and actually enjoyed the complexity; in the end, it seems to add to the project knowing that it was made from one piece of wood and one length of string.