For those who wish to knit or crochet, try starting with the larger needles. It makes the item go quickly. Big is anything over a size 15. Some needles are huge, almost broomstick size. I got into knitting a couple years ago, DD wanted a pancho for school. Panchos were just starting to get popular. I made it pretty fast, loose weave was pretty, so garment was light and not overly hot in school. Just a couple rectangles sewn together, so there was a point in front and back, head opening. I crocheted an edging with real fluffy yarn in a nice contrast color. Turned out well, she got lots of compliments on it. If you use synthetices, you can run it thru the washer. Wool FEELS so nice, but does take extra care and summer storage for moth prevention. For kids, synthetics are the way to go, keep clean easily. I also crochet, actually prefer it. But finding a large hook, size S, made it fun crocheting rugs with strips of old cloth. I have made a number of rugs now, and they are fast to do, wash wonderfully. I just hang them on a lawn chair to dry on the porch. I just make the pattern up as I go along. I have squares and ovals, all about 36" x 24". Seems to be a good lap size, bigger is harder to handle and heavy. Sizes will fit well in front of the sink, bathroom shower, back door for the dog to lay on. I might put a piece of no-slip stuff under it, to keep rug still on a vinyl or wood floor. So if you are considering doing knitting or crochet, try just doing some easy squares, in a large size like 36"x36", using a big hook or pair of needles. You might want the needles with a string between the ends, easier to use with wider knit projects. Knitting is just back and forth, so the string/cable needles are very handy with bigger pieces. You only need to know one stitch to start, get good at it, to finish the piece. I did some with knit on one side, purl on the other. Really basic, but pretty with nice yarn. Pieces that size or slightly longer, can make lap robes, baby afghans, or be put together for a larger sized afghan. Really go quickly to finish. I tend to watch TV when working, don't need a lot of attention to project with only one stitch on each side, just keep doing the same thing. Other good, fast projects are hats. They can go quickly, done in a couple days or less. Can be done knitted or crocheted flat, then sew the edges together to be round. I consider myself a beginning knitter and crochet person. Only have a couple stitches in my skill list, but you can do a lot with just basics. Very fun to produce an object, rug, hat, with these basics. I HAVE learned to do cables this winter, so am moving up the skill levels. Cables are surprisingly easy! Now on to learning to do pattern reading! My SIL was making scarves a couple years ago, just one stitch. Now she does FANCY socks, lookes almost embroidered. Needles are so tiny, that she can do pictures on the socks. Huge jump in skill, just trying new stuff. I think she keeps all her socks, wears them to show off! As well she should, they are amazing. The knee socks shown above, are very attractive. I will try some one of these days! I am planning to work on mittens first though. We can always use mittens around here. Have to get the thumb part down. Maybe then I will be ready for sock heels and 4 needles like my mother does them. I do some painting of items used in the gardens. Stepping stone enhancement, coloring some statues, ironwork that I have around. Not really original stuff, not the artist. Painting is a winter thing, too busy in summer. Also do some sewing, with fancy pillowcases being an inspiration this year. LOTS of elaborate lace trim, which is fun to look at on colored cases. Make good gifts at Christmas and other occassions. I am using the few inches left over as trim on a case for the couch pillow. Just many kinds of lace on a piece of material, to be used as an accent piece. Kind of fun doing fancy, after using the sewing to mostly repair work clothing. Made some tank tops for DD, all the kids need a lot of them to layer. I had the material, she chose the colors she wanted. I will be letting her do the next ones, pinning neck and arms takes all the time. Then she can make more when she wants them. About an hour each shirt. Rolling knife is a big time saver there. We used her purchased shirts as patterns, just cut around them, so they were just the right style and sizing. I don't want any clothing to look "homemade" because no one will wear it. My "Arty" skills come out in putting things together, some designing talents, not a pictoral art skill. I did a lot of picture framing over winter to get the art stuff up on the walls. We had gathered quite a lot, not hung it before. Priced getting it professionally matted and framed. ACKK!! The PRICES THEY WANTED!! I checked out mat cutters and got one, bought some frames to do it myself. That was fun, picking matting colors, cutting the mats, double layers or fancy cutting, framing it up. Very satisfying to see them all finished up. Those who have seen the walls of pictures, like it too. Good thing Art can cover a lot of talent and skills!

Exactly! the very center (i.e.: of the big imaginary square) will be half way between the left pics and the right one, next to the split between the two pics on the left. That is your center. And you want pics lower rather than higher on walls, slightly below center (between sofa top and crown moulding, if you have it, or where the ceiling meets the wall. If you don't care for that arrangement, which it seems you don't, what you might want to do is get some masking tape, actually create, to scale, the imaginary square on the wall (which gives you all the right scale and dimensions as they relate to wall size and height with the sofa back), then transfer the tape square to a floor, and try different arrangements. I also think if you have more of those pics, you should use them. It's a good-size space behind your sofa.

I truly know that you have better visualization skills than I do, but I think I have lived with the blank empty wall for so long, that I may just have to do it in stages. I did try the blue painters tape and that is a great idea(because laying them on the floor, while a good help, is very different than in the context with the sofa).....so if my husband does not go ballistic (he has been asking me daily and monthly about hanging pix already!!) I will likely have the one big one by itself. Maybe once I get used to that, I will add others. I love wall groupings in everyone else;s house, but am chicken to do it here. I did do one small one on a kitchen wall and I love itI so appreciate your wisdom. Thank you. (If I do get something hung today I will for sure post it and share.) I appreciate your giving me the courage to get moving.

At first glance it looked like a.) somebody barfed on the keyboard or b.) the crime scene where the piano player died. To the OP: You're thinking about it wrong. Three pictures with all the matting and the space round each one will mean that the pictures will be so small that they will be indistinguishable from the distance that people will see them. You want one large piece. If people could get closer comfortably, then a group of 3 might work, but not in that setting. But first of all, decide what you want for art--the frames and mattes are the last thing that should be driving your decision; the artwork comes first. So--what do you like? What speaks to you? Buy that.