How to Make a Basket From a Clothesline
Clothesline baskets are coiled baskets made by wrapping strips of fabric over a clothesline cord. Such baskets are very versatile items that are able to be created in a variety of sizes and colors. These baskets can be made to match a room's color and style or can be made using leftover fabrics from other projects. Baskets created from a clothesline are practical for both storage and organization, and can serve as accessories to complement a home's decorative style.
Things You'll Need
- Fabric
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting board
- Cutting board ruler
- Large plastic needle
- 4 yards 1/4-inch diameter clothesline cording
Instructions
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1
Cut the fabric into 1/2-inch wide strips horizontally from the fold to the selvage edges. Cut the selvage edges away. Fabrics average 44 to 45 inches and 58 to 60 inches in width; therefore, the strips will be approximately that length.
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2
Thread a strip into the needle for a 2 inch tail. There is no need to knot the fabric.
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3
Wrap one end of the clothesline tightly with the long tail of the threaded fabric. Wrap 2 inches of the clothesline while slightly overlapping the fabric strip over itself.
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4
Hold the clothesline and fabric in place and curl the fabric-covered clothesline to create the center of a spiral which is the basket's center bottom.
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5
Insert the needle into the middle of the spiral and pull the fabric through until it is taut. This action wraps the fabric around the coils and holds them together.
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6
Wrap the clothesline another 2 inches, spiral the cord and pull the needle between the new and original coils to hold them together. Each time this is done, it binds the coils and builds the basket, making stiching or sewing unecessary. When the fabric strips runs out, thread a new strip and use it to overlap the end of the prior strip around the clothesline.
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7
Spiral the cloth-covered clothesline while following the wrapping and stitching steps until you have a 2 1/2-inch, disc-like shape for the basket bottom.
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8
Secure each remaining layer of cloth-covered clothesline on top of the outer spiral of the basket bottom to form the basket's sides by following the wrapping, coiling and stitching steps. Build the sides as high as you may like or until the cord runs out.
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9
Finish the basket by securing the fabric at the end of the coil and slipping the needle through the wrapped portion to create a knot. Cut the remaining fabric away and tuck the end inside the wrapped portion.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't have time to cut and prepare the fabric, you can use pre-cut fabric strips called jelly rolls.
Tear the fabric into strips instead of using a rotary cutter. Some fabrics will tear more easily than others.
Use additional cording to make larger baskets.
