Scrap-busting Fabric Bowl



Last week my mom sent me a crafty care-package. Yes, my mother still sends me care packages, how great is that?? Included was a fabric bowl from my childhood home as inspiration and 12 yards of 1/2″ piping cord. I had no excuse! I had to whip up a Scrap-Busting Fabric Bowl. Here’s what you do…


Gather ye scraps. I used shades of green with a few pops of peach and blue. Less than a yard total worth of scraps.

Tear your fabric into 1″ strips. Pull off any lose threads but no need to go crazy, there will be more to trim later.

This is 1/2″ piping cord. I used 6 yards (!) for a 12″ bowl. I think it would be worthwhile to shop the hardware store for similar cord/rope to save some $$. Just make sure it’s fairly smooth, flexible and not too heavy.

Start with a strip and cover the end of rope, then wrap fabric around end of rope to secure.

Continue wrapping fabric around rope, keeping fabric flat and covering rope completely. Curl the end of the rope in a tight spiral as you go.

When you have wrapped enough rope to to enclose the tip as shown here, use a small crochet hook and pull the fabric from the outer rope up through the center of the spiral.

Pull the fabric through and continue wrapping around outer-most layer of rope.

If your strips are fairly short, you can sew a few together end to end but not more than a yard in length at a time. That will make it too difficult to work with.

At this point you should alternate single wraps around outer rope, with doubles wraps around the outer two layers of rope. Keep your fabric flat, tight and cover all rope.

Continue to use the crochet hook to pull the fabric through.

To change a fabric without sewing… end with a wrap around the outer single layer of rope.

Add a new strip by covering the end of the previous strip with the new end and wrap all the way around tightly. Proceed with a double wrap to secure and carry on.

Continue wrapping and threading, making sure that your bowl base is flat.

Once your base is the rights size (I did 7-8 rows but this is completely your choice) Move the rope up to about a 45 degree angle from the base and continue wrapping with alternating single and double wraps.


You can continue angling your rows out at a 45 degree angle for a shallow bowl or turn up 90 degrees for a tall bowl. I did 45 degrees.

More pulling the fabric through with the hook.

And more wrapping.

Starting to look good!

Now my bowl is my desired height but one side is short because it’s a spiral.

Find the side that is lower and and cut off your rope to even out that lower side. Cut it at an angle like this if possible.

Continue wrapping to cover and hold down the end of the rope.

Pull the end tightly to secure and then wrap through one more time leaving the loop loose.

Pull the end of the fabric through the loose loop and pull tight in a knot.

Then snip off your end and you are done! If you have lots of loose threads just snip them off but no need to get them all, it’s part of the charm.

This makes a great house warming gift on it’s own but could also be filled with goodies as a baby shower gift. I love having extra baskets around for storage of pretty little things.


 This one was made especially for my difficult to accessorize green sitting room!

Where it was promptly filled with shells purchased in a tourist shop on our recent trip to Destin, Florida. (Ha, there were no shells on the beach and the girl wanted shells, what can I say?)

Here is the original inspiration, the bowl my mom made over 25 years ago!

Why do I feel like I’m going to picking up shells every day for the next year?

Stay tuned, we have a great giveaway coming this afternoon!

by

52 Comments

AnnaPK

Love the bowl, looks fun to make! The shells make me laugh, my mom has a basket of shells and whenever we stay at her house I end up picking up shells a million times. So- have fun with that! ;D

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MzSugarCookie

I will be making this! My heart still hurts a little over my lack of a pallet daybed, but I think this bowl will make me love my living room even more 🙂

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Jacinda

Erin B-Not sure about the 550 rope but I just bought 100 feet of it for $8 on Amazon. That stuff looks awesome! So many colors!

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Jacinda

One thought is that the 550 is MUCH thinner. The fatter your rope, the faster your project will go. with 5/32" this will take a LONG time!

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30 on Mom

This is great. I've wanted Native American baskets to hang on my wall…but they are to pricey for me right now. I can totally do this instead.(and it will still be an Indian basket because I am 🙂 <3)

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Stephanie

I have LOTS a scrap fabric just waiting to turn into something lovely. This will be the perfect project for my scraps! Thanks for sharing.

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small seams

I loved this. I used a vintage sheet and sisal rope for mine…turned out great. I blogged it at smallseams.blogspot.com. Just getting started blogging- your site is so inspiring!

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Pam L.

Cotton clothesline would work – I've done the sewn type bowls with it. Check out the clothesline-parts aisle in the hardware department at Walmart or Home Depot. Love your bowl – must try one. Amazing how crafts from 25 years ago still look great.

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Emiko F

Thanks so much for this. I just made a small one modified with a handle over the top as an Easter basket for my daughter.

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DIY | Pearltrees

[…] Once your base is the rights size (I did 7-8 rows but this is completely your choice) Move the rope up to about a 45 degree angle from the base and continue wrapping with alternating single and double wraps. Continue wrapping and threading, making sure that your bowl base is flat. Scrap-busting Fabric Bowl | Prudent Baby […]

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Ashleigh

LOVE it! Gonna try it right now. I picked up some clothesline cord from the hardware store – 50 feet for $3.50. Looks just like your cord so will see if it works. Thanks!

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Jamie

I have made this using Sisal rope. it costs less. and I have made it holiday specific… Easter, Halloween, Christmas, etc. so easy and fun. thanx for the tutorial. I will be making some more soon.

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Breean

Hello. I found this site through Pinterest. Was looking for a different way to make my son’s Easter basket that didn’t include a sewing machine. I fell in love with your basket. I can’t tell you how much fabric I used but I used 50 feet of 3/4inch rope, I added a handle & taller sides. I’m in LOVE with it. I wish I could post photos on here to show you.

Anaya yours is soo pretty & thank you for doing a tutorial for It. 🙂

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Caroline

Great tutorial! I’ve been doing something very similar for years, only with yarn and thick jute. They take just short of forever. These will go much faster, and I have tons of scrap fabric that I can use up.

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Lorraine

It’s 2018. I want to make 4 baskets for my four married children and fill it with goodies for Christmas for them. I’m so happy I found your instructions as my first basket is a disaster. Thank you, thank you.

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Deborah

This would be a great gift for anyone that puts their change in a container. Or keys.

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Betsy

Question: When you say to continue making single wraps around the outer rope and doubles around the two ropes, is that right? It looks from the pictures like you’re doing maybe 2 loops around the outer rope and then one loop around the two ropes (inner and outer) to bind them together. I’d love to make this–I’ve never tried, but always love the way they look, and your cheery green bowl is perfect!! Thanks!

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Cynthia

Can I use a heavier fabric? Not reg. Cotton but decorating fabric! This has got to be my next learn how project. Thanks for sharing!

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