DIY Coil Rope Basket

 

DIY Coiled Rope Basket in white and green yarn.

This project is just like my DIY Coiled Rope Coaster project but with a few more steps. If you haven’t seen that post you should go read it. It’s a fun small project to do, but you’re here to make a basket so let’s get to it.

Supplies

  • Cotton rope
  • Yarn
  • Knitting needle
  • Scissors

Procedure

  1. Let’s start off with picking your supplies. To be more specific your yarn. The colors are your choice. If you’re making it for yourself or someone else think about what would work well with their home decor.
  2. You can also decide on the size of the rope you want. I like 1/4″ cotton rope that I buy at Lowes. Some people like to use clothes line rope, which is completely acceptable. I don’t cut my rope until I’ve reached the end so you don’t have to measure the length of rope that you’ll need. You’ll also need a knitting needle. I like to use plastic knitting needles. The current one’s that I have came from Michaels craft store (one of my favorite places to shop).
  3. OK, so now time to start! Cut a long piece of your yarn and thread it through your needle. Line up 2″ of the end of your yarn with the end of your rope.
An image of the beginning of a coiled rope and yarn basket.
  1. Now, working back towards the end of your rope, start wrapping the yarn around this section you lined up, to secure it. Stop when you get to the diagonal cut.
An image of the beginning of a coiled rope and yarn basket.
  1. Fold the end over so that the ends of the yarn wrapped section line up.
  2. Start wrapping the yarn so as to connect the the end of the rope to the rest of the uncovered rope. Stop when you have continued wrapping the cord 1/2 to 1″ past the diagonal cut.
An image of the beginning of a coiled rope and yarn basket.
  1. Start wrapping the end of the cord inward, to start an “e” shape.
  2. Bend it in even closer, so that it is all touching in a tight spiral shape. Hold this spiral tightly in place.
  3. To anchor this coil pass your needle through the center loop that you created.
  4. Pull the yarn all the way through.
An image of the beginning of a coiled rope and yarn basket.
  1. Then, you repeat this part. Wrap the yarn 6-7 times around the rope, and then take another stitch in the rope above to anchor. 6-7 wraps, then an anchor stitch. You’ll want to stagger your stitches otherwise your coaster won’t be as sturdy.
An image of the beginning of a coiled rope and yarn basket.
  1. When you need more yarn, I like to cut a new piece of yarn and tie it with a small knot to the current piece and continue on. Once the knot reaches the rope try to make the knot lay in between the rope. As seen in the photo.
  2. Wrap the yarn over the cut ends of yarn to help hide it.
An image of the beginning of a coiled rope and yarn basket.
An image of the beginning of a coiled rope and yarn basket.
An image of the beginning of a coiled rope and yarn basket.
  1. Once you’ve got the size of your base where you want it, it’s time to start working your way up. You’re going to start holding the rope on top of the rope next to it instead of beside it like you’ve been doing. Continue on wrapping and anchoring.
  1. I like using different colors for my baskets, but you can stick with one if you want. It’s whatever you want it to be. If you do want to switch colors you simply cut a new piece of yarn and tie it with a small knot to the current piece and continue on. Once the knot reaches the rope try to make the knot lay in between the rope.
  1. If you want to have handles on your basket then here’s what you’ll do. Decide where you want your handles to be, once you’ve reached the spot where your handle should start you’ll simply wrap the yarn around the rope without anchoring it until you reach the end of your handle.
  2. Continue on like normal until you get to the other side of your basket where the other handle should start and then repeat the process. Now, just continue on with your basket. If you only want your handle to be one piece of rope that’s fine but having more than one rope piece for your handle will make it more sturdy. To do this just continue on wrapping and anchoring your basket and the handle too.
  1. When you’re ready to end your basket, cut the end of the rope diagonally. Then you can wrap and stitch this end down to the last coil of your basket. You’ll want to go back with the yarn too to give it extra strength to hold the end of the rope down. Some people choose not to use a knot at the end and simply wrap the yarn around the end like they did when they started it. I however, LOVE a good knot to hold things in place.

You’ve now made a coil rope basket! Hurray! These are great light weight baskets. What a great low-cost project, am I right? They’re perfect gifts for Christmas, Mothers Day, Birthdays. I’ve given them as Christmas gifts and I some at my Etsy store cnscreatation.

Here are a few that I’ve made.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this project. If you’ve made a coiled rope basket post your photos in the comments! I’d love to see your what color or colors you choose and see you using them too.