Shape fabric covered rope into circles or ovals that can become a trivet, chair pad, or an accent rug. Raise the coils as you work and you can even create a bowl or basket. Use old clothing and this project will cost almost nothing to make. If you have a particular color or texture that you’d prefer to use, then you can also purchase fabric.
Recycled, No Sewing Required Project
The size of the finished product will determine how long this project will take. A trivet will take an hour or two to complete. An area rug could take several days or weeks since you probably won’t sit down and try to make such a large project at one time. The rope will be inexpensive and if you recycle clothing for this project, then no matter the size of the completed mat, the finished item will cost a couple of dollars, probably no more than ten dollars.
You will need ½” craft cord or rope (look for clothesline). Seven feet should be enough for a trivet. For that trivet, you’ll need a quarter yard of fabric, approximately a few tee shirts (depending on their size). The finished project will be a circle approximately seven inches in diameter.
How to Crafts for Teens and Adults
Cut each end of the cord at an angle. Cut the fabric into one-inch strips. This doesn’t have to be exact; a little narrower or wider won’t matter. To start the fabric wrapping so the item won’t unravel, hold approximately three inches of one of the fabric strips in line with the cord. Work toward the end of the cord and wrap the fabric around the cord. Near the end, switch directions so you are now going in the direction you’ll continue to work (toward the empty cord. This step’s purpose is to anchor the fabric in place and prevent it from unraveling Wrap the fabric strip around the cord so it overlaps each previous strip. No cord should show. As you work, you will need to anchor the cord that you’ve wrapped into place. You’ll loop the fabric strip between what you’ve wrapped and what you will be wrapping, anchoring the coils together. When you have wrapped approximately four inches of the cord, coil the wrapped portion into a tight circle (or oval, if that is the shape you want for the finished piece). Secure the coil by wrapping the fabric strip in a figure-eight. Push the fabric strip between the wrapped coils closest to where you are working. Then take the fabric strip and loop it back to the unwrapped section of the cord. Continue wrapping the cord and coiling it, holding the coils in place with figure-eight twists every two or three inches. As you come to the end of one fabric strip, take the next one and hold one end along the length of the cord. Wrap the fabric strip you’ve been working with around the new strip so to hold it in place. Wrap the new strip over the end of the previous strip to hold it in place and continue. Finish the project by wrapping the last few inches of cord together with the wrapped coil, working between the wrapped coils. Push the fabric between the wrapped coils and then around the remaining cord. Your goal here is to anchor the end to the project so nothing unravels. Work the end of the fabric strip through the last few wraps (you may find it easier to do this if you thread the fabric through a tapestry needle. This holds the end of the fabric in place. Trim off the excess fabric.
Once you get used to wrapping the cord and anchoring the coils to one another, this projects works quickly. Set it on a flat surface every so often to check that it lays flat. Change the color of the strips of fabric to create a multi-colored mat.