If you’ve been tuning in over the last few months you may have guessed that I’ve got a bit of an addiction to rope. There’s just something so perfect about the texture, and the fact that you can make so many different things out of it – it takes on such varying forms depending on the technique that you use (see here and here). As I delve into the world of rope craft I’ve stumble upon so many amazing designers who work with rope on a day to day basis – turning an everyday mundane material into anything but. Gemma Patford, a designer I found on instagram (where else?), has mastered the art of creating bowls, vessels and planters out of rope. What I love is that she hand paints the rope before creating the bowls, putting a sweet touch on a traditional craft. Gemma agreed to show us how she crafts these pieces, carefully stitching them together for vessels that stand the test of time – I can sooo see one of these in my house filled to the brim with magazines!
You need:
- A sewing machine with a zig zag stitch
- Scissors
- Thread (The same colour as your rope – optional)
- Rope (approx. 10 meters or 11 yards)
How to:
1. Decorate your rope, Gemma uses acrylic paint. (this step is optional)
2. Take your decorated rope and coil it into a small circle.
3. Place your coil into under your needle and slowly start to zig zag stitch the rope together
4. Stitch the base together until its the desired size. Gemma recommends 14 cm
5. Lift the base up onto a right angle and continue to sew
6. Keeping the bowl on this angle, continue to sew
7. When you come to the end of your rope, loop it off to finish. And you’re done!
Can’t stop thinking how many variations there are on this style – an ombre dipped version would be epic no? Perhaps Gemma can show us how one of these days!
Head to Gemma’s website where she sells here pieces and blogs, or check her out on instagram.
Love this idea! It’s perfect for a tribal look and for outdoor spaces!
http://www.chevronsandeclairs.com
This is a brilliant idea! Definitely going to try this out. Maybe keeping the rope white but using a bright thread would look good too!
I thought that was a good option too actually. Love to see it if you end up making one.
I made one! http://junglenoises.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/rope-bowl.html Possibly not the neatest, but not bad for a first attempt!
Oh this looks absolutely amazing! Beautiful and creative
Emma x
emandthem.blogspot.com
Thanks Emma, I think Gemma has done an amazing job.
This is so pretty! I wonder if my little lightweight sewing machine would be up for the job though…. Guess I’ll need to try to find out. x
thepeppermintstore.blogspot.co.uk/
Give it a try!
Wow! cool idea!
WOW! This is so cool! I would never thought it’s so easy…at least it looks like! I would really like to see the ombre version xx
Justine | BRIGHTON DREAM
I am so down with an ombre version, maybe paint the rope beforehand ombre then make the bowl?
That is so cute! I’ll have to try it! And it doesn’t look too difficult! Hopefully my sewing machine can do the trick 🙂
<3 Sharmaine Ruth
underpeachtrees.blogspot.com
Fingers crossed!
This looks amazing, great idea! xx
Martyna | NEON MIZZLE
really nice idea, i love it!
love jelaegbe.blogspot.de
This looks so fun! I have to give it a try!
<3 dani
http://www.shopdisowned.com
http://blog.shopdisowned.com
I would love to see your version! 🙂
Oh this is very nice! And so easy! 🙂
I know right?
Cool diy idea. I like it a lot.
xx Mira
http://www.glamdevils.com
Lovely to hear that!
What a cool DIY! I don’t know that I have the sewing skills for this kind of project, but it’s certainly cool.
http://www.fullbellywornsoles.com
Glad you like it, I feel like you might be able to do it by hand too actually.
This is so neat! I love how you made paint speckles on the rope to add a unique touch!
That’s what I love the most too. x
Oh my gosh! I actually love this! All of your tutorials are so awesome! 😀
Lulu <3
Amazing idea, looks a little difficult but got to try this 😉 xx
http://www.creativityandchocolate.com
Yes you have to! One of those projects that would definitely pay off!
This is such a cute idea. I also happen to have the same kind of rope at home. Yay!
XXX/ Bella
http://www.shoebox-living.com
yay! Love to see your version. x
That is so cute! I’ll have to try it!
you are amazing… i love your all creation…..
http://www.daybydaycreation.blogspot.com
you are amazing!! love your all creation 🙂
http://www.daybydaycreation.blogspot.com
Thanks Garima! It was actually made by a designer called Gemma Patford but I am glad you like it. 🙂
Amazing idea!
denimandglory.wordpress.com
So glad you like it!
Great idea! Beautiful rope bowl!
From http://www.xeanafashion.com
Wow, this is so cool. I will try to do my own. Thanks for sharing.
This is not just a DIY! This is amazingly wonderful thought!! Well done!
http://bythewear.blogspot.in
I Only have an old “Singer” sewing machine at home, and it can’t do a zigzag stitch, but it´s a nice tutorial
Amazing!
absolutely love this idea. Definitely can add character to whatever room you add it in and so inexpensive! xo
Your Daily Break
och, amazing, love it
Really?!? I could have never imagine it was that easy!! Thanks Gemma & thanks Geneva <3
I love this! I especially love the idea of decorating the rope with splashes of paint. Great project!
wow!! you are amazing
http://daybydaycreation.blogspot.com/
This is actually so cool! It would look so cool with an ombre dip dye! Maybe a neon one too would look good
This is so awesome
Love this! It is so much more refined than the ones with fabric twisted around. One question…. What kind of rope did you use? Is it all cotton? Thanks for the great tut!
Love this! So easy and yet it looks so cool!
I know right?
Neat!!
Simple genius! LOVE it!
Px
Wonderful tutorial! I loved the outcome!
Great post!! I included it in my post Βόλτα στη Γειτονιά!!! …while sewing!! 🙂
Have a great weekend!!
[…] I bet you didn’t know how easy it is to make a rope bowl! […]
Thanks for sharing this, love it and trying it!
GORGEOUS! It looks like a lot of fun to make too. I would love to link to your tutorial if you didn’t mind.
just posted a tutorial on how i made a pair of ombre bowls! LOVED this project – thanks so much for the post!
http://www.sweetb-blog.com/2013/07/diy-ombre-clothesline-bowls.html
This is so great, you’ve done an amazing job, thanks for letting me know!
[…] Tutorial available from: https://apairandasparediy.com/2013/07/diy-rope-bowl.html […]
[…] first up is this UH-mazing Rope Bowl DIY. How cool is that?! Seriously, if you need me this weekend I’ll be at the craft store loading […]
wow! that’s so cool! I never knew it could be kinda easy! I hope my dorky, inexpensive, home sewing machine can go through the rope. I wonder if I could use the same technique with twine. Thanks for the info! Have a great day! Sarah
[…] storage with a DIY rope bowl by a pair and a spare / via fellow […]
[…] paint speckled rope bowls with a simple sew technique at A Pair and a […]
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Love this. Just wondering what sewing machine you used here?
.Me gustan las ideas, las considero interesantes y la explicación es muy clara. Lo que hace que uno se sienta que puede lograr hacerlo. Los felicito !!!. Gracias. !!!!!
Presentan ideas muy interesantes y muy bien explicados, esto hace que uno se sienta con ganas de realizar, muchas gracias 🙂
Tanks.lovely and great
[…] sewn into a bowl like this one from Childer House Blog, using a tutorial from Craft Stylish. 7. A Pair and a Spare loosely added splatter paint before sewing hers up. 8. Glue works too, according to House of […]
[…] […]
[…] Cant wait to try this DIY! […]
You fail to mention what TYPE of rope: would assume that this is cotton but you do not include this in your description.
[…] It’s definitely time to haul out my sewing machine for this gorgeous rope bowl […]
[…] a pair & a spare […]
[…] Rope bowls for storage. For both Bunny and Buddy i used wicker baskets to store their nappys and wipes and important nursery items, but i really love the idea of these DIY rope bowls. I think a couple for toys on the floor would be really adorable too. […]
[…] si l’envie vous vient d’en créer par vous-même alors n’hésitez pas à suivre ce DIY (en anglais). Dès que je trouve un peu de temps, moi je me lance […]
Please what is hombre? Thanks!!!
[…] Image via apairandasparediy.com […]
[…] satisfying project, i’m now more than a little obsessed with making these. A while ago i saw this tutorial on A Pair and a Spare and knew it would be a perfect project to create pretty storage in baby birds room. I kept things […]
[…] Link to instructions […]
Colored rope would be also perfect!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Bobbiny?section_id=15402402&ref=shopsection_leftnav_3
[…] Si lo vuestro es la máquina de coser con algodón y algo de pintura os quedarán unas cestas como estas (podéis aprender a hacerlo aquí) […]
Great ideas for using leftover pieces of rope. Happy new year!!!!!!!!
What kind of rope do you use or which foot do you us
[…] Source […]
[…] tolle Variante habe ich auch bei a pair & a spare gesehen. Für alle die es Farbenfroh […]
[…] tolle Variante habe ich auch bei a pair & a spare gesehen. Für alle die es farbenfroh […]
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[…] DIY ROPE BOWL – a photo tutorial from Gemma Patford, via a pair & a spare. These bowls are so nifty, and from the looks of this, not all that hard to make yourself. […]
[…] ein wenig durchsichtigem Flüssigkleber fixieren. 4. Eine tolle Variante habe ich auch bei a pair and a spare gesehen. Für alle die es farbenfroher […]
Hi there, absolutely love your creations. I wondered what type of machine you use for this project? Do you think an industrial machine is necessary? Cheers
Do you think one could use a polypropylene knitter macrame cord?. My dad used to manufacture it and we have boxes and boxes of different colors.
this is so so so pretty! I just tried it for the first time and it turned out very well! i think i will make several for x-mas..
thanks for showing it!
[…] tutorial for this particular bowl seen above was a collaboration between Gemma and Geneva from A Pair & A Spare. Head over to check out the full […]
[…] then I saw Frau Gold`s admirable rope bowls, followed the link for the tutorial and was persuaded: Machine sewing! Check! Ok, I was a bit sceptical whether this […]
[…] After seeing these pop up a number of times, I had to figure out how they were made. I looked up directions for how to make rope bowls, and came across Flossie Tea Cakes tutorial and this paint splattered one. […]
[…] uma Pair & de sobra. Projeto e imagens: Gemma […]