Learn how to use leftover macramé cords to give an old garbage can a lovely, woven look. All you need to make this DIY woven waste basket is some old jute cord scraps and a glue gun!
Hey there, friends!
I’m excited to share a little project with you today—one that embodies the essence of Sacred Hearth and Home: simple, sustainable living. It’s not glamorous or fancy, but it’s something that I hope will inspire you to bring a bit of resourceful beauty into your home.
So, picture this: a tired old plastic garbage can sitting in the corner. I have no issue with it being tired and old… After all, its a garbage can. But, as I have been finishing some macramé projects recently, I have a growing pile of jute cords dying to be used somewhere, somehow. So, armed with nothing but leftover macramé cord and a trusty hot glue gun, I decided to breathe some new life into it.
Let’s get started!
Materials:
Leftover macramé cords (can be various lengths) You could use any scrap cords that you have around. I just happened to have a large amount of scarp jute cords to work with.
Hot glue gun
Plastic garbage can
Step One: Manage Your Leftover Macramé Cords
To start, I made sure to untangle my unruly pile of leftover macramé cords. Since they were from various projects, they were all sorts of lengths and levels of frayed. I decided I wanted to have a visible braided pattern of the cords on some parts of the garbage can, so I separated out the longer cords and braided them. I also re-twisted any ropes that were fraying, and cut off the ends that were not going to cooperate.
Side note: I used a normal three strand braid just for a few rows of my project, but you could get creative and incorporate different kinds, combinations, and patterns of braids throughout the piece.
Step Two: Attach Your Leftover Macramé Cords
Next, I used my hot glue gun to begin attaching the jute macramé cords in a spiral pattern along the bottom of the garbage can. In my experience, it was easiest to make a small dot of glue to attach one end of the cord, and then glue a small line in the pattern of the cord before sticking it down. I left gaps between sections of glue and just wrapped it tight to make sure it was secured by the cords around it as well. When I reached the end of a cord, I secured it well with another dot of glue and did the same right next to it to start the next cord.
Since my garbage can had an oval-shaped bottom, I found that a circular spiral did not completely cover it. To solve this, I just glued curved lines of just cord hugging the edge of each side of the spiral until the space was filled.
Once I had a spiral covering the bottom, I continued around the cornered edge of the garbage can and continued to wrap around the sides, working end to end. When I reached about a quarter of the way up, I decided to wrap a segment of the braided jute cords mentioned in step one, creating some additional texture to the project. The method was the same as the single cords, but I used a zig-zag pattern to secure it in place of a thin line of glue.
I repeated this method until I reached the top of the garbage can, alternating wrapping single cords and braided cords.
Step Three: Trim it All Up
When I got to the end, I noticed that some of my cords were fraying, so I gave those spots a little trim. I also re-secured any areas that needed it with an additional dot of hot glue.
Ta Da! That was it! The garbage can then moved back to its corner, just a little lovelier 😉
What I love most about this project is its simplicity. It’s not about buying materials or following complicated instructions. It’s about using what you have around, making the most of it, and finding beauty in the ordinary.
While this exact project might not be calling your name, I hope it sparks some inspiration in the little ways you can slow down and spend the time adding to your home.
I would love to hear your ideas and experiences! What are some ways you can add beauty to your space with something someone else might see as waste? How have you put your leftover macramé cords to good use?
Peace and Blessings,
Grace
Condensed How-To Steps
DIY Woven Waste Basket: How to Use Leftover Macramé Cord
Learn how to upcycle leftover macramé cords to give an old garbage can a lovely, woven look. All you need is some old jute cord scraps and a glue gun!
Materials
- Leftover jute macramé cords (can be various lengths)
- Plastic garbage can
Tools
- Hot glue gun
Instructions
- Manage your excess jute cords by untangling them and separating them by length. If you want a braided pattern in your project, braid cords together and set aside.
- Re-twist any cords that have frayed, and cut off the ends that don't cooperate to make clean ends.
- Attach the cords to the plastic wastebasket starting from the base. Make a small dot of hot glue in the center and stick the end of your first cord down. Alternate making a thin line of hot glue and spiraling the cord, sticking it down as you go along.
- Once you have covered the base, continue around the edge of the wastebasket and up the sides.
- When fully covered, trim any frayed ends, and re-secure any areas that are loose.
Love this idea. There’s something so therapeutic about crafting time too. Thanks!