Coiled Baskets Are Great for Using Up Scraps
Transform Strips of Fabric into Beautiful Baskets and Bowls!
It’s a simple process to wrap strips of fabric around cotton clothesline. Then, coil and stitch the resulting cord into handy and decorative containers. Each one will be unique in color and shape, limited only by your imagination.
Read through the following tutorials to learn about three methods for making coiled bowls and baskets. Note the various ways of starting and ending when wrapping fabric strips around clothesline. The recommended width of fabric strips also varies.
Each tutorial includes helpful tips, regardless of the process you choose to use, so we encourage you to read through them all before selecting one and getting started.
The following tutorial from Wee Folk Art illustrates the process for making a simple rainbow colored bowl. We especially like how they used a kitchen bowl to shape it.
They also used upholstery cord instead of the standard clothesline. Their bowl is stitched together by hand but can easily be modified for the sewing machine (see the tutorials that follow).
In the following tutorial, Linda Permann from CraftStylish walks you through the process of making a small bowl entirely by machine. A zig zag stitch is used to stitch the rows together. Be sure to start with a new sharp needle. You may need to change the needle often if you’re making a large bowl or basket.
Bowl by @hellopf.
Linda wraps clothesline right at the machine while stitching rows together. Notice that her bowl has handles. She shows you how that is done if you’d like to give yours handles too.
The following tutorial from Susies-Scraps shows a slightly different process. She wraps clothesline ahead of time (“A good TV job.”) so that once she gets to the machine she can focus on the stitching.
She also shows you how to move a larger basket through the machine.
JoAnn Fabrics provides instructions for a lovely picnic basket. It can be used for toting other things as well.
According to the instructions it will take 3-5 hours to make.
Crafty Gemini created a video that shows how she makes her baskets. She talks about how to create stripes and much more.
Click here to watch the video at YouTube if it doesn’t play on your device.
Once you have the basics down you’ll be able to make baskets and bowls as simple or as complex as you want. It’s amazing how this technique can be modified and expanded to make works of art. Visit this Pinterest page for inspiration.
“Waterfall”, batik basket by JKTextileArts.
Coiled fabric by Jemima Fisher.
Fabric Coiled Pot pinned by Jennifer Barkand.
Such beautiful baskets. Love them!