9 Cool DIY Projects to Do with Rope

Old and weathered lengths of rope, like windows and doors and wood and roofing tin, carry a lot of personality and a sense of story with them. For those who enjoy such things, it’s nice to have an outlet for keeping them around, and nothing gets the job done quite like a repurposing project.

Though ropes have more or less one primary function, they have a ton of secondary lives they can lead. In the same fashion that old doors become new tables and old windows become picture frames, a worn-out ten-foot piece of rope has the potential to create and be part of something exciting and new.

With that in mind and with the hopes of finding some rope, be it thick or thin, lying around, here are some crafty ways to see it come back to life.

DIY Rope Baskets/Bowls

Source: AmyFamily DIY/Youtube

With some cotton or hemp rope and some strips of yarn, thread, or strips of fabric, putting together a rope basket is quite easy. To create a basket, the rope is coiled and stitched together with yarn to create the bottom. Then, when the bottom coil is big enough, the rope is wound atop the outer edge of the coil and atop itself again until the sides are high enough.  And some handles on the sides or one over the top for a nice basket.

DIY Rope Coasters/Placemats/Trivet

Rope can be used to make circular coasters and placemats by coiling it and stitching each coil into place as if making the bottom of the rope basket from above. The same design can be used as a trivet to protect counters and tables from hot pans. This can be a really good project for rope that is thinner.

DIY Rope Doormats/Rugs

Source: Crafty Patti/Youtube

Using the same coiling method but pushing it to a larger scale, rope can be coiled and sewn (or glued) to create rustic doormats or rugs. Jute is commonly used for this purpose. Colorful rope can be fun for it as well.

DIY Rope Swing

If the rope is in good condition, making a rope swing is easy and can be a really unique feature for a porch or sitting area. It can also be a great way to use a nice piece of repurposed wood that deserves special attention. Just hang the wood from a couple of lengths of rope, and that’s a swing.

DIY Hanging Shelves

Source: The Weekend Builder/Youtube

Much the same as a rope swing, quality used rope with life left in it can be awesome for making hanging shelves. This can be single shelves or used to create a set of shelves. Again, this is a great way to feature some aged wood planks, as well as the unique rope design.

DIY Rope-Wrapped Lamp Shades

A common repurposing project for ropes and a good way to create dim mood lighting is making rope lamp shades. Old lamp shades are easy to find at thrift stores. With one of those, wrap a length of rope snugly around it, gluing as you go, and it’ll create a funky lampshade. Of course, light doesn’t move through the rope, so it works really well for indirect lighting.

DIY Rope Hammock

Source: DIY On The House/Youtube

Of course, it is easier to go out and buy a rope hammock than to make one, but ease is not the point of DIY projects, is it? The fact is that making a rope hammock at home is totally doable and fun for those inclined to do such things. It involves learning to tie a few knots and drilling a couple of pieces of wood.

DIY Rope Jewelry

Rope can be used creatively to make all sorts of jewelry. It can be as simple as tying, gluing, or sewing a single piece into a bracelet, or it can be complicated with braiding and macramé. Also, adding metal clasps and charms can create more value as a craft to sell.

DIY Rope Orbs

Source: BuzzFeed Nifty/Youtube

A rope orb or a collection of them can be a really cool decorative element next to the fireplace or on a coffee table. They are even cooler when they come with the story of how you made them. And it’s really easy. Some rope, some wood glue, and a balloon can make it happen.

Suddenly, the prospect of finding some old rope in the basement or garage, maybe even hanging on to the twine around presents or packages, sounds like it’s loaded with potential. And that’s just a fun way to live life!

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