How to Make Rope Bowls and Vessels
Imaginative Crafts, Do-It-Yourself Projects and Video Tutorials by Robert Mahar, robert-mahar.com
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Materials:
Rope*
Tacky glue
Ribbon
Clear tape

Tools:
Plastic bowl for mold form
Scissors

*Online source for rope similar to that used in video:http://www.homedepot.com/p/Crown-Bolt…

Directions:
1) Invert you’re the plastic bowl you’re going to use as your mold form on your work surface. Cut two lengths of ribbon and criss-cross them on the bottom of the bowl and secure with clear tape. You want the ribbon pieces to be long enough that they extend beyond the edges of the bowl.

2) Neatly trim one end of your rope, apply a thin line of glue along one side and begin to tightly for a coil on the bottom center of your plastic bowl. Work slowly and in sections, applying glue as you go. Your goal is to cover as much (or as little) of the plastic bowl mold form as you’d like.

3) When you’ve finished coiling and gluing the rope, neatly trim the end and apply a little glue to the cut to prevent it from fraying. Secure your end piece to the bowl with a piece of clear tape, allowing it to dry in place.

4) Allow the glue to dry for at least two to three hours. Once dry, remove the clear tape from the end piece. Set your bowl right-side-up on your work surface and gently tug on the ribbon ends, using them as tools to loosen and separate the rope bowl from the plastic bowl mold form.

5) Once released from the plastic bowl, you may find some of the glue on the interior of your rope bowl is still damp. If so, allow it to sit and air dry for an additional hour.

Helpful Tips:

• Rope bowls are not meant to hold food or liquids! However, they are great for helping to keep your office organized by holing everything from paper clips and rubber bands to keys and loose change.

• Experiment with the size and shapes of your plastic bowl mold forms — but note that bowls with gentle sloping curves make the best mold forms are the easiest to wrap with rope.