6. Structured Rope & Fabric Coil Basket
What This Idea Means
This technique uses continuous cotton piping cord wrapped in narrow strips of patterned fabric, then coiled and zig-zag stitched together. The result is an ultra-sturdy, sculpted basket that stands upright with crisp, thick walls and colorful woven patterns.
What You Need
- 50 feet of 3/8-inch cotton filler cord or clothesline rope
- Fabric scrap strips (1 inch wide) in coordinated colors
- Heavy-duty sewing machine with wide zig-zag stitch capability
- Jeans/Denim sewing needle
- Fabric glue stick
How to Make It
- Wrap start of cotton cord tightly with fabric strip, applying a touch of glue to anchor. Coil initial 2 inches flat into a tight oval or circle.
- Place coil under sewing machine foot set to a wide zig-zag stitch (width 5.0, length 2.0–2.5). Stitch back and forth across center join to lock base.
- Continue wrapping fabric strips around cord while feeding into machine, zig-zag stitching adjacent cord turns together down center join.
- Once base reaches 8 inches across, tilt base upward at a 90-degree angle relative to sewing machine bed.
- Continue coiling cord upward while keeping wall vertical; machine will lock row onto row to build basket sides.
- At top rim, cut cord at a steep angle, wrap end tightly in fabric, and stitch flat against inside edge to secure.
Tips and Variations
- Tip: Do not pull or stretch the rope tightly as you stitch, as this can warp the shape of the basket base.
- Variation: Leave the top 2 inches of cord bare (unwrapped cotton rope) for a contrast border against colorful fabric bases.