DIY and Crafts

Four surprising ways to use twine that aren’t your average DIY project

Article by Your Home and Garden

Jute string, or twine, is a staple in every Arts and Crafts cupboard. We’ve pulled together four interesting ways to use it for your next DIY project

1. Display Board

Paint a 76cm x 50cm canvas in a colour of your choice (we used a testpot of Resene ‘Gondwana’). Run a piece of string across the front of the board and staple-gun each end to the back of the frame, pulling the string nice and tight. Add as many strings as you like, with the board horizontal or vertical, to suit your needs. Clip up a calendar, photos, favourite images, postcards, fabric swatches etc using mini pegs or bulldog clips.

2. Lamp base

Give an old lamp base a new, coastal look with this easy idea – all you need is a ball of jute string (30m) and come clear craft glue. Using the glue, stick the end of the string to the side of the lamp base at the very bottom. Holding the end firmly, wrap the string tightly around the base all the way to the top. Cut string and secure the end with more glue.

3. Plant hanger

You will need 8 x 1.2m lengths jute string. Tie strands together in a knot, leaving about 8cm at one end to form a tassel; this is the base. Working from the bottom upwards, divide strings into pairs. Knot each pair 15cm up from base knot. Then take 1 piece of string from 1 pair and 1 piece of string from a neighbouring pair and tie in a knot 7cm along from previous knot; repeat so that you have made 4 knots in total and have created a circle (use photo as a guide). Gather ends together, loop them at the top and tie with a knot about 20cm down from the top. Place your pot plant in the holder and hang from the loop.

4. Napkin Ring

Take a piece of 18cm x 3.5cm cardboard and tape ends together with double-sided tape to make a ring. Stick the end of a long piece of jute string to the inside of ring with sticky tape. Wind string around ring till card is covered. Tuck end under a few strands inside the ring and trim off.

Words by: Vanessa Nouwens. Photography by: Wendy Fenwick.