DIY Network

Rope Accessories Turn trash to treasure with rope. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-122

Who knew rope dressed up so well?

Everyone knows yarn can be beautiful, but what about rope? Michele Beschen brings the rope in from the garage to show how it can be used to turn everyday cans and bottles—which otherwise would be bound for the recycling bin—into decorative accents you'll love.

Rope-wrapped cans of all sizes make great storage containers, and the bottles are decorative on their own or displaying necklaces or other hanging items. Scroll down for Michele Beschen's quick-and-easy how-to.

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Rope Accessories

It's easy to turn toss-away bottles and cans into decorative pieces by wrapping them in decorative ropes.

Materials:

clean, empty cans or bottles
glue gun with glue
clean rope

	Figure A
	Figure B

• Secure the end of the rope to the side of your can or bottle at the bottom with hot glue (figure A).

  Safety Alert: Be extremely careful when using the glue gun, especially if you use a hot-melt gun. If you are burned by hot glue, flush the area immediately with cold water.

• Wrap the rope around the container, hot-gluing as you go. Make sure you coil the rope tightly, with no gaps (figure B).

• After the first couple of coils, you won't need to glue every bit of the rope. Just glue enough to stick it securely to the container.

• Dress bottles up further with a decorative yarn or cord wrapped around the neck.

• The same technique can work for yarns as well as rope. But remember that yarn is thinner and more porous—making it easier to get burned with the hot glue.