DIY Network

Clear Tube Fruit Bowl Coil up this totally tubular bowl. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-501

Make a bunch of these beautiful bowls.

Plastic tubing is incredibly flexible – and not just because it's bendy. Michele Beschen shows how to fill clear plastic tubing with colorful materials then coil it up to make fun, funky display bowls.

B. Original and experiment with different fillings for your tube bowls. Anything this attractive and easy to make is sure to become a mainstay of your décor.

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Clear Tube Fruit Bowl

Materials:

clear vinyl tubing
(2) 3/4" plastic threaded plugs
colorful filling for the tube
funnel
wrench
18-gauge copper wire
needle-nose pliers

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

Note: Look for flexible tubing in the plumbing department of any home improvement or hardware store. On the label, the abbreviation "O.D." refers to the tube's outside diameter; "I.D." refers to inside diameter.

• For this project, Michele Beschen used a 10’ roll of clear vinyl tubing with a 3/4" inside diameter and a 1" outside diameter.

• Screw a 3/4" plastic threaded plug into one end of the tube(figure A). The plug will be a tight fit; you may need to use a wrench to twist it all the way in. Look for these plugs near the PVC pipe at the home improvement store.

• Choose a colorful filling for the tube, such as small beads or sand. Michele Beschen used dried soup mix to give the bowl an organic look.

• Use a funnel to fill the tube until you have just enough room at the end to insert another plastic plug (figure B).

• Cap the end of the tube with the other 3/4" threaded plug.

• To start the first coil of the bowl, fold the tube about 5"
  from one end and create a hard crease. Tie the folded section down with 18-gauge wire and tuck the wire ends in (figure C).

• Cut a couple pieces of 18-gauge copper wire about 24" long.

• Start coiling the tube to shape the bowl, working with the natural curve of the tube. The bowl won’t actually have a full bottom; instead, coil the tube around in a circle, then coil a second circle on top of the first. Wrap the 18-gauge wire around the two coils and twist the wire to secure them together. Leave the long ends on the wires; you'll use the same wires to attach the other coils.

• Continue coiling to build up the sides of the bowl, twisting the wires around each coil (figure D).

• When you reach the end of the tubing, tie it to the previous row with another piece of wire.

• Tie off the longer pieces of wire at the top of the bowl and curl the wire ends (figure E).

• Decorate the finished bowl with beads or other elements.