Rope Crafts

Thanks to Martha Stewart and her Encyclopedia of Crafts, I will have no excuse to be bored while Nate is gone. My most recent project I am working on from this book is Rope Crafts. These were my first attempts, and although they are not perfect, I like the idea of them.

I originally bought this rope in hopes of making a Woven Rope Doormat, but the rope I bought was not long enough, and the project proved to be a little difficult for me to follow.


Above is a Sailor's Knot Bookend, which I think turned out cute, but the colors are a little much on my bookshelf since it is already painted bright yellow and it packed full of books, dvds, pictures, and trinkets. If I make these again in the future, I will not skip the step of painting the wooden blocks in the center. Martha recommends painting the wood to match whatever color the rope is so the gaps are less obvious. Since I was just practicing with rope I already had, I opted against this step, and I think that really takes away from the final product.





This is a Knotted Napkin Ring. It was the first rope project I completed. I think the rope I used was way too thick, but the colors would be appropriate for a 4th of July tablescape or any other patriotic event.

Rope projects are really fun! They can be pretty difficult, especially on the first try, but I like the idea of working with different sizes and colors. I got this rope at Home Depot, and even though they didn't have a huge selection of ropes I was pleased with my find. And now that I have a better idea of what it's like to work with rope, I might appreciate different ones next time!