Clothesline Baskets

This winter we went to visit Elkins, West Virginia.  I found some clothesline baskets in an artist's cooperative.  I decided to try making my own.  I went on line to the library and ordered some books that I thought might help.  One I liked so well I bought a copy from Amazon, to keep around for reference.

 
I bought some clothesline from Walmart.   Then I cut some strips from fabric left over from other projects. 

 

The book said to cut strips 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide.  I found the smaller size worked better.

Put some glue on the wrong side of the end of a fabric strip and glue it around the end of the rope.  Place the rope in the middle of the strip so that you can fold the fabric over and cover the raw end.  I also cut the hard melted bit at the end, so use lots of glue to hold everything together.  Then wrap, on a diagonal, around the rope for about 5 inches and glue it again.  Keep wrapping for about 2 feet, gluing every 5 inches.  Make sure you always wrap in one direction.  Changing directions causes lumps. 

 

Sew straight down the middle of the first five inches of wrapped clothesline.  It helps to have something to hold or push the covered clothesline through the machine.  I used a large seam ripper.  Don't sew your fingers. 

 

Now you can start to sew.  You will need a zigzag foot and thread to match or contrast with the fabric.  Make a coil about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and using a straight stitch, sew an X to hold it in place.  Use the bit of tail to fill the center and fold it as you coil it so the wrong side does not show.  Don't allow any gaps or holes.  Then sew a zigzag stitch all around the circle.  Keep the clothesline end on the right hand side of the project.

I found it hard to go all around the center.  I did as much as I could and then sewed the rest when I was all done with the basket and didn't have to deal with the huge hunk of clothesline going around in circles.

 

Then just wrap and sew until you have a base you want.  I chose to do about 4 inches.  Mark this spot with a piece of tape. 

 

Keep stitching, but hold the left side of the flat bowl base up about 1 finger width off the surface of the base of the sewing machine.  Sew one complete circle and when you get back to the tape, do another circle holding the left side up four fingers worth.

As you sew, you will need to grab another strip of fabric as you will have run out.  Glue the end and wrap it around the rope.  Then pin in place.  Glue the beginning of the next strip and wrap it to cover the cut end of the last strip.  Re-pin to hold the two strips in place and keep going.  When you get to the pin, remove it and sew.

 

All this gluing of fabric with a raw edge will get glue and bits of fabric on your fingers and fabric on the glue stick.  Stop every once in a while and wash your hands and wipe the top of the glue stick.

 

When you finish the second circle, hold the base up against the left side of the machine as you sew.  You have the beginnings of a basket. 

 

Make it as high as you like and then cut the  clothesline about 1 1/4 inches longer than you want. 

 

Cut that section of clothesline lengthwise on a diagonal so that it gets narrower as it reaches the end.  I had a lot of fluff from the weave around the cord, but just discard that.  Glue enough fabric to wrap that section and then another 1/2 inch. 

 

Cut the fabric and wrap it tightly around the cord and tuck in the end of the fabric.  Sew it with the zigzag stitch. 

 

Go once around the top of the basket and you are done.

 

I chose to put a stripe on mine, by changing colors at the tape and then stopping when I reached the tape, after a few times around.  And I played around with handles.  Next time I may do all one fabric or scraps that go together.  Or I may go crazy and mix and match it all up.  The book has a lot of ideas and I also want to try a purse.

 

I just went to Walmart and bought 4 more rolls of clothesline!!! I have a lot of scraps to use up.

Elkins, WV

Our daughter is living in Elkins for a few months.  She is doing a rotation at a medical clinic there.  We decided to drive up and visit her and her roommate for the day.  It is more than three hours each way, so we got up early and arranged for a friend to let the dog out a couple of times.

Tara has been living in the D.C. area, so she considers Elkins a small town.  We live in Buchanan, so we consider it a metropolis!  It has street lights and restaurants and hotels and everything!

Tara took us on a tour of the downtown.  A YMCA!  We went into an artist's co-op called Artists At Work.  I love places like that.  There is one in Roanoke that will be closing soon and one in Lexington that we like to visit.

 

I found these really cool baskets made from winding strips of sloth around clothesline and zigzagging them together.  They are really tight and hold their shape.  I bought one and want to try to make one with leftover fabric from other projects.  I still have some after doing most of the cutting for my wedding ring quilt.

 

There were quite a few pieces made from wood.  I truly want to take some woodturning classes from a local shop, but I don't want to go by myself.  Anybody want a ride to Roanoke to take a class with me?

 

I loved the way he layered the different types of wood to make a fabulous and beautifully finished bowl. 

 

He also built the shelf the baskets are on with some great inlay. 

 

There were painting, photographs and fabric postcards that you write on with a marker and can send through the mail.

I really liked the pine needle baskets. 

 

 

Some had walnut shells incorporated into them.

 

You have to love a town with a small free library. 

 

Take one or leave one.

 

The train station is used for scenic train rides.  That sounds fun to me.

 

We spent some time in the Delmonte Market.  It is full of fun and quirky items. 

 

They have some gourmet food items and give craft classes. 



There was a big table with wooden cooking utensils.

 

I bought this bowl scraper.  I bet I can get one more cookie out of each batch!

 

Tara liked the crocheted scarves with fat yarn.  I may have to make her one. 

 

It is just a chain stitch and should work up pretty fast.

 

It had a few interesting signs.  This one caught my eye.  A bit too close to home, the older I get!

All in all, it is a cute town in which to spend a few months.  Tara and her roommate are availing themselves of a lot of what the town has to offer and enjoying this rotation very much.  And we enjoyed our visit.  Next time we'll stay longer and take in one of those train rides.