3 DIY craft storage boxes

3 DIY craft storage boxes

Yarnbomb your desk and spruce up your shelves with these exclusive craft storage boxes by Kat Goldin and Lisa Tilse.

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Published: January 25, 2021 at 9:18 am

Get rid of the plastic cups your pens are in, gather all your bits of jewellery from the bathroom and next to your bed, and make yourself some jazzy rope coil baskets to store them in. Using just cotton rope and thread with a fresh palette of mint, aqua, mustard and rose, you can add colour and handmade style to your space. They make gorgeous gifts, although we'll warn you − you may not want to part with them!

These craft storage pots were created for Mollie Makes magazine – for easy-make craft projects and creative inspiration, subscribe to Mollie or click here to find out more.

Materials

For the coiled craft storage pots

  • Cotton sash cord, 0.5cm (1⁄4") diameter. You’ll need around 6m (6yrds) for each small vessel, but don’t cut the cord – it’s better to leave it on the spool so you aren’t limited by its length.
  • Embroidery floss in mint, aqua, pale pink, rose, yellow and mustard
  • Large darning needle
  • Scissors

For the crochet craft storage pots

  • Three jars in various sizes. Ours are 22, 1 18 and 9cm (83⁄4, 7/8 5 and 3 /8") tall.
  • Cascade 220, 100% wool, 100g/200m per hank, 1 hank each in Antiqued Heather 9600 (Yarn A), Cerise 7802 (Yarn B) Goldenrod 7827 (Yarn C) Mint 9076 (Yarn D) and Lagoon 7812 (YarnE)
  • 4mm (UK 8, US G/6) crochet hook
  • Tapestry needle

Tension

16sts and 16rows to 10cm (4") square. Tension isn’t critical to this project, but make sure it's tight enough that the jars won’t show through the stitches.

Abbreviations (UK)

St(s) stitch(es) ch chain

ch-sp chain space Ss slip stitch

Dc double crochet BLO work stitch through back loop only

Craft storage boxes tutorial

You will need:

  • Embroidery Thread
  • Yarn
  • Crochet hook

How to make the coiled rope pots

Step 1

craft storage pots coiled step 2
Thread the needle with a long length of thread. Place the end of the thread and the end of the rope together and lay the thread along the rope for about 4cm (1 /8"). Now wind the thread around the rope back towards the end. Stop when you’re 4mm (1⁄4") from the end.

Step 2

craft storage coiled step 6Tightly bend the wrapped cord over to form a squashed ‘U’ shape with a very small hole in the centre. Now wind the thread around and around to tightly bind the two sections of rope together.

Step 3

craft storage pots coiled step 1

Bend the rope around the central circle, tucking the rope end underneath.Now the centre of the coil is secure we can begin to stitch. Bring the needle up between the two coils of rope, and allow it to catch a small section of the first coil.

Take the needle up and over the rope again and repeat the stitch.

Bring the needle up through the centre hole every third stitch, so the stitch will pass over both rope coils.

Continue coiling the rope and randomly alternate the stitches over one piece of rope, then over two pieces. Make sure the needle passes through the rope coil below, not just through the gap between coils. Stitch around the coil at random but close intervals.

Step 4

craft storage coiled step 12Wrap a section of the rope, stitching them into place as you go.

Step 5

craft storage pots coiled step 3To end a thread colour pass the needle through a few stitches in the coil below and pull it tight. Trim off the extra thread.

Step 6

craft storage coiled step 5To start a new thread run it under the same stitches but in the opposite direction until the end is concealed. Wrap the thread around the rope a few times before continuing to stitch.

Step 7

craft storage coiled step 4Once you’re happy with the size of the base hold the rope on top and begin to build up the sides of your basket. For the first round, all the stitches will wrap around both pieces of rope – the base and the new coil – to make sure they are securely connected.After you’ve completed the first round go back to stitching as before, with some stitches passing over two rope coils, and some over one. Remember to catch a small section of the lower coil with each stitch.

Step 8

craft storage coiled potsWhen you are happy with the height, continue stitching until you have completed a round. Look back at the base and find the place where you started to overlap it to make the side wall. The top should finish above that spot. Cut the rope off on an angle so it tapers off. Continue stitching until you’re about 1.5cm ( /8") from the end.Wrap the last 1.5cm ( /8") tightly and then secure it to the coil below with a few stitches.

To finish off, knot the thread around a stitch and run the needle between two pieces of rope so the thread disappears between them. Trim off any visible thread ends.

craft storage pots portrait final image

How to make crochet pot covers

'Dip dyed' jars

Step 1

craft storage crochet step 10Using Yarn A, make a magic ring Round 1 Ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), work 6dc into the ring. Join with a ss into the 1st dc. Pull ring tight. [6sts]craft storge crochet step 4
Round 2 Ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), work 2dc into each dc around. Join with a ss into the 1st dc. [12sts] Round 3 Ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), *work 1 dc into next st, 2dc into the next st; rep from * around. Join with a ss into 1st dc. [18sts]

craft storage pots crochet

Round 4 Ch1 (doesn’t count as
a st), *work 1 dc into each of the next 2 sts, 2dc into the next st; rep from * around. Join with a ss into the 1st dc. [24sts]

craft storage crochet step 2
Round 5 Ch1 (doesn’t count as
a st), *work 1 dc into each of the next 3 sts, 2dc into the next st; rep from * around. Join with a ss into the 1st dc. [30sts]

craft storage crochet step 9
Continue working rounds in the pattern: 1 dc into each st up until where you have worked 2 sts into the same st in the previous round. Work 2 dcs into the 'V' between the sts. Continue until your circle is the same size as the jar bottom.

craft storage glass pots craft storage crochet step 11 craft storage crochet step 5

Changing colour

Step 1

You will now stop increasing and work evenly around your circle. Ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), dc around. Join with a ss into the 1st dc. Work until your cover is approximately 2/3rd of the way up your jar.

Break Yarn A.
colour change Round 1 Join your second yarn (Yarn B). Ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), 1dc in the BLO of each st around. Join with a ss into the 1st dc.

colour change continuing On Ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), dc around. Join with a ss into the 1st dc. Continue working in your 2nd colour until you have reached your desired height. If you are using a jar with a small mouth, work 1 round of: Ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), * work 1 dc in each of the next 4sts, 1dc2tog; repeat from * around where the mouth starts. Join with a ss into the 1st dc. Break yarn and sew in ends. Block the cover on the jar. Repeat steps 1-8 for your other smaller jar, but with the top of the jar worked in Yarn C.

Geometric jar cover

Step 1

craft storage crochet step 7This jar cover uses tapestry crochet, a method using two or more colours in a pattern to create a multi-coloured fabric. It's normally used with double crochet.You'll be using two or more colours of yarn on each row, so you'll need to ‘carry’ the yarn not in use. This can be done by leaving the unused yarn at the back of the work (wrong side) or by encasing the yarn as you work. This pattern uses the encasing method for a neater and smoother finish.

You'll be using up to three colours on each round, encasing one or two threads as you work.

craft storage crochet step 13

Read the tapestry crochet chart (page 26) starting at the bottom right, from left to right. Each row
of the chart represents a pattern repeat for 1 round in the pattern. The number of times you repeat the chart each round will be determined by how many stitches you have in your flat circle which should always be a multiple of 6. Work the bottom as before, until your flat circle is roughly the same size as the jar bottom, using Yarn A.

craft storage crochet step 8

Chart: Begin colourwork pattern. The colour pattern is worked entirely in dc in the BLO, each round being: Ch1 (doesn’t count as a st), dc around. Join with a ss into the 1st dc.

Hold the unused colours beneath your work, crocheting around them (encasing) as you go. To change colours, work the stitch before the new colour as follows:

Insert your hook into the stitch.

Yarn over and pull through.

Yarn over with new colour and pull through.

craft storage crochet step 8

Continue working chart around until your desired height is reached. To give a good finish, work 1 round of the solid colour you ended with. Break yarn and sew in all ends. Block the cover on the jar to finish. Now fill your craft storage boxes with whatever you fancy!

We hope you enjoyed making these colourful craft storage boxes. Share a picture of your craft storage pots with us on Instagram using #molliemakers and subscribe to Mollie Makes to get creative inspiration delivered to your door every month!

For more crafty projects check out our DIY coasters tutorial and macrame bunting step by step.