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.
Published:
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
Total time:
How to make the coiled rope pots
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
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
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
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.
'Dip dyed' jars
Step 1
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]
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]
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]
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.
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
You’ll be using up to three colours on each round, encasing one or two threads as you work.
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.
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.
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.
Authors
Lisa describes herself as a multidisciplinary maker and says that she’s never met a craft that she didn’t like. She loves to inspire others to live a more creative life and shares her contemporary craft tutorials on her blog, http://www.we-are-scout.com/. You can also see her work over on Instagram @we_are_scout_lisa.
