How to Make a Dyed Rope Easter Basket

This dyed rope basket is a great beginner sewing project. One that you can easily create in an afternoon, and is perfect for your Easter decor.

If you have a sewing machine or access to one, then you can make this beautiful dyed rope basket. I made this one with Easter in mind, but you can dye it any color you wish and use it for any purpose.

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Dyed Rope Basket for Easter

It all starts with a simple cotton clothesline rope. The basket above was dyed with three different colors. To recreate this look, separate some of the beginning of the rope for the first color. This will be the bottom of the basket.

Prepare three bowls using grocery store food coloring and white vinegar.

Just like dying Easter eggs. Combine 2 teaspoons of white vinegar to 1 cup of boiling water and about 40 drops of dye.

Tip: cut a few small pieces of rope to test out your colors first.

Let the rope set in the dye for about 20 minutes. Then remove the rope and allow it to dry on some paper towels.

Begin creating the basket by making a coil at one end of the rope and use a large pin to hold it in place.

Use a zigzag stitch connecting two pieces of rope as you go to hold the coil together. 

Tip: Use a piece of scrap fabric to get the width and length of the zigzag stitch you need. It needs to be wide enough to cover some of the two pieces of rope, and you don't want it too long. Also if you make the stitches very close together, it will take a long time to sew and it's not necessary. 

Keep your coil flat, and sew as much as you want, to create the bottom of the basket. A larger coil will create a larger basket in the end.

For the sides just turn the coil 90 degrees and continue sewing, just as you did before.

Tip: This one uses white thread, but you could use different colored threads to give the basket an even more colorful look.

When you get to the height you want, stop to make handles. Do this by simply leaving sections of rope untouched for a couple of inches, and then start sewing again at the end of the handle, making sure to back-stitch or double stitch to secure the ends.

Finish the basket at the end of the second handle.

This dyed rope basket measures approximately 5 inches tall by 7 inches wide.  I only used a little more than half of the skein of rope. To use more of the rope I would have needed to make a larger bottom, which would have made the entire basket larger. I could have made it slightly taller, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Maybe I'll make another one to give as a gift.

Fill it with candy, crafts, naturally dyed eggs, or little gifts.

I could see a pretty Easter lily in this basket. Wouldn't that be a special Easter gift?

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5 from 2 votes

DIY Dyed Rope Easter Basket

This dyed rope basket is a great beginner sewing project. One that you can easily create in an afternoon, and is perfect for your Easter decor.

Prep Time20 mins

Active Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: DIY Projects

Yield: 1

Author: Patti Estep

Cost: $10

Equipment

• sewing machine
• scissors

Materials

• Cotton clothesline rope
• Food coloring
• Vinegar
• Thread - white or any color
• Large hat pin

Instructions

• Pre-dye sections of the clothesline rope with food coloring and vinegar just like easter egg dyeing.
• Let dry.
• Make a coil at one end of the rope using a large pin to hold it in place.
• Use a zigzag stitch to hold the coil together. 
• Keep your coil flat, and sew as much as you want, to create the bottom of the basket.
• Then turn the coil 90 degrees and continue sewing, just as you did before to create sides.
• When you get to the height you want, stop to make handles. Do this by simply leaving sections of rope untouched for a couple of inches, and then start sewing again at the end of the handle, making sure to back-stitch or double stitch to secure the ends.
• Finish the basket at the end of the second handle.

Notes

Use a piece of scrap fabric to get the width and length of the zigzag stitch you need. It needs to be wide enough to cover some of the two pieces of rope, and you don't want it too long. Also if you make the stitches very close together, it will take a long time to sew and it's not necessary. 

You can use different colored threads to give the basket an even more colorful look.