Learn how to make a bee skep as part of your summer decor. This fun and easy craft looks great on a covered porch or anywhere you want to add a little garden related whimsy.

Two decorative bee skeps with a vase of flowers in the background.

Here's a fun craft I've always wanted to try. It's a "faux" bee skep or beehive made with pots and rope.

Bee skeps were once used instead of beehives. I love the way they look. However, these days handmade domed baskets are no longer used, and in some places illegal, because beekeepers need to be able to open the hive for inspection and disease prevention.

I still think they look great and these "faux" bee skeps are super easy to make.

More Fun Crafts: Tin Can Wind Chimes.....Painted Gourds.....Acorn Cap Candles.....Flower Pounding

Supplies

Scissors
Hot glue gun and sticks
Color printer
Paintbrush
Black Craft Paint
Plastic Pots - I got mine from Dollar General
Sisal Rope
White Card Stock Paper

Sisal rope glued to the edge of a pot turned upside down.

How to Make a Decorative Bee Skep

Step 1. Place a pot upside down and start gluing the end of the rope to the edge.

Pot covered with sisal rope to resemble an old fashioned bee skep.

Continue gluing the rope to the pot or to the rope below as you move up the pot.

Step 2. Once you get to the top, start making the coil smaller and smaller.

Handmade bee skep close look at painting the circle in front to look like an opening.

Step 3. Glue another piece of thick rope in a circle or loop near the bottom and paint the inside black.

A large and small bee skep made with pots and sisal rope.

If you like, you can decorate the bee skeps with faux flowers or bees.

I made these bees that you can print out onto cardstock. Cut them out and glue them around the beehive. Click on the image to get a PDF that you can print.

A large and small bee skep with paper bees next to a mason jar filled with flowers.

Aren't they so cute?

DIY Bee Hive with Rope and a Plastic Pot

Learn how to make a bee skep or decorative bee hive with basic materials in no time for a fun piece of decor.

Prep Time20

Active Time1 30

Total Time1 30

Course: Crafts, Decorate

Equipment

Scissors
Hot glue gun and sticks
Color printer
Paintbrush

Materials

Instructions

Print and cut out the bees.
Turn your pot upside down.
Begin gluing the rope at the bottom edge and continue to wind it around the pot, gluing as you go.
At first, you will want to place the glue on the pot, but later it may benefit from being placed on the rope so that they stick together as closely as possible.
When you reach the top, start coiling the rope inward to complete the bee skep.
Glue a small piece of rope in a circle at the bottom center of the pot.
Paint the inside of the circle with black paint.
Glue some bees onto the bee skep.

Notes

Keep this craft away from the elements on a covered porch or indoors. Though the rope and the pots will do fine outdoors, the paper bees will not.

Tried this project?Tag @hearthnvine on Instagram