Simple DIY projects from jute twine

12 April, 2021

But first, is jute sustainable?

Jute grows without the use of pesticides and fertilizers. It is 100% biodegradable as well as recyclable fiber. Jute is an efficient source of renewable material because it reaches maturity within only 4-6 months, therefore jute is sustainable.

Project 1. Boho style lampshade with a chessboard pattern

I had an old lamp that I purchased years ago, the day I moved to my new apartment. I needed any source of light immediately, so I ran into a lamp store, right before the end of the day and got the cheapest option. The lamp was cheap and looks basic, I like how the switch works. It has a metal leg with touch sensors that turn on and off the light.

DIY materials, jute twine, white macrame cord, hot glue gun, a lamp and scissors

Long story short, throughout the years, the lamp got a little broken (the lampshade was not stable anymore) and I had to decide either buy a new lamp or improve and fix this one. I decided to go for the second option.

I wanted to make a new lampshade that would look fun and cute, would give me a little boho and 80s hippie vibe and I came up with an idea to use a chessboard pattern combining jute twine and white macrame cord.

The process was pretty time-consuming, and I must admit, sometime in the middle I was all if-y if I should continue or simply trash the project. I am glad I finished it up because it turned out to be exactly how I wanted it to be. I used hot glue to attach the pattern to the lampshade and a bit more hot glue to make it stable on the base of the lamp. I absolutely love the hippie vibe the new lamp gives me.

Hippie style lamp with chessboard pattern made of jute twine | Simple DIY projects from jute twine

Project 2. Spiral coaster

This project was perhaps the fastest and easiest out of all 3 but still looks stunning. I cut a circle from the cardboard and applied a bit of hot glue in the centre to attach the point of the jute twine. I started spinning the circle and creating a spiral with the jute twine. To add a bit of interest, I made a few cycles with the white macrame cord and finished up with the jute twine. Finally, I cut the edges of the cardboard and that was the end of the project!

Spiral coaster made of jute twine and white macrame cord

Project 3. Jute knotted carafe

My last project is my favorite. It is so easy to do and quite playful. You can learn meanwhile how to make some different types of nodes but all in all, it brings a little more boho feel to a simple bottle or a carafe.

All I did was cut 8 long pieces of jute twine (1 meter each), dividing them into groups of 4 and making a node in the middle to attach all of them. Then I used any two neighbor cords to make a simple node 3 cm away from the main node. I completed 3 rounds of nodes; each round was 3 cm away from the previous one. I used one more cord of jute twine to make a nice finishing touch in the carafe neck and used some hot glue to attach it. Finally, the cords on the top I combined for the one common node and cut the leftovers.

The result looks so pretty, it gives me the fishnet look and I can use it anywhere indoors or outdoors as a decor piece. You can also put a flower or a candle inside.