How to Craft Using Jute

Jute is a fiber you can use to create many useful and eco-friendly things for your home: from mats and baskets to beach bags and coffee tables. People usually use jute rope, twine, or thread. The material itself is pretty rough but there are few tricks that can make it softer and shinier.

5-Minute Crafts offers instructions you can use to make your own jute craft.

Crocheted jute napkin or mat

You need:

• jute rope

• jute twine

• 6-mm crochet hook

• sharp scissors

• universal glue (if you want)

Also: Jute is pretty rough so if you feel discomfort, put on gloves. If you can, choose the kind of jute that feels smooth and nice to touch — it will be easier to work with and the end result will look better. If the fiber has an unpleasant smell, you should dry your craft outside.

Step 1. Take one end of the jute rope and bend it like the photo above shows. Tie it with the end of jute twine. This will be the start.

Step 2. The thread of the twine going to the skein is what you’re going to work with. Hook it.

Step 3. Wrap it around the hook.

Step 4. Put the hook above the rope and grab the thread. Pull it.

Step 5. Put it through the loop on the hook.

Step 6. Then wrap the hook with the twine just like you did in steps 2, 3, and 4.

You can see the entire process in the animated picture above. A lot depends on the condition of the jute twine you’re working with: if it’s smooth, the loops will look better.

Step 7. Keep going until the new loops are on the same level as the very first one.

Step 8. Before you make a second loop on the hook, put the hook through the very first loop on the rope.

Step 9. Now you should be making a spiral. If you want, you can alternate between making one loop by going through the first loop, and 2 others — the same way you did in the beginning.

Step 10. Keep going until you make a spiral in the size you want. In the photo above, it’s a small napkin for hot plates. But you can keep going until you make a round mat. To finish it, make loops around the tip of the rope.

Step 11. Keep going the same way to move away from the end of the rope. Then, make a simple loop as the photo above shows.

Step 12. Put the main thread through the loop. You can hide the tip in the nearby loops. Use a toothpick or a small-sized crochet hook.

You can use steam to make the craft feel and look nicer. Also, use glue to make the beginning of the rope more fixed in the middle.

If jute seems like too much work, you can try regular yarn in the same color. It feels nicer, easier to work with, and, unlike jute, it can be washed.

Jute lampshade

You need:

• plastic container or bucket

• balloon

• glass

• black marker

• thin jute thread

• glue

• starch

• water

Step 1. Make a mix: take glue, starch, and water in 1:1:1 proportion and mix in a bucket or a plastic container. Put the jute thread into the mix.

Step 2. Take a balloon and put it on a glass. Draw around it with a marker.

Step 3. This will be the spot where the shade connects to the lamp.

Step 4. Now wrap the balloon with the thread everywhere chaotically avoiding the area you drew on.

Step 5. Now put the balloon on the glass to let the glue dry.

Step 6. Now, pop the balloon. You have your lampshade!

Now, attach it to your lamp. We recommend using it with LED-lamps that don’t get hot when they are used.

Colorful bag made of jute rope

You need:

• hot water and fabric dye

• 2 glass jars

• thick jute rope or a white rope

• plastic bucket

• glue gun

• thread and needle

Step 1. Pour hot water into the glass jars.

Step 2. In each jar, put fabric dye in a certain color. Follow the instructions on the dye packs.

Step 3. Take a skein of jute rope. Put one half in one jar and one half in the other. Let the skein dry.

Step 4. Turn a plastic bucket upside-down and put some glue on the bottom. Put some oil or Vaseline before you put the glue on, to make sure the bucket doesn’t stick to the bag.

Step 5. Wrap the bucket with the jute rope.

Step 6. Once the bag is done, remove the bucket. Take 2 ends of the rope that will be the handles. Sew them to the sides of the bag.

Jute bowl

You need:

• glass bowl

• jute rope

• silicone glue that can be used on plates

Step 1. Take a glass bowl and put it upside-down.

Step 2. Using it as a mold, start wrapping it with the rope and use glue.

Step 3. Keep going until you reach the lower edge.

Step 4. Remove the bowl and it’s done!

Tip: If you are not going to use the bowl for food, you can use any kind of glue.

Jute rope basket without knitting

You need:

• stool

• jute rope

• silicone glue

• plastic wrap

• fabric bag that will be the inside of the basket

Step 1. Turn your stool upside-down. Wrap the base and the legs with the plastic wrap.

Step 2. Put the end of the rope in the middle of the base and start wrapping it into a spiral. Use glue to secure it. Keep going around the stool until you reach the end of the legs.

Step 3. Remove the stool and the film. Glue the handles on the sides and on the edge.

Step 4. Attach the bag inside the basket.

Tip: On the top inside edge of the basket, you can put Velcro so that the bag inside will be easy to take out and put in. This way, you’ll be able to wash it. Also, you can make a lid so you can hide dirty laundry underneath it.

Table or ottoman

You need:

• tire

• jute rope

• a circle made of plywood that is the same size as the tire

• screws and a screwdriver

• glue

• fabric dye

Step 1. Take an old tire, clean it and make sure there’s no dirt on it.

Step 2. Put the plywood on the top.

Step 3. Fix it on the tire using the screws.

Step 4. Put some glue in the middle of the plywood.

Step 5. Glue the end of the rope and start making a spiral by adding more and more glue.

Step 6. Keep going until you reach the lower edge of the tire. Let it dry.

Now, use the dye to change the color of the ottoman you have. You can also put the rope on the bottom to hide it and attach wheels to make it portable.

You can turn the ottoman into a table with flowers. Put the rope on the other side of the tire but keep the hole open. Put some soil with flowers inside. Put a piece of glass on top and you have a coffee table!