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How to make a Yarn Coil Basket from Clothesline

Today, I’m thrilled to guide you through creating your very own coil baskets. These charming baskets are crafted by wrapping yarn around a sturdy cord, resulting in functional and visually appealing pieces. The best part? They’re fun to make and incredibly budget-friendly, as they utilize scrap yarn.

Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or a budding artist, these coil baskets offer a fantastic creative outlet. You're all set as long as you can wrap yarn evenly over a cord!  A fun craft for kids 8 years and up.

Each coil basket becomes a canvas for your creativity. The choice of yarn colors and the way you coil the cording will make each basket truly unique.How to Make a Yarn Coil Basket - fb

The bottom size is entirely up to you. Want a petite basket? Keep fewer rounds flat. Would you prefer something more spacious? Add more rounds! And don’t forget the sides—whether you go straight up or wider, it’s all part of the artistic journey.

Our sample baskets are small and showcase different possibilities for stitching the baskets.

The taller coil basket is 4” wide, perfect for organizing small treasures.  This one is stitched with the coils on top of one another to get straight sides.

The flatter one is 5” wide, low, and stylish and is ideal for showcasing your favorite trinkets or holding everyday essentials.  For this basket, the coils were stitched more flat.

The last one is oblong in shape, 4" wide by 5" long, and showcases how you can change the base shape to get a different coil basket. The sides on this one are stitched vertically.Coil Baskets Three Finished

These baskets use a thick clothesline cording for the center. The length of the cord will determine the size of the basket.  Use a longer cord to make a larger basket.  Opt for a lighter-weight cording if you aim for a more delicate touch.  

Other pages for making bowls and baskets are: 

This project would be a fun project for pre-teens or teens to make.  I plan to use this project for a group of 4-Hers.

Watch our step-by-step video through the link below or keep reading this article to learn more about making coil baskets.


PRINTABLE PDF TUTORIAL - If you would like an ad free printable version of this tutorial optimized for printing, please visit our Etsy Shop listing for How to make a Yarn Coil Basket from Clothesline #ad. For a small fee, you can purchase a PDF downloadable version of this tutorial.
Keep reading for the free version of this tutorial.


COMPLETE VIDEO TUTORIAL AVAILABLE! The video below is a preview with no audio, to watch the whole video tutorial, click the link How to make a Yarn Coil Basket from Clothesline to watch in Youtube.


Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. We make a small commission on sales through the affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you in advance for your purchase and your support! Please see our full Affiliate Statement for more information.

WHAT YOU NEED to make a Yarn coil basket

Coil Basket Blue Side View

How to make coil basket from Yarn and clothesline

Step 1: Selecting Yarn

These coil baskets are perfect for using leftover scrap yarn. We used a medium-weight yarn, such as worsted or DK weight, for our baskets.  Try out different weight yarns and see how they change the look and shape of these yarn coil baskets.

One color of yarn can be used for the whole basket, different shades of color, or many different colors to make a more colorful basket.  Two of the baskets shown below use a variety of yarn colors.  The third one uses shades of blue yarns. Coil Baskets Top View

STEP 2: Measure Cording

For our baskets, we used cotton clothesline cording.  A thinner cording could also be used to make a more delicate basket. 

If kids are making the baskets, I recommend starting with clothesline weight cording, as it's easier to wrap because of its thickness.

Use a yardstick to measure and cut at least 2 yards of cording to make a small basket. Coil Basket 1 Cut Cording

Cut one end of the cording on an angle.  This will help the cord to lay flat when starting the coil. Coil Basket 2 Cut End at Angle

Coil Basket 3 Showing Angle Cut

STEP 3: Cut Yarn

Cut a 3-yard length from the first yarn color.  This yarn will be in the center bottom of the basket. If you want to change colors faster, cut shorter lengths of yarn. 

I don’t recommend cutting the yarn longer than 3 yards as the yarn can become tangled and be harder to work with.

Thread the yarn or tapestry needle onto one end of the yarn.Coil Basket 4 Yarn threaded on needle

STEP 4: Begin Wrapping

Start with the end of the cording that was cut on an angle.  Take the yarn end without the needle and lay it near the end of the cord.  The end of the cord and yarn should be next to one another.Coil Basket 5 Yarn end on Cording

Starting about 2" from the end of the cord, wrap the yarn around the cord and yarn tail, working towards the tapered end cord.  This is the opposite direction you would expect to work.Coil Basket 6 Begin Wrapping

Wrap the yarn around the cord in a motion wrapping away from you.  Each yarn wrap should lay next to the previous wrap, not on top of it.  Leave no gaps between each wrap. Coil Basket 7 Wrapped towards cut end

If you see a gap, it’s okay to wrap it again in that place to fill it, but try not to overlap the yarn too much.

Wrap the first inch towards the end of the cording. Coil Basket 8 Stop Near End

Bend the end of the cording over the wrapped section to make a loop.  The tapered end of the cording should lay flat against the cord.Coil Basket 9 Fold End Towards cord

Continue wrapping over both the cord and the cord end.  You will be wrapping over the section you wrapped first and but now you wil cover the tapered end of the cording.  Coil Basket 10 Wrap Around Folded End and Cord

This will make a small loop.  Cover the loop entirely.Coil Basket 11 Cord End Covered

Continue wrapping up the length of the cord.  Keep wrapping away from you with each wrap next to the previous wrap and close together. Don’t leave any gaps, or you will be able to see the cording.Coil Basket 12 Wrap 12 Times

STEP 5: Wrap and Secure

After each 12 yarn wraps around the cord, coil and secure the cord to the previous round.  Holding the yarn end so it doesn’t come loose, create the coil by wrapping the starting loop into a circle. Coil Basket 13 Bend Around

Bring the yarn end to the top between the coil and the cording.Coil Basket 14 Yarn To Front

Take the needle on the end of the yarn and put it through the center of the starting loop.  Coil Basket 15 Needle Through Center to Secure

Pull the yarn through and tighten it to hold the loop in place.Coil Basket 16 Pull Tight

Bring the yarn up between the loop and the cording to so you can continue wrapping.  This locks the stitch and loop in place.  Coil Basket 17 Bring Yarn Between to Secure

Wrap 12 more times around the cord. Remember always to wrap away from yourself.Coil Basket 18 Wrap 12 times

After every 12 wraps, stop and coil the yarn-wrapped cord into a flat circle.  Secure it in place by inserting the needle between the previous cord wrap. The first few stitches will be placed in the center of the loop.   Coil Basket 20 Wrap More

Coil Basket 21 Bend Around

Continue wrapping 12 times, then make the securing stitch in the previous round.  The first few rounds of the cord will make the bottom of the coil basket.  Coil Basket 22 Needle through to Secure

Continue wrapping and securing the coil into a circle until about 2" of yarn remains.Coil Basket 23 Continue Stitching and Wrapping

Depending on how you wrap the cord, the yarn coil basket can be made in different shapes.  If you want a basket with a larger bottom, wrap the cord in a circle and keep it flat.  Once you are ready to make the bowl sides, slowly move the wrap so it is on top of the previously wrapped circle.

STEP 5: Start the Next Yarn

When you have about 2” of yarn left, stop wrapping and remove the yarn needle. Coil Basket 24 Yarn End

Lay the end of the yarn against the cording.Coil Basket 25 Lay Yarn end on Cord

Cut the next 3-yard piece of yarn and thread the needle on one end.  Lay the end without the needle on the cord with the yarn's end near the previous yarn's end.   Coil Basket 26 Next Yarn On Cord

Start to wrap the new yarn around the cord and the two yarn ends.  Start wrapping next to the last wrap of the previous yarn. Coil Basket 27 Wrapping Yarn

Wrap 12 times.Coil Basket 28 Bend Around

Secure by stitching into the previous round.Coil Basket 29 Secure with Needle

Pull the stitch tight to secure.Coil Basket 30 Pull Tight

Bring the yarn to the top between the cord and the coil to prepare to continue wrapping.  Pull it tight, and this will lock the stitch.  Coil Basket 31 Yarn to Top Ready to Wrap

Continue wrapping and securing the yarn every 12 wraps.Coil Basket 32 Wrapping More

Add more yarn as needed and continue wrapping and stitching every 12 wraps.Coil Basket 32a Base Finished

STEP 6: Make the basket sides

Once you complete the bottom of your basket, start making the sides. Coil Basket 33 Make Sides

To start the sides of the basket, wrap 12 times, then put the cord on top of the previous round, halfway covering the cord of the previous round.  A gradual change in position will look the best. Coil Basket 34 Secure with cord partially on top of round

Make a stitch as usual, holding the cord in place.
Coil Basket 35 Needle Through

Continue wrapping and stitching the entire round with the cord partially on top of the previous round.Coil Basket 36 Show Wrapping

For the next rounds, decide the shape of the basket.  Place the cording directly on top of the previous round if you want straight sides.

Place the cording partially covering the previous round for more gently sloping sides.

For a flatter basket, place the next round beside the previous round.Coil Basket 48 Three Finished

Keep adding more yarn, wrapping, and securing until you get near the end of the cord.

STEP 7: Ending the basket

Stop wrapping with about two inches of cord remaining. 

Quite a bit of yarn will be needed to finish off the basket.  If you are near the end of the yarn, add a new yarn, wrap 12 times and make at least one stitch with the new yarn.Coil Basket 37 At Cord End

Cut the cord end on an angle to lay flat against the previous round.Coil Basket 38 Cut Cord End on Angle

Continue wrapping and securing until 1/2” from the end of the cord.  Lay the cord flat onto the top of the basket edge. 

Next, use the needle to make stitches through the previous round and wrap the yarn around the end of the cording.  Coil Basket 39 Wrap Yarn with needle to cover end

Keep making stitches and wrapping around the cord until the end of the cord is completely covered.Coil Basket 40 Wrapping Yarn

The photo below shows the stitches wrapped around and covering the end of the cording.Coil Basket 41 End covered

STEP 8: Tie off the yarn

To end the yarn, make a knot and bury the yarn.

Slide the needle under a couple of stitches outside the basket between the rounds.Coil Basket 42 Needle Under yarn to make knot

Put the needle through the loop to make a knot and pull it tight.Coil Basket 43 Needle through loop to tie off

To bury the knot and yarn end, run the needle under a few stitches starting next to the knot.  Pull the yarn through, and the knot should go under or close to the stitches.Coil Basket 44 Needle under threads to bury knot

Trim off the extra yarn.Coil Basket 45 Trim off Yarn

The basket is finished!Coil Basket 47 Finished

Some photos of the baskets showing different shapes are below.Coil Basket Blue Top View

Coil Baskets Side View

Coil Basket Two From Top

Coil Basket Two Side View

We hope you enjoyed learning how to make coil baskets from yarn and a clothesline cording.  Happy Crafting!
Chris's Signature  

PRINTABLE PDF TUTORIAL - If you would like an ad free printable version of this tutorial optimized for printing, please visit our Etsy Shop listing for How to make a Yarn Coil Basket from Clothesline #ad. For a small fee, you can purchase a PDF downloadable version of this tutorial.




QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions about this project, contact us through the YouTube Video comments or our Contact Us page. We respond to questions in e-mails and YouTube comments regularly.

Some other crafts kids may enjoy are:

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