Cover Old Milk Jugs With Rope To Create The Cutest Little Vases

The best DIYs are often the ones that make good use of an item that, at first glance, seems like it's bound for the bin. These sorts of projects tend to be eco-friendly and inexpensive, with surprisingly stunning finished results. Look, for example, at all the different ways to turn old pickle jars into home treasures. And with some twine and a plastic milk jug, you can create a stunning vase, perfect for holding faux flower arrangements. 

The idea for this project comes from On 9 Sky DiY on YouTube, which has a short video that walks viewers through the basic steps. After cutting vertical lines into the bottom half of a milk jug, the video creator weaves thin twine through them, creating a basket-like appearance. To finish things off, they cover up the bottom and top edges of the decor piece with jute rope.

You might already have jute rope and jute twine at home, but if you don't, you'll find that both are relatively inexpensive. A roll of PerkHomy Natural Jute Twine, for example, retails for just six bucks on Amazon. To complete this DIY, you'll also need hot glue, scissors, a ruler, and a marker. Of course, your new vase won't look its best unless you fill it up with faux flowers, so be sure to add a few stems to your cart. Their colors, along with the earthy color and texture of the jute, make this craft a wonderful rustic decor idea. 

To begin this project, cut a clean, half-gallon-sized plastic milk jug in half horizontally, then discard the top. At the top of the bottom half, use a ruler to mark where you're going to cut the sides of the jug into strips. Space the markings evenly, about ⅓ inches apart. Make a vertical cut on each marking, stopping where the jug begins to curve downward to its base. Flip the jug over, and flex the plastic strips outward by pressing down on the bottom. Then, begin weaving your twine around the strips. Start from the bottom of your vase and work your way up until you're approximately a quarter-inch from the top.

To finish off your vase, attach a length of jute rope to its top edge. Then, use the same material to cover up the bottom. Start in the middle and spiral the rope outward until it begins to climb the sides of the vase and cover up the plastic. Use hot glue to adhere it into place as you work. 

As an added step, you could glue burlap fabric to the bottom of the vase's interior. It has a similar texture to jute and will cover up the exposed plastic, or wind and glue another piece of twine around that side. If you're not a fan of this DIY's brown color, swap out the twine and rope for colored cotton macrame cord or yarn. Simple, budget-friendly, and easy to customize, this craft is just one smart way to reuse old milk jugs.