Rope Bowl

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This project represents a little piece of Dogpatch history when the Tubbs Rope Walk stood just across from MCD’s location today. These bowls can be made using a wide variety of rope types – so experiment and play with what you might find laying around!

INSTRUCTIONS

• Trim the end of your rope and glue loose strings together if fraying.
• Begin your bowl by coiling the very end of the rope in on itself and hot gluing the end together. Hold rope together for a minute or so until the glue has dried. Do not touch hot glue until it’s dry. 
• Turn your bowl form upside down and use the bottom as a guide as you continue coiling the rope around and gluing.
• Detach the form away every few minutes so that it doesn’t adhere to the rope.
• TIP: Only place a small line of hot glue (1 – 2.5 inches) at a time, so that you can stick the rope down before the glue begins to dry. 
• Once you’ve reached the edge of the bottom, begin coiling upwards along the sides. Continue adding more glue in small parts and pressing the rope down.
• OPTIONAL: Create a unique shape by trying one of the techniques below: 
  • Coil inwards or outwards after establishing a base (inwards seen in the sample). 
  • Bend rope back on itself and adhere with glue to make a pattern with negative space.
  • Use extra-large or colorful rope.
  • Try different colors of glue sticks (shown).
  • Wrap embroidery floss around one or more sections of your rope before gluing it down for some extra texture and color. 
  • For a more accessible project, use a mold form that will be permanently wrapped with rope. Stick directly to the glass or plastic. 
• When you have run out of rope or the vessel is tall enough, finish by curling the rope back on itself and securing it with hot glue. Hold while it dries. 
• When finished, your bowl or vessel will be sturdy enough to retain its shape.

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