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If you’re drowning in fabric scraps and offcuts, this is the perfect project to upcycle them into something practical.

It’s an idea that came to me while I was in the process of tidying up my sewing space. I tend to keep all my fabric scraps (just in case!) and all those really long, thin pieces were tangling together and making a big mess. After doing a bit of online research on rope making, I found a video showing how to hand-twist rope from tree bark. I adapted the same technique with fabric and it works a treat.

Project Steps

1. Start the Twine

Tie two fabric strips together with a small knot.

TIP: To avoid tangles, use one long strip and one short strip.

2. Twist Away

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Working with the strip at the rear, twist the strip several times away from you (Figure A). Then pull that twisted strip over the other strip and toward you (Figure B). Repeat this until you reach your desired length (Figure C). To join strips in order to lengthen your twine, leave a tail of about 1″–2″ and wrap it around the new fabric strip (Figure D). Continue twisting as before. Stagger your joins to avoid weak points.