Simple Jute Webbing Basket

I couldn’t wait to show you this fun new project! I am now in love with jute webbing.

I whipped up this quick and easy jute webbing basket within about 30 minutes and for only $7.00!  It just doesn’t get much better than that.

The ideas for filling this basket are endless. Flowers, craft and yarn supplies, a plant, magazines, a gift basket for a holiday…you decide.

So what is jute webbing?

Jute webbing is an upholstery product meant to be used for webbing on chair seats, and under various pieces of furniture, but I have different plans for this wonderful stuff! I first saw a jute webbing basket made by Jennifer Rizzo when I joined the Creatively Made Home online course this past fall.  Jen made her basket so fast and all on video within minutes that I knew I could do this. I can’t share Jen’s video as it was part of the paid course, but here is a photo of her jute webbing basket below. Very cute huh?

I took my inspiration from Jen’s basket above, and assembled mine a bit different.  Here is my version below…

My completed jute webbing basket with belt

Where to buy jute webbing

I headed to my local JoAnn Fabrics, and couldn’t find jute webbing there. but apparently that is where people have found it. You can check out your local fabric store and look in the upholstery section to see if you can find jute webbing sold by the yard. I did some research online and bought my jute webbing at Online Fabrics I purchased about 20 yards of it, as I knew I wanted to create several projects. This jute webbing cost me only .85 cents a yard! Its not only cheap but strong and makes cool projects!

I also purchased some webbing in black at the same time, but to tell you the truth what they are calling black looks navy to me now that I have it. And the red isn’t a true red, it is more of a coral/salmon red. I didn’t care about the color difference because this jute has great texture and a vintage charm that is awesome.

Don’t mistake jute webbing for a burlap style ribbon.  This jute webbing is much stiffer and tougher than ribbon.  This past Christmas I purchased some ribbon from Pottery Barn that looks almost identical to this jute webbing, but that ribbon is totally different  in texture and weight, and is used for wreaths and bows.  Just make sure when you look for this product it is called webbing.

Let’s get started! This may look like a lot of steps, but I just took a lot of photos, so have no fear, if you can cut the webbing with scissors and operate a glue gun you can make this!

 Supplies You Will Need For Jute Basket

• Jute Webbing
• Cardboard
• Yardstick or Measuring Tape
• Burlap
• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun
• Glue Sticks
• Embellishments. (belt, button, charms, tags,etc.)

Jute Webbing Basket: making the bottom

1.  Gather and cut.

• Gather all the supplies listed above.
• Cut 2 cardboard circles the size you want your basket bottom to be. I traced around my Fiestaware dinner plate, which is 10.5 inches across.
• Cut 4 jute webbing strips 30″ long.

2.  Assembling the base of the basket.

Lay one cardboard circle down and glue each 30″ strip in a criss-cross pattern onto cardboard, as shown in photo #2. Hot glue each strip down individually. (Set aside the 2nd circle it will be used for later.)

Once all 4 strips are glued down…

3.  Set cardboard circle with glued strips up on something tall. (use a bucket, basket, or vase) I happen to have a big vintage spool that worked well. Just use something that will hold your basket base up so you can weave the layers of the basket and see what you are doing.

 First layer of jute webbing basket

4.  Cut 2 more strips of jute webbing for the weaved sides.  For my basket I cut my side strips about 40″ long and that gave me some extra on the end.  Just hold the jute webbing up around the perimeter of your hanging strips to measure. (You want one whole strip to cover the perimeter of the basket one time around.)

Keep second 40 inch strip for the second layer.

Now start first weaving strip under one vertical strip. (so it’s hidden on the inside of the basket.) Hot glue in place.

5-7.  Move around in a circle weaving the horizontal strip over and under the vertical strips.  Hot gluing each cross point as you go. I held each one in place for about 10 seconds to make sure it was secure.

8-9.  Once the first layer is on, flip the whole basket over on it’s bottom and secure all the strips with more hot glue.  Go back and glue anywhere you need to.  I secured all edges with more glue here and there where needed.

Second layer of jute webbing basket

10.  Turn the basket back over and place up on your pedestal again, to begin weaving the second layer.

11.  Use the second 40 inch strip so it will be weaved under and over in opposite places of the top layer.  Refer to photo #11.  Glue each cross spot with hot glue. Go back over all little places where you need to secure with glue.

12.  Flip basket back over on it’s bottom. Fold down and hot glue all webbing ends to the inside of the basket. (don’t worry if they are uneven, you are going to cover it all up.)

13.  Now cut one last strip of webbing to go on the inside of the basket that will hide all your uneven ends. Just take the webbing and lay it inside to measure your length, giving yourself enough to overlap and make the inside look neat and tidy. Cut the strip and glue in place.

At this point go back and check over all cross points, nooks and crannies and glue any spots you want more secure.  (It doesn’t have to be perfect! Just anywhere you feel it is too loose.) This is handmade so don’t worry if it has some little gaps.

14.  Take your second cardboard circle and cover with burlap.  Cut a piece of burlap large enough to stretch and hot glue over the edges of the cardboard circle.(don’t worry what the back looks like, its going to get glued down.

**Please note: After I was done with my basket, I thought I should have covered the first cardboard circle with burlap as well.  You can decide what you want to do.  But some of the cardboard peeks out of the bottom, so next time I will cover both circles and then glue the unfinished sides together.

15.  Embellish your basket with a leather belt and button. Wrap belt around and secure underneath with some spots of hot glue to keep it in place. Hot glue a vintage style button to the front of belt.

Or…you can embellish your basket with whatever you want!  I had this belt in my closet, but you can find leather belts at Goodwill for a cheap price, and use your imagination with how you want to finish off your basket.

The Final Details

Total Time: About 30 Minuutes

Total length of Jute Webbing: 5.5 yards

Finished Size: 11 inches across top

Total cost: Only $7.00!

**If you want to adjust the size of this basket, just make changes in the diameter of the base, and in the lengths of your jute webbing strips.

Now wasn’t that easy? Yes!  The ideas to fill this basket with are endless. What do you think?

I hope you will try this fun handmade jute basket for yourself.  If you have any questions just ask me!