Turn An Old Frying Pan Into An Adorable Storage Basket With A Savvy DIY

The first step for this project involves creating the basket’s base. Clean the frying pan, making sure it’s grease-free. This will prevent the finish from appearing blotchy or peeling prematurely. Next, add one or two coats of paint on both sides of the pan using the paint sponge. Afterward, paint the beads and bottle caps as well, then set them aside. Once the pan dries, remove the handle using pliers, if needed. The next step is to build the basket’s wall.

Place one popsicle stick vertically on the outer edge of the pan, securing the stick near its bottom inch with glue. Repeat this step all the way around the pan, spacing each stick roughly the width of two sticks apart. These will serve as the basket’s spokes or stakes. Next, grab your rope (or cord) and make a knot around the bottom of one popsicle stick where it meets the pan’s edge. Then, create rows of rope by threading it over-and-under the consecutive sticks. Work your way around the pan, using your fingers to pull the rope snug at each pass. As you do, keep each new row pressed firmly against the previous one.

At the third row, add a bead of glue to the rope (at a popsicle stick), before adding the next row. Doing so will prevent the rope from loosening or shifting later on. Once the rows of rope reach the halfway point on the sticks, wrap the rope around each individual stick, creating a single row of this pattern. Cut the rope, securing it to a stick with glue. Then, picking back up with the rope roll, continue building rows up the rest of the sticks using the previous over-under weaving method.