Summer Bee Craft- Make a Decorative Bee Skep with Rope

There a few things that always remind me of summertime. The sun, picnics, and the presence of honeybees. Bee skeps are a traditional coiled basket that was used as a bee hive for centuries. While they are now no longer used as bee hives their simple and attractive design makes a lovely decor piece. This can be displayed with a stack of books or in a cabinet and I love that you can use your old cardboard boxes as a part of this project.  It’s great recycling! This Bee Craft is so cute and you can make a decorative bee skep with rope with just a few simple supplies.

Supplies to make a decorative bee skep with rope:

Cardboard

Hot glue

Untreated sisal rope

Scissors

Start making your bee skep by cutting a piece of cardboard in a rectangular shape that is wider than it is tall. The size you cut your cardboard will depend on how big you want your final skep to be. This skep started with a piece of cardboard that was approximately 12 inches wide by 8 inches tall. Use hot glue gun to run a bead of hot glue (keep your fingers clear!) down the ling edge of the cardboard and glue the edges together. Once the hot glue has set, you’ll now have a cardboard tube.

Cut 5-7 slits  around the top of the cardboard tube about 2 inches deep. Once the slits are cut, push them down and let them overlap on each other.

Glue the cardboard flaps down leaving a small opening at the top. This will create a rounded top on your cardboard top.

Cut a piece of rope about 5-6 inches long and glue the ends In the opening so it makes a loop sticking out of the top.

Once the loop is in place, start wrapping your rope around the outside at the part of the tube you’ve just glued together. That is the top. The large open end will be considered the bottom. Glue it with hot glue it to the cardboard.  Only press the rope down into the hot glue when the hot glue has cooled down to only being warm, not hot (watch those fingers so they don’t get burned!). Squirt a little hot glue out, let it cool for a few moments and then press the rope into it, keeping your fingers clear.

Continue to glue the rope all the way to the open end of the cardboard tube,and trim and glue the final end down.

There you have it! A cute DIY decorative bee skep that adds a bit of naturalist and  vintage style to your summer decorating. A grouping of these in various sized would be so cute on a summer mantle or hanging in a display. If you are looking for more bee projects, check out how to make this sweet  decoupage bee dish.