by Cathy Monrad
Bee skeps are no longer used for bee keeping, but the primitive look of them has not fallen out of favor. This project is meant to be a decorative piece for indoors or the garden, however, it offers some functionality when entertaining outdoors: use as a cover to keep critters off the cheese ball.
MATERIALS
1 clean plastic flower pot
1 1/2 inch cardboard circle
Sisal rope at least ¼ inch thick
TOOLS
Drill with 1/2 inch bit
Scissors
Hot glue gun with glue sticks
Black marker
Figure 1 
Figure 2 
Figure 3
INSTRUCTIONS
- Drill a hole through bottom of pot.
- Cut an 8 inch length of rope for handle. Fold in half, then push through hole from inside.
- Glue both ends down as shown in Figure 1.
- Glue cardboard circle over rope ends as shown in Figure 2.
- Starting at the lip of pot, glue rope one inch at a time around the pot for first two rows.
- After second row, use glue intermittently, about every two inches as you wrap.
- When about 1/2 inch from bottom, start gluing rope one inch at a time again. Continue until entire bottom of pot is covered as shown in Figure 3. Cut off remaining rope.
- About one inch from bottom of skep, use marker to draw and fill in a circle to create faux opening.
- Dry fit rope around circle and cut to size. Glue cut piece around circle.
PROJECT NOTES
– The project above uses an 8 inch diameter pot, 7 inches tall.
– You need more rope than you think; I used most of a 100 foot roll of rope.
– Purchase a new pot if purpose is to protect food.
– Use a shot glass as a template for cardboard and faux opening.
Cathy Monrad is the graphic designer and garden crafter for the Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.
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