Wednesday, December 12, 2012

DIY: Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle Centerpieces Tutorial

When you're planning a budget-conscious wedding, you're going to have to do some things yourself. Instead of going out and purchasing invitations, you can print your own. Watch some flower arranging tutorials on YouTube and learn how to make your own bouquets instead of paying someone to do them. Make your own centerpieces.

The trouble with making things is that it oftentimes looks like you made them. Which is fine and dandy for, say, a baby's birthday party. But for a wedding? You need something you can make yourself that doesn't look like you made it yourself.

Spoiler alert. In this post, we are making these twine-wrapped wine bottle centerpieces:

 Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle Centerpieces


What You'll Need:
  • Wine bottles and/or beer bottles (I used two wine bottles and a beer bottle)
  • Waxed twine
What You'll Do:

To start, you're going to need empty wine bottles and an empty beer bottle and some waxed twine. We had all this in our apartment already, so my materials cost was $0. I didn't pay a single penny to make this display, which is perfect for my budget. (Side note: Everyone has been asking me where to get the twine. It seems like most people are having trouble finding this in craft stores. You can pick up waxed twine in a variety of colors at Amazon. That link brings you to all the waxed twine on Amazon. I would not suggest regular twine or a combination of twine and double sided tape).

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

To start, tie the twine tight around the top of the wine bottle. All the bottles I used had a lip, so I used that as my original guideline. It's okay that it doesn't go to the top because you're not going to have it go all the way to the bottom. That symmetry will work in your favor. 

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

Tuck the excess waxed twine down and begin wrapping the twine around it. Don't cut it. There's a good chance you'll cut it too short and the wine bottle will eventually start to unravel ... which is not what you want on your wedding day. It'll be a little bumpy where the excess twine is but the annoyance of that is negligible.

You want to be really careful when you're doing this. Loop one at a time. Make sure the loop is pushed all the way against the twine before it. Don't leave any hollow spots and be very careful that the twine is flat. You don't want it to lay on top of another or get twisted.

That's where the difference between looking like you bought it and looking like you made it lies.

If you bought it, it will be pretty perfect. If you made it, you might have gotten lazy, left holidays (as we called them in elementary school art class) and didn't fret if the twine was bumpy or overlapped. If that's the case, if you really don't care, don't make them.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

After you've been doing this a little while, you're gonna wanna come up with some way to speed up the process. One loop at a time is a really slow method.

If you're like me, you're going to try to loop a few at a time.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

And then you're going to push them up with your finger and move along.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

Except that doesn't work. You're not able to pull as tightly as you need to when you do multiple loops at a time. And you'll start to feel that it is loose and not as tight to the wine bottle as you need it to be.

I tried some damage control and tried to twist the twine to make it tighter ... and instead, the entire project basically exploded in my hands. I had to unravel it all and basically start over.

Not the time saver I was looking for.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

Stick to the one loop at a time method.

And wrap.
Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

And keep wrapping.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

And keep wrapping.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

Now is a good time to mention that I didn't bother pulling the labels off the bottles. The twine is so tight that there is no space between the loops to see the label. And, it's thick enough that there's no way for the label to show through it. So don't bother scraping the labels off (which is an arduous task. I should know. I had to remove all the labels to make these glittered wine bottles).

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

At the bottom of the wine bottle, its gets slightly narrow. And that's where you need to stop. The wine bottle will tell you when you hit this point. I know, that sounds crazy, but it's true. You'll feel that the twine is just slipping off. The change of shape is doing that. Don't fight it. Give in. Let the bottle win.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

Cut the twine about three inches out, and tie it in a knot. Trim the twine a little, but not too much. You'll have the chance of unraveling from this end.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

You don't need glue or anything. Just tuck the excess twine under the last full loop and you're done. Seriously. No glue needed for any part of the project. The wax is sticky enough that it acts as an adhesive so the waxed twine sticks to the wine bottle.

Twine-Wrapped Wine Bottle

Ta-da.

Now, continue making these until you have enough for all your tables.

I made three in the example above. Two are wine bottles of different shapes and the third is a beer bottle. That's exactly what we had lying around the house. We had two wine bottles and one beer bottle. No more, no less.

We did have a small glass jar for pesto, but that didn't exactly fit.

BRIDAL BABBLE: If you try these, or have another DIY creation, email A Bride On A Budget at abrideabudget(at)gmail.com. We'd love to check it out.


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62 comments:

  1. They do look really nice and are good for just decorations at your house. But really how long did it take you to do one?

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    1. They took a long time. It was about a half hour for the smaller beer bottle and about an hour each for the wine bottles. But, I was doing them while I was sitting on the couch watching TV and not doing anything else anyway so I was at least productive with my TV time.

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  2. I need to do this for next year holiday gifts.. Great idea

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  3. this is really detailed, most sites i've seen show a few pictures with minimal direction. ur nails look really pretty also. thanks for taking the time to show us how you did this.

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  4. I don't really get how you tied the last knot haha. I know this sounds stupid. but how do you tie that knot you showed with only one strand and not have it unravel? Did you tie it back on itself or...? I'm making some centerpieces and these are just what I want to do! Great idea. Thanks

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    1. I tied it around the very last full circle around the bottle. When I got to the end (which you will know because the twine will start to unravel off the bottle), I cut about three inches out and tied the knot using that. You can't tie the knot with the twine still on the spool. Then, after I tied it, I trimmed it and tucked the end under the last full circle around the bottle.

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  5. How much twine does it take to wrap a wine bottle?

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    1. I didn't measure it, so I'm not really sure. We had a large spool of twine that had been used previously for projects. I did two wine bottles and a beer bottle and there was still plenty of twine on the spool.

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  6. Love this idea and a great explanation of how to make them! I was wondering if you could tell me how thick the twine you used was, just roughly? I've seen these bottles made with thicker twine before and it looked a bit messy, but yours looks lovely & neat! I'm planning making these as gifts but need to order some twine first.

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    1. The twine is really thin. It's only 1/16 of an inch. Because of that, they do take a bit longer to make, but it does come out so much better. I agree with you on the thick twine looking messy. I loved this size.

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  7. Where can I purchase the waxed twine like that to do this?

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    1. There are a ton of options on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=waxed%20twine&linkCode=ur2&tag=drugsdivas-20&url=search-alias%3Daps

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  8. Where can I purchase this waxed twine? I've been looking up but only see natural twine, would this be useful or is there some place particular I might be able to purchase this? I love this idea for my centerpieces. Bride on a budget ;)

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    1. There are a ton of options on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=waxed%20twine&linkCode=ur2&tag=drugsdivas-20&url=search-alias%3Daps

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  9. I think this idea is great for recycling used bottles and creates a beautiful piece. I think I might use some colored twine as well.

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  10. About how much twine did you use for the bottles?

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    1. You know, I can't even guess. I didn't measure at all. It wasn't one spool because we have a ton left, but I also don't know how much was used before I started this. I'm sorry I can't help more.

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  11. I adore these! I am having trouble finding waxed twine, however. Went to Michael's and Hobby Lobby and no luck. Any recommendations?

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    1. There are a ton of options on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=waxed%20twine&linkCode=ur2&tag=drugsdivas-20&url=search-alias%3Daps

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  12. I too am having a hard time tracking down the waxed twine. I have looked at Joann Fabrics, Michaels, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Ace Hardware and Aco hardware. Any ideas?

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    1. There are a ton of options on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=waxed%20twine&linkCode=ur2&tag=drugsdivas-20&url=search-alias%3Daps

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  13. I'm having a hard time getting the twine tight where the bottle curves from the neck...any suggestions?

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    1. Are you using waxed twine? You shouldn't have a problem with it.

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    2. It's not waxed. Just natural jute twine.

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    3. That's the problem Frances. For this to really work, you need to pick up the waxed twine.

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    4. I finally got it to work by making the twine damp and using mod podge...it was definitely time consuming but I worked. The other 3 bottles were much easier because they didn't have a skinny neck. The white twine I used was waxed and it was MUCH EASIER!! Thanks so much.

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  14. Oh the waxed twine is the way to go! Awesome! I have been using double sided tape and regular twine. This is great! Thanks!

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  15. I've got twine, I've got bottles so I'm ready to try your wonderful idea. Candles or flowers should be perfect in this creation.

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  16. These are so beautiful....well done!

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  17. Wow, no glue. That's great!! Thanks for sharing.

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  18. Very nice, time consuming no? But I love how they turned out!

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  19. This tutorial is very helpful! Would you recommend beeswaxed hemp twine?

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  20. Does it come in different colors?

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  21. Does it come in different colors? I seen other bottles and they have color.

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  22. Yes Lexy, it does. The link above will bring you to a variety of choices.

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  23. this is the ONLY tutorial I have seen for this and it was so helpful and extremely detailed. I had no idea waxed twine even existed....I was using tan or colored normal twine and hot gluing it every so often as I went and it was really freakin tedious! lol! my bottles have turned out really pretty but these look so much....nicer. more put together (: thank you!!

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  24. I still don't get how to tie everything up when you get to the end. So I've wrapped my last loop nice and tight, cut the twine from the spool, leaving about 3 inches.. but now what? What do I tie it with? When I try to loosed my last loop to attempt a knot, everything starts to unravel. Can you possibly send a few step by step pictures of the last bit? Or maybe a video? I had to revert to super glue, which did not turn out too bad, but I'm determined to get it right!

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    1. Hi! Because I made these over 18 months ago, I'm not able to reshoot a video or anything for the last bit. Ours have been sitting on display since December 2012. I'll try to walk you through it again.

      You said you wrapped your loop tight and left a three inch bit, but it doesn't sound like you have tied the knot (the fourth to last, third to last, and second to last photos show the tying of the knot). You tie it to the last loop. Then, just tuck the excess under the last loop.

      If your entire bottle is unraveling when you try to tie the knot, it sounds like you're using something other than the waxed twine you need. The waxed twine holds everything in place so it will not unravel or need glue.

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  25. These are very pretty, but it looks like it takes forever to do.

    Aria H.

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  26. Is waxed thread the same as waxed twine? I want to do some brighter colors, but the colors I'm finding are all for jewelry making I guess? Would this work? Or should it be thinner?
    http://www.aliexpress.com/item/80-meters-1-5-MM-Waxed-Thread-Cotton-Cord-String-Strap-Wholesale-Necklace-Rope-Bead-Fit/1391254786.html

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    1. I'm not sure that waxed thread is the same. If it's what I'm thinking it is, it will be too soft to actually hold without covering the entire bottle in something like Modge Podge (which wouldn't really be very forgiving for this project, to be honest). I would stick with the waxed twine like those you can find on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=waxed%20twine&linkCode=ur2&tag=drugsdivas-20&url=search-alias%3Daps to assure the project comes out the way it did in the tutorial.

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  27. Will a 250ft spool cover 2 medium sized bottles?

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  28. This is a great DIY craft, I must admit it doesn't look like something you made yourself. Thank you for sharing this post.

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  29. I do not know if I have the patience to do that. I would likely give up 1/3 of the way up the bottle.

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  30. I think it would take an awful long time. I might give it a try with yarn to match my decor. I'll have to try it while I am watching TV

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  31. A perfect DIY to add some décor to the table or anywhere else, love this cheap on a budget DIY, these came out so pretty and they look like you bought them.

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  32. This is brilliant. Never thought it's not that hard. Can't wait to try it myself. Thanks for sharing!

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  33. That is really pretty but looks time consuming.Not sure if I have that much patience.Can I hire you to make me some?lol

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  34. Stoping by from Simply Sundays; your directions were spot on. I would have used glue. Thanks for the explanation

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  35. I did this once with string and pva, it took an hour but it looks beautiful! I wouldn't do it again, a whole hour!! But everyone comments on how lovely it looks. I'm sure waxed twine would have made such a difference, the string was really slippery against the glass.
    Bobbyanne
    PromisingBeauty.blogspot

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  36. I haven't been able to find this twine on the link you provided for Amazon. Do you have any more information on the brand you used or where you originally bought it? I can't seem to find any that are the waxed twine in this color and as thin as yours. Thanks for your help and thanks for posting the awesome craft!

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    1. Hi Nicole.

      The one that I used was actually purchased by my husband about a dozen years ago (literally) when he was making bracelets. He got it at a store in New York, so I don't think that will help you. If you check out this link -- http://amzn.to/1G97WBC -- you can find twine that is the color I used. The color that is linked there is Russet Brown (just copy and paste the link). There's also a Brown there as well, but the one I used was not that dark. Hope that helps.

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  37. Do you know where to get the flowers that are in the love bottles or what they are called?

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    1. That is not my project, so I'm not familiar with it. You'll probably want to ask that blog owner.

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  38. Give me a break ladies. The hostess was trying to give you all a great idea and you loaded her up with "where do you get the waxed twine and I don't get how you did this or that" When you comment on a blog post, please pay attention to the fact that these people aren't Martha Stewart. They don't have all the answers. I think they are pretty awesome and I am going to try them without the waxed twine. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to create such a beautiful work of art. Yours truly-Dysfunctional Dame

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  39. What size twine did you use? The sizes vary from 0.020-0.050 on Amazon.

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    1. You know, I don't really know unfortunately. I had the twine already, so I didn't order any specifically for this project. But, the size you pick will be based on how you want it to look. A thinner twine will have more rounds than a thicker twine. It's up to your preference.

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