Mother’s Day is just around the corner! I thought this quick DIY Finger Knit Rope Trivet would hit the spot for an easy, yet beautiful project for the kids to make. Or, who are we kidding? Just make one for yourself! I have DIY kits in the shop if you want to get started right away!
I love the trivet’s simplicity and natural feel that the rope lends this project. The best part is that you can make the trivet in a jiffy, under a half an hour, with only rope and tape (to keep the rope from fraying)!
Trivets are so handy to have around and I love when a whole table of them coordinate at a party. How beautiful would a series of these in different sizes be strewn across a buffet. To make them, bigger, just finger knit longer or shorter strands than suggested in the DIY tutorial below.
The idea for the finger knit rope trivet has been floating around in my brain since I brainstormed finger knitting projects for my book almost three years ago now! I’ve always thought a finger knit rope trivet would be a perfect addition to the kitchen, but the project got dropped from the Table of Contents. Lucky for you, it didn’t drop from my brain ;)! I’m so glad to have a set of these in my kitchen to use now.
On a side note, and because I know you will ask, I love that this post allowed me to share my beautiful Kaico enamel cookware! The little milk pan and the tea kettle are the best! I think they are gorgeous. I adore their simple design, the white (of course), and the light wood. I’m trying to embrace the idea that I am inviting only things I LOVE into my home. These definitely fit the bill.
DIY Finger Knit Rope Trivet
Materials
10 yards 1/4″ cotton sash cord
Packing tape
The trivet is made with two-finger knitting.
:: Leaving 8″ of tail, wrap the rope over your fore finger, and under and around your middle finger.
:: Continue to wrap the rope under and around your fore finger, then under and around your middle finger. There should be two strands on each finger (including the tail).
:: Lift the bottom strand on your middle finger over the upper strand and off your middle finger.
:: Bring the tail in between you fore finger and middle finger (essentially over the upper strand on this finger and over your forefinger).
:: Next, wrap the rope around your fore finger again.
:: Then, wrap the rope under and around your middle finger again.
:: Lift the lower strand on your middle finger over the upper strand and off your middle finger.
:: Lift the lower strand on your fore finger over the upper strand and off your fore finger.
:: Continue with the above four steps, finger knitting approximately 55 rows. Finish the piece by cutting the end (leaving a foot and a half to the end) and bringing it under the loop on your fore finger and then under the loop on your middle finger. Pull the loops off your fingers and pull the end tight.
:: To assemble the trivet, bring the 8″ tail at the beginning of the finger knitting strand through one of the strands of the fifth row of the finger knitting. Pull so the finger knit strand begins to coil against itself.
:: Coil the piece further (keeping the strand flat and not twisted) and feed the tail through the row of finger knitting directly opposite where the tail comes out of the first coil (through row 15 or 16).
:: Pull tight so the trivet continues to coil in a circle. The strand should be coiled tightly, though not so tightly that the coil starts to bunch.
:: Keeping the finger knitting strand snug up against itself all the way around the coil, thread the tail through the finger knitting again directly across from where the tail exited the last coil.
:: Coil one more time and thread the tail through the last coil and the end of the finger knitting. You want the end of the finger knitting strand to just make it to the tail so you can easily knot the ends together. This avoids a floppy piece at the end. If your finger knitting is too long for this, remove a couple of rows. If your finger knitting is too short, try coiling a little tighter or add a row or two. Pictured is the underside of the finger knitting. You can see where the tail has been threaded through each successive coil. Feed the rope from the end of the finger knitting strand through the trivet and tie a knot with the tail you threaded through the coil.
:: To finish the ends so they don’t fray, wrap clear packing tape around the rope about an inch from the trivet.
:: Cut the rope through the tape wrap. Weave the ends into the trivet.
I hope you love your new trivets!
Cintia says
Love them! Such a great idea Thanks for sharing 🙂
http://soldenochedecocrochet.blogspot.com.ar/
flaxandtwine says
Thanks Cintia! You are so sweet to consistently comment. xo
Amanda says
Love these but also where did you get your teapot please? X
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so muchc!! Here’s a link for the Teapot: https://amzn.to/35vC1jX
Thanks, Anne
Nikki says
Love this!
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much, Nikki!!
Courtney says
I love the simplicity of these! I think I’m going to make some and add a little leather strap for hanging up!
flaxandtwine says
That’s brilliant Courtney! Would love leather accents on these!
GerryART says
Love your photos !
Your pictorial instructions for Finger Knitting are a very generous gift
that I hope to put to good use very soon.
Hugs,
Gerry
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much Gerry!! I hope you enjoy the craft!! xo
Tricia B. says
This is great! I may just wear mine as a necklace it’s so pretty. Thinking about dying it pink! Thank you for the tutorial.
flaxandtwine says
I love that idea Tricia!
Anne
Anne Dree says
I think your trivets are beautiful. I ordered some cotton cord and selected 8mm which is the equivalent to 5/16ths of an inch. But it is so much thicker than in your images and unfortunately I can’t manage your instructions. I think I shall have to try again with finer cord.
flaxandtwine says
Oh no. I’m so sorry it was too thick for you. The rope was definitely slightly tough to work with. I’m pretty sure that was the correct size. Try 1/4″ and see if that works better for you. It could be that your fingers are smaller than mine as well.
Vasavadatta says
I liked ur site very much. Thnks.
flaxandtwine says
Thank you! I’m so glad you like it!!
Sally says
I absolutely love this idea! I have made 1 coaster so far and I am going to make a lot more and have a go at increasing the measures to make some placemats!
Thank you so much for sharing for free and making the instructions very easy to follow!
flaxandtwine says
Great idea Sally!! Have fun!
Wilma says
In Spanish too, Please !!!
flaxandtwine says
HI Wilma!
I wish I knew spanish so I could translate it for you. Have you tried Google Translate?
Maggie Gibbs says
I did the same using t-shirt yarn.
flaxandtwine says
Great idea, Maggie!
Karen says
Do the trivets stay together well or will they unroll easily when moved around? They are so cute!!!
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much Karen! They do pull apart a little. They don’t totally fall apart but sometimes the inner circle pops up a bit, etc. You could avoid this by running another securing line through the trivet.
Katherine G. says
Would a round of felt added to the back as a support help it to not pop out?
flaxandtwine says
Hi Katherine,
I think that’s a great idea! What a wonderful addition. Thanks for suggesting it.
Anne
Amy says
I love the trivets!! You are so talented!!! Can you add me to your email updates for you blogs and tutorials!!
Blessings
Amy
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much! I really appreciate it!
Gerry form My Cosy Retreat says
What a great idea!!! They look so simple and stylish. I absolutely love them!
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much Gerry! I’m so glad you like them!!
Sabine says
This is brilliant! I love creative use of knitting! To be honest I immediately thought these were crochet projects, but I’m still tempted to try. Or maybe I’ll try a crochet version since I’m more comfortable with crochet. Thanks for the DIY!
– Sabine
flaxandtwine says
Thanks so much Sabine! They would be beautiful in crochet as well!
Katherine G. says
Finger knitting is actually super easy to do. I taught my 2 daughters (ages 10 and 7) over the weekend to finger knit. My oldest made a finger knit cowl yesterday and is super excited about it. My 7 year old is just beginning but is finding it super easy and fun. She was nervous at first but got the hang of it pretty quickly. With all that being said, the word knitting sounds daunting for those that are not used to it just like crocheting, but it is actually super easy. The video tutorials on how to do it are very helpful especially if you are a visual learner.
Liz says
Can you do this project with a chunky wool yarn instead of the rope?
flaxandtwine says
I think that chunky cotton would be better than wool. AT least it would be more washable. You can use wool, just keep in mind that washing it might result in felting.
Irina says
Excellent!!! It’s really the great idea for the presents. I’ll try to do it for my friends. Thank you so much!
flaxandtwine says
Hi! Yes, do!! have fun!!
Kelly says
I just made one now and it looks awesome! Thanks for the tutorial!
flaxandtwine says
Oh great!! I’m so glad Kelly. Your welcome!
Kristen Roberts says
I’ve been intimidated by all sorts of knitting for a long time, despite success with other crafts – this makes me want to give it another try! Thanks!
flaxandtwine says
You should Kristen! It’s really fun and easy. First try finger knitting just with yarn. It’s easy to pick up. The rope makes it a little more difficult, just because it’s not flexible. But please give it a whirl and let me know how it goes!
ady says
Amei, realmente é uma graça. Vou tentar fazer, e o bom é que dá para fazer uma variedade de coisas a partir deste ponto. Obrigada..
ady says
Amei este trabalho, e o bom é que a partir deste ponto pode-se fazer uma variedade de outras coisas. Muito grata.
Chantal says
Super nice! What a neat idea. This also inspires me to make round placemats with using a slightly smaller cord. And nice web site too!
flaxandtwine says
Yes!! Great idea
Verónica Torres says
Que fabuloso están muy especiales, debe fino él trabajo, muy agradable y fácil de hacerse felicidades.
Jodie says
Hi Anne, your finger knitting trivets are fab! Thanks for sharing how to make them in your tutorial. Our readers will love it. We’ve included it in our latest craft inspiration roundup. https://craftylikegranny.com/love-craft-gift-ideas-for-mom/ Cheers Jodie
Jenny says
Thank you so much for this. I am not crafty at all but the instruction was soooo good and i did it!!
flaxandtwine says
Congratulations Jenny! this makes me so happy to hear. Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Anna says
These are so fabulous, and I can’t wait to try it! I just have one question: How many yards per trivet shown? You recommend to purchase 10 yards, but does that make two trivets or just one? Thanks much!
flaxandtwine says
10 yards makes one. I’m so glad you like them!
Sara says
Hey! Can you wash it in the machine?
Greets from Germany 🙂
flaxandtwine says
If it’s cotton rope, it will shrink and stiffen a bit if you wash it.
Interior decor Zone says
Thanks for sharing such an interesting and informative blog. It helps me a lot.
Julia says
Thanks for the tutorial! Just wanted to let you know that I bought the rope in your link and I don’t think it’s the one you used. This was was super stiff and very hard to work with! The piece also came out thicker than yours and i had to use pliers to weave the loose ends into the trivet. Otherwise it’s a great craft.
flaxandtwine says
HI Julia,
Thanks so much for letting me know. The rope I used from amazon was discontinued so I searched for the same thing and added a link. I’m so sorry it was not right. I will correct it. If you email me at flaxandtwine at gmail, I will send you a pattern of your choice from my shop – I always like to reward folks that tell me things to improve! I look forward to getting your email.
anne
Emily says
These turned out really great. The only problem we had is that when we finished the coils didn’t stay together on the axis that didn’t have the woven through tail. We ended up taking another piece of the rope and weaving it through in a Z pattern to attach the coils better. Did we do something wrong to start with or is this just the way it turns out? We’re making a bunch of these for aunt/uncle and grandma/grandpa presents this year. Thanks for the great idea!
flaxandtwine says
Hi Emily, YOu did nothing wrong. You just came up with a great solution! I didn’t want to have folks stitch it together with needle and thread so I wanted to keep it simple. Love your zig zag idea!
Anne