Yarn Wrapped Trash Can DIY

I’m continuing to knock out projects for the new big kids room.  This one was a super easy one but very gratifying.  I have had this trash can for about 10 years.  I bought it on clearance at Target when I first moved to town.  It was cheap and fine enough.  It has been used in our guest room and now in Audrey’s room.  But it is a bit on the girly side and a cream color which are two things that wouldn’t be ideal for this new room setup.  I didn’t want to spend more money on one and remembered seeing lots of blogs lately that have wrapped yarn or twine around vases (and pretty much everything else)  to spruce them up.  I figured I could do the same thing with my trash receptical to make it a little more fun and young.

Here is what it looked like before.

I was able to use supplies that I already had so this project was free!  Nice!

I was inspired by this yarn wrapped lamp shade and picked out 3 colors of yarn.  I used Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue which is good for fabrics since the trash can is covered in fabric.  I also used a foam brush and paper plate to apply the glue.  I meant to time how long it took but forgot.  We were watching a movie and with taking a snack break and bathroom breaks…yes multiple since I am now 9 months pregnant, I think it took between 30 minutes to an hour from start to finish.

I started from the top and spread a layer of glue all the way around.  I started the end of the yarn where there was a seam on the cloth of the can.  I took it slow in the beginning to make sure it was sticking.  The glue was very think and tacky but I think that helped to make it stay put.  I could have added water to make the glue go farther but figured the tackiness would be better.  The piece of trim around the top was the most challenging part.  It would have been too hard to try and remove it so I just went over it and thought it would just give some interest to the can.  It ended up being harder for the yarn, especially because the orange I used was a thinner yarn, to cover it up and not slide down and leave gaps.  Here is a picture of some of the gaps and how I tried to fill it in at the end with some extra pieces of yarn.  It helped but doesn’t look as nice as if it had been just  smooth all the way down.  I need to go back and glue that end down better where the white arrow is so it is less noticeable.

Another tutorial I read said that they found it easier to turn the vase upside down once they got it started.  I ended up doing that about half way through and I think to does look better where I did that.  I think it went a little faster as well.

All I did was continue to spread more glue all the way around about an inch or two down until I covered that glue and then I added more so that it wouldn’t dry on me.  I wound the yarn around and then would push it up (or down when the can was upside down) to make sure it was right up against the previous layer of yarn.  It went very quickly.

I liked the look of how the lamp shade alternated the yarn when switching to a new color and so I tried to do the same.  I kind of made it up as I went and it looks fine enough but upon close inspection you can see it isn’t perfect.  But it is just a trash can so I’m ok with that!  I made the transitions when I would cross over the yarn at the back where that seam was so that it could all be hidden at the back.

I took a picture of the bottom of the can so you can see how I finished it.  The bottom curved under so I just followed it and stopped where the cloth ended and there was a little plastic lip.  The yarn wanted to pull in since it was wanting to slip on the curve and pull inward but I just went slow and didn’t pull the yarn too tight and it covered it nicely.

So, here you go, zero money spent and under an hour of time while watching The Bourne Identity and we have a new, happy trash can!  Not too bad.  I definitely love it way more than when it was the other way.  Makes me want to start wrapping all kinds of things in yarn.  I’ve considered wrapping an ugly plastic pot we have a plant in.  Not sure what glue would be best though.

So, have you wrapped anything in yarn lately?  Have anything that could use a little sprucing up?