DIY: Repurposed Planters for Paperwhites For Giving

Posted on December 11, 2012 By Hilltown Families

DIY Pictorial: Yarn Wrapped Tin Can Planters

By Amber Ladley

When Hilltown Families asked Knack: The Art of Clever Reuse to come up with a creative (and decorative) way to help families plant Paperwhite bulbs donated by Hadley Garden Center at the first ever Hilltown Families’ Family Community Service Night, we put our clever minds to work. Our goal was to have an activity that was easy enough for people of all ages, and messy wasn’t an option. Families would be traveling with their Community Passports to help out at a total of five volunteer stations, so we wanted to keep things simple yet creative. Our solution was yarn wrapped tin can planters… and it turned out to be quite a success!

Yarn wrapping tin cans is the perfect small group activity. After decorating the cans, families filled them with one-third gravel, set a Narcissus papyraceus bulb on top, and attached an eco-friendly gift tag & care instructions. Families got to take home lovely decorated tin can planters to donate to a community center or give to a person of their choice. Everyone really loved the activity and Macey and I enjoyed facilitating the Winter Blossom Station, answering questions and seeing all of the colorfully wrapped cans that went home with participating families.

If you don’t have any bulbs to plant, you could also make cans to be used as an organizer for the…kitchen (chopsticks)…office (pens, pencils)…kids’ creative space (crayons, markers)…craft space (buttons, corks, glue sticks, paint chips)….share any other thoughts or comments you may have below. Also, you don’t have to stick with yarn– try fabric scraps, twine, or ribbon!

DIY Tutorial: Yarn Wrapped Tin Cans

Here are the instructions, so you can do-it-yourself (DIY) or with your friends, family, or classroom. Enjoy!

Materials Needed

Clean & empty tin can*
Yarn (great project for leftovers!)
Double-sided tape
Scissors
Gift tags (optional)

: Gather your materials: Clean & Empty Tin Cans; Yarn/Twine; Scissors; Double-Sided Tape; Gift Tags (optional).

: Step 1: Place a strip of double-sided tape on opposite sides of can. Length should be determined by the area you would like to wrap in yarn.

: Step 2: Begin wrapping yarn around can. Make sure to leave a little extra at the beginning that gets tucked under to prevent unraveling. – When you reach the bottom of the can, wrap the yarn under a few rows & tie off a small knot. Trim or tuck any loose yarn ends

: Step 3 (optional): If you would like to layer a second color or variation of yarn, place a few small strips of the double-sided tape on top of the yarn where you want to wrap your second layer (see photo) and then wrap the new color of yarn.

: Tie a bow and have a festive planter to plant in and give to brighten someone’s day!

: Here are other examples. Wrap just the center with a natural color twine, or use a combination of colored yarn and cover the entire can. Go a step further and use a hot glue gun to adhere shells or buttons to the yarn!

: Add gravel, Paperwhite bulb and water.

: Tie on a gift tag and donate your planter to a community space (ex: library, post office, town hall) or give to a person of your choice (ex: elder in your life/neighborhood, teacher, receptionist at the children’s hospital).

: Need a home for your household plants? These make great containers!

*Be careful when handling can, edges may be sharp. It is helpful to grind down the inside rim with a grinding stone or dremel, or you can pinch the rim with needle-nose pliers, or cover it with duct tape. Adults should handle removing sharp edges before giving the can to a small child. Older children should be reminded not to stick their hand in the can to prevent getting cut.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amber Ladley – Amber enjoys creating everything from food, to crafts, to websites. She is a mom of two young boys, Jack and William, who are currently being homeschooled by her husband, Tim. Amber and her friend, Macey, are co-founders of Knack: The Art of Clever Reuse, a new socially responsible for-profit business on a mission to open a creative reuse center for the Pioneer Valley.