Neutral DIY Repurposed Jar Lantern

The fact that you look at this BEAUTIFUL piece of decor & don’t automatically think Pickle Jar, makes my DIY heart SUPER happy! The supply list is short, budget-friendly & anyone can give it a try! Change it up & do this technique on any size jar….maybe multiple sizes to style together………Or think about other rope/textile materials you could use to give it a whole different feel!

Here are the SUPPLIES I used:

• Repurposed Gallon Pickle Jar
• Decorative Nautical Rope (Dollar Tree, I used 2 packages)
• Hot Glue Gun
• Scissors
• Flameless Candle (found mine at Walmart & Dollar Tree)
• Various Decor/Holiday Embellishments (I share after pictures of this lantern styled 3 different ways)

***If you would prefer a short Video Tutorial, scroll all the way down to the bottom of this blog post & you’ll find one! While you’re there, you can explore loads of short DIY videos on my YouTube Channel

STEP 1: You’ll want to clean your jar well inside & remove sticker from outside. If you have problem removing sticky, I prefer using Goo Gone. Then I clean the outside with rubbing alcohol. You may have your own method for removing sticky….just do what you prefer here.

STEP 2: Next, measure a piece of rope going length wise from top to bottom of jar. Whatever size this piece of rope is, use it to cut 7 more pieces. You should have 8 pieces of rope. My 8 pieces ended up being about 10in long.

STEP 3: Glue on these 8 pieces of rope to the jar. I found it very helpful to glue my first 2 pieces on the seams of the glass jar. The seams will be opposite of one another, so it creates the perfect start to creating even sections. Continue to glue pieces until all 8 pieces are evenly spaced. The space between mine ended up being about 2.5in.

STEP 4: Next, you’ll want to measure the jar all the way around. Cut 2 pieces of rope that will be glued around the jar. My pieces ended up being about 22in long.

STEP 5: I glued my rope to each part where the ropes touched. I personally don’t think it would look right if you tried to glue these pieces of rope to any part of the glass. It’ll create a sunken rope look.

STEP 6: As a simple, finishing touch, I thought it would look nice to wrap pieces along the very top (where the lid would screw on). I measured around the top & cut 3 piece this length. Mine ended up being approx. 14in

STEP 7: Begin to glue your first piece around the top. Start your 2nd piece in the same spot & lastly, glue the 3rd piece. These will all be touching each other, appearing almost as one big piece.

STEP 8: Move along all the rope seams, using hot glue to secure any fraying. You may end up doing a little trimming too. This is just the time to clean it up & make it look even neater, overall.

NOTES & Additional Thoughts: I’m referring to this as a lantern, but you can really use it in a number of decorative ways. Simply use as a large vase or to arrange florals inside like a cloche. Y’all know the possibilities are endless. I enjoyed styling in a few different ways to give you ideas! I liked using a flameless candle because of the ambiance it created. I also thought twinkle lights would look neat!

You may find a wonderful way to repurpose lid. I didn’t end up making use of mine, but it would be neat on top or used as a base.

I’m using mine indoors for now, but I just have to say how pretty I think several of these would be lighting a covered, outdoor patio!!

Please also remember you can try this technique on all different sized jars. You may want to adjust which kind of rope/textile you use to create the lantern look though…..and of course your measurements will vary.

My FAVORITE thing about this simple DIY is how versatile it is! It’s perfectly neutral & will go with a variety of looks and seasons! If you give it a try, I’d just LOVE to know!

Be sure to Pin your favorite photo from the blog! It’ll help you remember you want to try this one!