Craft Wars Wine Rack Redo & Tutorial

If you haven't read my TLC Craft Wars recap, then I recommend doing so, so that you can get the full 'before' and 'after' effect. This is the wine rack we intended to make on the show. Get the "how-to" after photos below.

We made this rack out of aluminum flashing (a bit sturdier and easier to work with than the aluminum pie tins). We also wrapped this in jute twine. On the show we debated going with jute rope but for the sake of time we went with the burlap. However, we think the twine looks best.

I originally wanted to make intersecting circles in this pattern, having the leaf shapes hold each of the wine bottles.

photo via world market

But on the show it looked more like this.

Olympic torch anyone?

All together with Beth and I working in tandem this wine rack took about four hours to complete, that's about eight hours working alone! (Keep in mind, there were breaks for iced coffee;) Really, it's the wrapping that's the biggest issue. Each full circle took about one hour to complete!

However, in the end we had a wine rack that not only held 16 bottles BUT could ALSO hold them while they were filled. For the sake of cost we used empty wine bottles in the photos but as long as all the bottles are in at the same time (or stacked bottom to top) they can be full of liquid.

See the dresses we're wearing? They'll be featured tomorrow in a separate post! Made and designed by me specifically for this shoot.

As I said in my previous post, I wish we could have presented this rack. When I was wrapping it I started to get kind of sad that this wasn't the one we had made for the show. There were so many things I liked about it, the fact that it could hold so many FULL bottles, the fact that it would have been made mostly of challenge materials. But even if I had to do it over again I would have gone with something completely different because I don't think there is anyway that this can be completed in one hour no matter how many corners you cut. Believe me, it's been tried:P

At least Beth and I got this fun photoshoot out of it. I recommend coming back tomorrow for the dress photos! Beth looked amazing. Long blonde hair, drapey dress. Literally angelic.

TUTORIAL BELOW! 

Tools/Materials 

19.5’ feet of metal flashing 

Flash mate glue 

Caulking gun 

Metal shears 

Measuring tape 

10 Metal clips 

Electrical tape 

Hot Glue/ Hot Glue Gun 

Step 1: Cut your flashing into five 30” long pieces. Cut your flashing into three 14” long pieces. Cut your flashing into two 21” long pieces. 

Step 2: Take your glue and add a long strip to one end. Glue both ends together, 1” deep. Your circle should now be 28” in circumference. (Our flashing is cut in half lengthwise, if you want your wine rack to be thicker leave it uncut.) 

Step 3: Add two metal clips to the ends to hold while the glue dries. 

Step 4: If you want to reinfornce the metal ends use electrical tape and wrap around where ends meet. 

Step 5: Measure around the 28” long pieces and mark every 7”. Measure around the 14” pieces and mark every 7”. Measure around the 21” pieces and mark every 7”. Take three circles, using your metal shears make slits at three of the marks you made. Leave ¾” of an inch uncut. Take two circles and make slits at two of the marks you made. (For the two circles, the slits should be at marks that are next to each other, not across from each other). 

Step 6: Slide the circles together by interlocking the slits you just made in step 5. See photo for reference. 

Step 7: Reinforce slits with electrical tape. 

Step 8: Take your 21” pieces and bend the flashing in a “W” shape at each of the marks. 

Step 9: Take your 14” piece and bend in half. 

Step 10: Place your 14” pieces on top and in the bottom/middle circle. Reinforce with electrical tape. Place your 21” “W” pieces in the left and right bottom circles. Reinforce with electrical tape. 

Step 11: Wrap entire structure with jute twine and hot glue.