1. Coil the first 3" of cotton rope. Starting at the beginning of the coil, using a zigzag stitch, sew the rope together in a counter clockwise direction. Make sure to sew the consecutive rope pieces together by sewing in the middle and staying centered under the needle. Repeat again to strengthen the base of the bag. 

2. Continue sewing the rope in a counter clockwise direction, until the base is about 3" in diameter. Then, sew an X across to secure the base even more. 

3. As you continue to sew and build up the bag, hold the bottom section as perpendicular as possible until you have sewn it up about 7" high (or whatever your desired height might be). 

4. Once you're ready for the strap, backstitch a couple times, then leave 34" of rope unattached to the bag, and sew the end of the the 34" rope portion directly across the other side. Backstitch a few times to secure in place. Leave a couple inches of rope dangling, and fray it to give it a tassel end. 

5. Lastly, paint your bag design and allow it to dry completely. For a little extra embellishments add some tassels or pompoms.