Black Matte Wire Cloche

I've always loved the look of a cloche on a plant. 

I've made a few in the past and today while getting my backyard ready for spring I decided to make another one. 

This time I'm using hardware cloth because that's what I had on hand. 

Take a look ...

I was searching my workshop chicken wire to make a cloche like one I've made in the past but I've used everything I had on projects already. 

READ MORE: CHICKEN WIRE PROJECTS

As you're reading through this post please pay attention to the bold blue links that will take you to more information and the products I used for this project. Also the READ MORE sections will take you to related Homeroad projects. 

I did however, find a piece of hardware cloth. The difference is that the hardware cloth is a little firmer and has little wire boxes instead of the hexagon shapes of chicken wire. 

I decided to give the hardware cloth a shot. First, let me say you may want to wear gloves when handling hardware cloth. Lesson learned the hard way! 

At the top of the hardware cloth rectangle I cut 3" slits about every 3" from one end to the other. 

Next, I rolled the hardware cloth into a cylinder and began sewing. I used a stiff waxy string I had in my workshop. I began at the bottom and whip stitched to the top of the wire cloche. 

At the top I bent down the wire where I had made the slits. The pieces just folded down on one another. I kept the stitching going in a circle around the top securing the bent pieces then I tied a knot. 

This is what it looked like from the top. 

Next I searched around for something round I could use to cover the hole in the top of the hardware cloth. I found a metal piece that I saved from an old Ikea table. It originally held the leg to the table. 

I used E6000 glue to attach the metal piece to the top of the hardware cloth and held it down with a heavy vintage iron.  

When the glue dried, I sewed around through the screw holes with more string to help secure it to the top of the cloche.

Lastly, I searched around for a knob of some kind. You can use a decorative furniture knob but I found a cork that would work just fine. 

I drilled a hole in the cork, slipped a long screw through it and through the metal piece then secured it with a washer and nut underneath. 

Next, I spray painted the cloche with matte black spray paint. The galvanized wire had a great patina but I wanted the cloche to have a uniformed look. 

I realize not everyone will find an Ikea table leg part but look around and see what kind of metal top you can create. Maybe the wooden or metal lid to an old candle? Drill holes and "sew" it to the top. 

This fun cloche fits nicely on several of my outdoor plants and I think I'll make a couple more. I love the look. 

You can make the cloche to the size you need. See what pots you want to use before you begin then cut a piece of hardware (or chicken wire) about a 1/2 inch smaller than the width of the pot. 

Please pin for later -->> 

READ MORE: GARDEN PROJECTS

Thirteen years ago when I first started my blog I turned a clearance item from TJMaxx into a beautiful large glass cloche.