Last week I saw the most genius lamp at my friend Elise's apartment: she had coiled jute rope around a very basic style from Target using a glue gun.  I thought of Eugenia Santiesteban's nautical cravings (March issue, page 30) and that glorious 10" Marseille knot.  I want one, but I can't justify spending $50 on the World's Chicest Ball of String.  I do need some new side tables though ... so I think the rope trick will work on a bigger project.  On the attention-to-detail/complulsion scale, Elise might actually beat me (she was working on a needlepoint version of a family photograph!), but she says roping up her lamp was a cinch.  Wouldn't domino's own Marian McEvoy agree?  Vive la Reine de la Glue Gun!

So back to my tables.  These Victoria Hagan ones are on sale at Target for about the same price as the knot:

Their frames are nice and thin so the rope won't add too much bulk.  (Don't worry about covering up the stingray -- it ain't real, anyway).  I found this website called U.S. Rope, Cable and Chain that sells half inch Manila jute for $1.15 a foot. 

Or just try a hardware store -- I think the bigger table would take 30 or 40 feet -- and for that amount I would invest in the 600ft spool.  You never know where some rope might come in handy (curtain tiebacks, belt for my cutoffs this summer ... you get it).