If you are the ‘lucky’ one to do the laundry in your household, there is a good chance that you resort to using a plastic or metal clothes horse. Being already not too delighted with the task at hand, it is made all the worse by being faced with this ugly encumbrance, that seems to enjoy leaning sideways and sometimes even falling over.

This is what made us fall for the following project. Not only is it functional, but it is also very aesthetically pleasing. It is made of wood and can be folded up neatly, so as not to take up too much space. Once it is opened out, it makes the shape of a star, a flower in full bloom or a kaleidoscope (whichever takes your fancy!). Here is how to make it.

What you need:

Pieces of plywood 5 mm thick (it is a fairly light material which is easy to work with)
24 wooden dowels, 10 mm in diameter and 30 cm long
Wooden dowels, 10 mm in diameter and 3 cm long
Wood seal paint that will protect the wood outdoors, and prevent it from being warped by moisture (ideally a non toxic product)
A saw and a drill (with drill bits of 10 mm diameter)

Method:

1) Saw the planks of plywood into 48 slats 40 cm long and 2 cm wide.

2) Drill holes to facilitate assembly: one hole at each end, 2.5 cm from the end of the plank and another hole between the two, 20 cm from the hole on the left. You need to be very precise with these measurements, especially if you are drilling several at a time.

3) Join every two planks in the centre using the small wooden dowels.

4) It is time to assemble it all. Start with 12 planks. Be sure that the longest part in relation to the central hole always points in the same direction. Connect the planks with the long dowels, starting with the longest piece first. Here is a visual to help you: