Totally right, the first step is to gather everything necessary. It's usually the easiest part of a project, but the step that holds me back so often. Why wait until you actually have the time to do the project to gather the materials? You shouldn't! When the timing and urge converge, it will much more likely get done if you've taken that step.
In the case of this project, selecting an old towel, or fugly sweater for the experimental first piece. Or, if you're more confident about going right into it, get that old tablecloth, grandma's chenille bedspread with a hole in it you feel compelled to keep, or whatever you might have - out of the closet. Practice draping it. Do the corners need to be trimmed off, or do you like the look of their points? Does it need to be trimmed for size? I'm thinking a bedspread could make at least 4 large-ish planters. If you don't find something you think is suitable, obviously you have to visit the thrift store and pop some tags before you can get started!
When you have the pieces of fabric/burlap/whatever ready, sit it next to/in the appropriately-sized nursery pot. Compile the cardboard, newspaper, whatever you'll use as a drip catch. I'm thinking I'll wear disposable gloves, so putting a pair of those with the other things would get me to a pretty ready state.
Need to find something to drape over. We happen to have fence posts up without the fence part installed yet. I think I could use those. Might have to surround pole with some 2x4's & a bungi cord to hold them up, to make it wide enough for a few hours, to keep the pots from tilting sideways when the wind blows. One could use just the boards if they don't happen to have an unfinished fence, but would probably have to pound them into the ground a little. Used to have a stump that would have been perfect but I rotted it under a pile of compost. A tomato cage might work, one way for a giant planter, the other way for a smaller one.
This seems like a really interesting way to repurpose such an item that's just been taking up closet space, and bring it back to being a useful, appreciated item. If we babble about it enough, somebody will do this this weekend! Weather permitting, I think we can here, I know I want to, and think we have all of this stuff... Except, I threw out all my fugly nursery pots, (after decades, the only way I could think of to STOP filling them with plants I then try to tend all summer - just put them in the ground for cryin' out loud - oh the irony!) but I should be able to grab some from Mom's house, or find curbside.
