Utensil Roll - Saving the World One Fork at a Time

[sunshyn_stef]

My ongoing resolution is to create less impact on the environment.  As a 9-to-5er, I bring my lunch to work almost every day (in tupperware and a canvas bag).  Our office provides disposable goods in the lunch room, but it hurts throwing them away.  Well, I couldn't just bring my own set of utensils from home and leave them lying naked around my desk.  Inspired by some knitting needle and crochet hook rolls I've seen on Craftster, I made this...


In keeping with the low-impact theme of my resolution, I used leftover fabric from various projects (including a dress mom made me in high school) and purchased flatware from the thrift store.  I did have to buy a bias tape maker (this is my first homemade bias attempt), but I've already put that to plenty good use.      I've gotten quite a few compliments from my co-workers and I hope to inspire them to reduce their impact as well.  EDIT: I also made a matching napkin to use instead of the paper napkins. Thanks sibyll for the reminder. 

Some "making of" pictures...

Getting the spacing of the utensils


Lining, the flap doubles as a towel to dry the utensils


Attaching the bias on the folds


Action shots at my desk


and at lunch


Thanks for looking! 

[the_christine]

Very cute and useful!   I love this idea. 

[TracyLee22]

great idea!!!

[DaisyTattoo]

Wonderful! How cute!!!

[itsnubs]

i love that idea! i always try to be eco-friendly, but its hard to sometimes. its very cute and such a great way to help out the environment.

[maddiemoos]

It is very cute, and I love that it is saving the environment (in many ways )!

[kimmasaurus]

ah!  i am so inspired!! !:D  i love this it's so pretty!

[kjsuttles]

I love this idea! I made something similiar for my crochet needles but didn't even think about this! Thanks for the inspiration!

[sibyll]

It's so pretty! And is that a little matching napkin I see in the action shot??

[all cut up]

I'm inspired!  I just made myself a crochet hook roll, now I need one for my forks!

[sweets4ever]

I'm loving this challenge MORE and more with every project!  Such a great resolution and a great project to help you achieve it!

Thanks for posting!!  Good luck!

[craftADDchick]

D'oh! Why didn't I ever think of this? Every day I tote my utensils in a plastic baggie, which ends up getting tossed, and it grates on my nerves every time

I am absolutely making myself several of these! I'll make one for every day of the week And, I'll steal your idea for matching napkins, too!

Thanks for sharing such a great idea!

[sleeps_with_dogs]

I LOVE it sooo much!  Soooooo much!

[riloalexander]

What a cool idea!  Right now, I have a box of plastic forks and spoons in my desk, but I'm inspired to make something like this to bring my own and reduce the amount of stuff I throw away.

[Kittymoose]

I love this idea. Fortunately, at work we have sets of plates and utensils for both partners and customers (I work at starbucks), as well as glass cups and ceramic mugs for the drinks. The only thing I have to throw away is the straw/paper around the straw.

I think I'm gonna make one of these though....just because I want one

[Bugaboo1]

I love this idea! Great way to reduce waste but also as an alternative busy parents could have these so their small children could help set the table/put away silverware or for the soccer moms, something to carry along in the car for on the go meals between sport pit stops. I'm thinking baby shower gift so parents will always have a baby set in the bag for when the young when starts to eat but regular silverwares too much in restaurants.

[Soledad]

This is a great idea.  Although I'm a stay at home mom I can use idea when I go out with the children. Thanks for posting.

P.S Thanks for making less of an impact on the environment.

[marmota-b]

Great project; and I'm sure eating with proper utensils is also much nicer! Isn't it?

And it's beautiful, nicely combined colours, very pleasant to look at.

[Emmalou]

I love this idea!  I just keep using the same plastic fork/spoon/knife and keeping them in my drawer... but this is so much more glamourous!  I will be making one soon!

[Roonika]

I love this idea and how you made this. Especially the separated compartments.
Well done!

[radwriter]

Now that is brilliant! I love it!

[PetitMer]

What a great idea! I'll have to come up with a boy version for the hubby!

[Astica]

As stupid as this is going to sound.
I'm very jealous of your yogurt!
That's for sure the best tasting yogurt out in the market (especially the 'whipped' ones  )
But they don't have them in Canada  So I always eat tons of yogurt when I visit the US 

But very awesome project too! I'd love to make one of these for myself ^^

[winstongang]

What a fabulous idea! It turned out so well, great job!

[actucker17]

Thats so cool! You've inspired me to make more earth friendly school lunches. It's hard when your locker is barely big enough to fit your books . I noticed that you were eating yoplait so i thought I'd share one of my favortie tipss, especially if you eat it every day: Buy a big thing of plain yogurt, and mix small portion with berries or nuts or whatever suits your fancy, better for you too without all the extra sugar!

[ronise]

I love it! If I didn't come home for lunch I'd make myself one too.

[lady4feet]

Awesome idea! Now if I just still had a job I could do it too, lol.

[RockstarMom]

What a neat idea!

[sunshyn_stef]

Wow!  Thanks everyone for looking, you've totally stroked my craft ego.  Yes, that's a matching napkin in the action shot.  Making scrap napkins for the house is my next eco-craft project.  I try not to use paper napkins, but I also try not to wipe my hands on my jeans.   

[theantihipster]

what a great idea! I've made needle rolls, crochet hook rolls, and I never thought of this!

I work at a tattoo shop, so any food-stuff needs to be pretty self-contained (for obvious sanitation reasons, I'm essentially performing minor surgery every time I tat it up)

it also gets dusty & dirty quickly cuz I work with a bunch of dudes...

so 1. fix my sewing machine 2. make utensil roll

I'm still marveling at how awesome this is, great job!

[marmota-b]

I try not to use paper napkins, but I also try not to wipe my hands on my jeans.   

Paper isn't as evil as plastic utensils, after all... but nice fabric napkins are nice fabric napkins, of course.

[KiwiDragons]

What a great idea! I always just throw a fork and a spoon in my purse (which sounds really gross now). I see a utensil roll in my future as well!

[Gillian Austin]

Totally great idea! So simple and small - but imagine if everyone did this?

[jensven1017]

Such a cute idea! I love to bring my lunch too and I have a cup that I keep my utensils in, until now that is, lol. I’m so going to make one for my desk this week. Great job! 

[kcurrin]

Good idea!  I bring my lunch too.  I think I need one of these.

[quilted]

I just voted for this one.... what a fantastic idea. Can't wait to make some for my family, too!

Thank you so much for sharing your creativity! 

[sunshyn_stef]

Thanks for the vote quilted!  I'm so happy to see so many eco-friendly resolutions in this challenge. 

[finecraftnerd]

Brilliant!!  I need one! 

[engineer_girl]

I always just throw my silverware in my purse, but the inside of my purse is probably not the most sanitary environment for them. And then I usually forget to take the silverware out of the pruse... people look at you funny when you pull out your wallet or car keys and a spoon falls out.

[manycrafter]

I love it! Not a bad idea for a business, either--get fabric (from used clothing) and flat ware from thrift stores and make completely recycled kits, sell them over the Internet? Hmmm...

Oops, sorry, I'm always looking for business ideas.  My husband and I have had our own businesses forever and we're constantly thinking up new ones, it's a bad habit. I have had success in the past in making good money from my various arts and crafts ventures, though.

[hilopez]

Nice!!  I think I'll make myself one. Thanks! 

[Womposs]

What a fabulous idea. I need to make some of these for camping and for in the car. One of your pics gave me the idea that you could even use the roll as a placemat once you've opened it up and taken the utensils out. A real home-away-from-home. Super!