This was a gift for a friend who's been inspired to make some green changes in her life: a zipper pouch filled with stainless steel straws and bamboo sporks, to help her family avoid plastic while eating out.
When I was in college, I carried my mug with me everywhere, clipped to my backpack (then, a new idea). I'm embarrassed to admit that for a while, I stopped doing that, and went back to buying disposable cups with my drinks. But at some point, I wised back up and started using a mug again for my coffee and a Kleen Kanteen for water. Then a while back, I was reading "No Impact Man" and he inspired me to start carrying a "weirdo cloth" in my purse (a bandana that replaced disposable napkins). Soon after that, I found bamboo sporks in a local store, and my purse became a definite weirdo zone, but my disposables consumption went way down (and by the way, those sporks are the perfect tool for feeding a baby off your restaurant plate).
This friend loves straws, so she inspired me to seek out non-disposable straws. I loved the glass ones I found, but went with stainless for a lighter load (my purse is getting pretty crowded, now! Oh, yeah--I bought straws for us while I was at it).
I thought I could wing making the pouch, but was thwarted by the zipper once again (I don't think I really have a zipper foot for my machine, and I didn't know where to put the zipper pull while I sewed, so it's a kind of a mess). Don't you know, the next day my Google reader fed me the perfect tutorial (thank you Noodlehead!), so now I know how to make a decent pouch, and I'll have to make her a new one asap.
Posts
9 comments:
i love this idea! i think i've seen those sporks at whole foods, but where oh where did you find those straws??? i've had them in my mind for some time, but didn't even know if such a thing existed. of course they do, but where can i get me some? and i adore the idea of the bandana in the purse to use as a napkin. stealing!
So glad that I was the friend on the receiving end of this creative gift:) I'm so glad to be part of the "weirdo" club (where were the bandanas by the way? Just kidding:)Loving Lise always:)
Omigosh! Ok first of all Lucy is so darn cute painting she's a natural! I love when small children paint and draw.
Second omigosh again! The straws and sporks are awesome. I don't send the kids to school with plastic utensils I send our home stuff but the sporks are cute and the straws I'm sooo sick of the plastic ones. Where do get stainless steel straws? I already had ideas to make the kids lunch stuff more green but this just adds to it and my craft journal. sorry long comment
just found straws on amazon!
I would be honored to be a part of the "weirdo club." I am going to order the straws ASAP! What are they called on Amazon?
Yay! There's a weirdo club! We should have matching pouches!
Julie--I thought about including some kind of napkin but then thought that might be a lot to haul around. Plus, I know you're already that prepared!
Luisa--you guessed it, I got the straws on Amazon (I searched "stainless steel straws").
I got the sporks from Greenfeet.com (but I think I ordered them through Amazon, too).
So glad this idea inspired you all! :-)
I love it! And it is not weird at all. totally gonna check those links - fabulous ideas!
oh i totally need a utensil pouch for work!! i keep bringing them but then after they're used they hang out in my bag... ick. so if i had a pouch it would be perfect! but i suck at sewing... i wonder if i could hand-sew (since i don't have a sewing machine)...
anyhoo- found you through a comment at crunchy chicken- LOVE your space :)
Many Blessings!
Stainless steel staws? Never knew, heard of the glass ones though. Will be looking into those soon. Love the pouch!
lisa
Post a Comment