For the Love of Crafts and Environmental Awareness

At one time, I was a hardcore crafter. You name it, I did it: painting, crochet, scrapbooking, ceramics, quilling, leather work, Ukrainian eggs, basket weaving, calligraphy, and more. Crafts were the ultimate destination for my creativity! But I also had significantly more free time on my hands than I do now! I miss those days sometimes, when I sat on the floor in my room and scrapbooked for hours on end. Currently, after going through a full day of work and then running errands afterward, I just want to sit and do nothing when I get home. It’s sad, but entirely true. To my credit, I do make things all day at the bakery!

I bought the fabric for this particular project, and then I proceeded to put it off for a month before commencing with its progress. I am not typically fond of sewing, and I will defer for weeks the small chore of sewing a button onto a pair of pants. Needless to say, a project that required the amount of stitching that this one did was not appealing to me.

Once I began, I found that I was actually enjoying the steady process of stitching the fabric into place. I decided to go with a flap top design, though in hindsight I think a drawstring or a top that could be tied would have been the better choice. Sometimes my straws that are bent like to peek out of the top if they all get squished to one side. I used little velcro stickers on the corners to hold the top shut, and I’m pleased to say that they have securely remained in place!

I’ve been happily showing my case off to friends and coworkers, because it has been a while since I made something with my own hands, other than desserts! I am quite proud of the results! I chose to share this project on the blog because I want to touch on an issue that is important to me: plastic waste.  Millions of straws are thrown away every day in the US. Straws do make it easier and more comfortable to consume our favorite drinks, so don’t be concerned that you would have to give them up entirely. Most stores like Target or Walmart have sets of metal straws that you can get to replace the ubiquitous plastic straws that inevitably end up in the landfill. A fun bonus that comes along with metal straws is that they become cold when you are drinking a chilled beverage! No matter the size of the container or the type of beverage, you will find a metal straw suitable for your needs. As you can see above, I recently got some thicker straws that I can use for my boba tea!

I would encourage all of my readers to thoughtfully consider making the switch from plastic straws, because each little step will help you reduce the amount of waste that you contribute. People will see you making the effort, and it will provoke interest in others. And if you happen to enjoy crafting, it’ll give you an excuse to wield your creative expertise and make the most kick-ass carrying case known to humankind! (Aside from mine, of course.)

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