Saving the Planet

Saving the planet one straw at a time.

I'm not here to teach you about the damage we're doing to the planet because of single use plastics, including plastic straws. I am here to tell you how to make a cute carrying case for your stainless steel straws so you can be part of the solution. Amazon will sell you a Set of 4 Stainless Steel Straws (with cleaning brush) for a little more than you'll pay for a venti frappuccino.

The question then becomes, how do you carry them until you get to your destination where you will say "no straws, please". I wanted a way to carry the straws that wasn't the darn things floating around in my purse. I grabbed two strips of fabric cut to 2.5" wide by at least 23". I have a ridiculous collection of 2.5" strips because that's what I cut scraps down to when I have scraps. If you get straws that are a different size, you're going to have to modify the pattern to suit your needs. This is a step-by-step tutorial. If something doesn't make sense, please drop me a note in the comments section (if you are a no-reply blogger your comment or question will not be answered).

I placed one strip on top of the other with right sides together. Trimmed one end so it is nice and straight. Then I cut both pieces at 23" long. NOTE: there is very little ease when it comes to fitting the carrier to these straws. If you want the top to overlap more than a little you should decide that before you cut the strips to 23"; don't forget to align your snaps to compensate, too.

I lined up the companion angle on the center and cut off the corners on one end. Not that there isn't a point when using this ruler. You can use any suitable ruler that will get you a 45 degree angle.

Leaving the straight end open, I sewed around the other other sides of the piece with 1/4" seam allowance, leaving the needle down to turn the corners.

I used my turning tool (wooden chopstick) to turn the tube inside out and poke out the corners. Then I pressed the piece, smoothing the edges as I went. 

The finished tube should measure about 2" wide at this point. 

Fold in about 1/4" on the raw edges on the other end and top stitch across, back stitching a couple stitches at the beginning and end. Pressing the folded in ends before stitching can help keep it neat. 

I placed the hole for one side of the snap centered 1/2" down from the seamed edge. 

It's easier to put this snap on now before you sew up the edges. 

I measured from the point down 2" to line up the edge of the flat end. I placed a pin on both sides (not shown) to hold it until I got to the machine. 

I started stitching at the bottom fold, back stitching a couple stitches. Then, using a 1/8" seam allowance, stitched up one side, stopping with needle down at the points to turn, and back down the other side, back stitching a couple stitches at the end. This finishes the edges and the top-stitching on the flap in one continuous line of stitching. 

I put the straws in the carrier and folded over the flap. I used the awl (from my snap kit) to line up the hole for the flap snap. You could do this with pin if you don't have the awl and are using another closure method. (You could certainly use Velcro if that's your preference.)

Finish the other snap and test it a few times to make sure you've properly seated the snaps. 

I made two carriers. There are two of us and the straws come in a four-pack. I might be a shorter set of straws the next time I order from Amazon. These should hold the entire four-pack of straws, so if you're a family of that many you could carry the whole set. I didn't want to do smaller just for fit since I already had the fabric pre-cut.

If you use the tutorial, please let me know. I would love to see your creations.

Cutting tools:
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
Wrights Companion Angle

Other tools:
KAMsnaps Starter Kit
BLACK+DECKER Vitessa Advanced Steam Iron