I’m now more than a year into curbing my use of plastic in my life. I am pleased to report the challenge is going strong and the changes I’ve made are still in place.

Often, when I’m out and about I’ll pick up a take away and yet again with carry out boxes and cutlery I’m back to the single use plastic issues. If I sometimes decide to take a packed lunch with me it’ll need some planning.

Keen to continue with the changes in my life and so I am always prepared for take away picnics I came up with a cutlery roll project. A simple, sustainable, make that can be packed and ready for when I go out. In the spirit of the project the cutlery doesn’t need to be matching, seek out what you need from charity shops or car boots sales. For the roll I recycled a soft linen tea towel which when unrolled is ready to be used as a napkin or a placemat. Make a collection of several cutlery rolls for when others join you on a picnic. At the end of your meal stow the dirty utensils in the tea towel before taking home to wash.

You will need:

Tea towel 50x60
20cm elastic
12mm button
Scissors
Needle and thread

Step by Step

Step 1

To mark the centre of one of one of the short sides of the tea towel, fold the two long sides together to meet, then mark the crease in the centre with a pin. On the wrong side, either side of the marked centre, unpick the hem by 2cm.

Step 2

Fold the elastic in half and push the cut ends under the hem. Sew the elastic securely to the tea towel under the hem, then stitch the hem back down.

Step 3

Right side up sew the button to the centre of the hemmed edge over the elastic.

Step 4

With the tea towel wrong side up, place the cutlery in the middle of the side opposite the button and elastic. Turn the tea towel to cover the cutlery by 10 cm.