At home, our passion for repairing and repurposing items has led to some creative transformations. Whether it’s turning a folding ruler into an embroidery frame, embarking on variegated lamp projects, or crafting intricate book dioramas from fairy forests to enchanted castles, we revel in the art of giving new life to the old. Our latest project involved giving a new life to a thrifted dress form.
As someone deeply immersed in the world of sewing and embroidery, I found myself in need of an organized storage solution for my collection of scissors. Storing them in their original sheaths on my sewing table or tucked away on a shelf in our crafts pantry was proving impractical. I yearned for a convenient and child-safe spot where all my scissors could reside together, readily accessible during crafting sessions.
The solution unexpectedly came one day when I rediscovered a long-forgotten wooden penholder, tucked away in a drawer. I then turned to my husband for assistance, and together we planned how to transform this penholder into a scissor holder.
We happened to have an abundance of single-use bamboo chopsticks, leftovers from our family’s many Chinese and Japanese takeout adventures, accumulated over the years. We’d collected them as the sort of “you never know” stuff, not really knowing what to do with them at first. Well, they turned out perfect for this project.
The plan was simple: glue those chopsticks onto the bottom of the penholder, creating a sort of dense forest. Now, here’s where my patience came into play, as I carefully placed each chopstick one by one. My husband handled them to me after sanding them a bit, for a better grip with the glue.
When they were all glued in place, my husband took charge of sizing them up, cutting them to match the penholder’s height.
In the end, with little time and effort we obtained a container reminiscent of a knife holder.
Placing my scissors in this holder ensures their tips remain unscathed, providing a worry-free storage solution. Whether I’m crafting at the table or need to stow them away in the crafts pantry, the versatility of this holder offers both accessibility and safety, especially in a household with a curious child.
We just used what was lying around, turning those chopsticks into a functional storage solution in a short amount of time, with minimal effort and at no cost.
The knife holder-inspired design has proven to be a universal fit for scissors of any crafting variety. It not only provides a convenient and safe storage space but also offers a practical means of having my scissors ready them wherever creativity calls.
Now, I’m curious – what’s your crafting hack? Have you ever repurposed random bits and bobs to make your creative space more efficient? Share your crafting tales in the comments below!
Your stories might just be the spark someone needs for their next project. Can’t wait to hear from you all!
