Cutlery Bags

As we all know, there is never, ever any cutlery in work-place staff/lunch rooms.  It doesn't matter how many pieces of cutlery get purchased at the start of the year, it is guaranteed that within a few weeks, there is very little left - especially the forks.

So, for 2015 Christmas Gifts, I e-mailed my closest colleagues and asked then what their favourite colour was.  As you can see, there were a few purples.

I purchased some lovely coloured cutlery sets; and where I didn't have the quantity of chosen colour in cutlery from the set I matched the cutlery to fabric pattern colours.

All in all, there were 11 bags to make, each specific to its new owner.

The bonus of putting cutlery into bags is that it can be washed at the end of lunch and then stored in a desk drawer and stay clean, ready for the next day.

My colleagues loved their gifts.  We had such a beautiful morning in the office, swapping gifts, eating a very large morning tea and sharing our Christmas plans.  Going to work is very easy when you work with wonderful people.


PS:  I made one more set (not pictured) for my sister to keep at her work place.  She thought it was an excellent idea - just like my colleagues.

Lunch out?

When going to a Sit'n'Sew day, I find that it's nice to have your own cutlery and a place-mat to put your plate on.  Often, it can be annoying if a bit of lettuce falls out of the sandwich you're eating or there's no-where to put your yoghurt spoon and you have to either find a cloth to wipe the table, or, make a place-mat from paper towel.

Opened out mat with side-plate and cutlery.

The idea of a combined cutlery holder/place-mat is not new.  I know I have seen pictures of them before, but I cannot remember where, so I made up my own.  With simple cutting, piecing and a bit of quilting, it was made in very little time.

All rolled up and ready to pack in my lunch bag.

I am thinking that I will need to make a second one of these, with some large print fabric to keep in my work lunch bag and include some nice cutlery too.  Staff room cutlery is often less than desirable and there are never, ever any forks!