Useful tips

By using cocktail straws It's very convenient to drink various drinks, but did you know that they can be used for completely different things.

These inexpensive devices can be very functional. From vacuum packs to siphons, here are the 10 most interesting ideas How else can you use straws?

If you have more ideas on how to use cocktail straws, leave them in the comments.

1. Fun colors with cocktail straws

If you didn't study as a child blowing paint on paper, then you can do it now with your children - it’s a lot of fun.

Best to use watercolor paints, as they are very easy to dilute with a little water.

Add a couple drops of paint on paper or tablet and gently start blowing through the straw to create different patterns.

You can apply one paint, wait until it dries, and then apply another. Experiment with colors and patterns to create beautiful pictures.

Painting from a tube (video)

2. Flower holders made from cocktail tubes

The stems of some flowers bend over time. You can use straws to not only keep the flowers in an even condition, but also lengthen their stems.

All you need to do is buy large diameter tubes so that flower stems can fit through them. Can be used clear or green straws.

3. Cable organizers made from drinking straws

To avoid accidentally unplugging the wrong cable, use straws of different colors or same color and marker.

1. First you need to cut the tube lengthwise and then crosswise into several pieces.

2. Wrap these pieces around the desired cables. You can use tubes of different colors so that everyone has their own, or one color, but then you need to make the necessary inscriptions with a felt-tip pen.

4. Tube ideas: bicycle decorations

Another idea from childhood. With multi-colored tubes you can decorate the spokes of your favorite bicycle.

1. First cut the tubes lengthwise and then crosswise into small pieces.

2. Start putting pieces of different colored tubes on the spokes of your bicycle wheels.

5. DIY vacuum packaging

To keep foods fresh longer, they should be stored in vacuum packaging.

To make such packaging with your own hands, you will need p string lock bag and straw.

1. Place the desired products in the bag.

2. Insert a straw into the bag.

3. Close the bag.

4. Blow air through the straw and quickly close the bag.

6. Straw ideas: chain holder

To prevent your chains, beads, chokers and necklaces from getting tangled, and so that you can quickly take and put them on at any time, use straws.

Simply thread the chain through the tube and fasten it.

For different chains and beads, you can use tubes of different sizes.

7. Crafts from tubes: siphon

Connect two tubes to create a structure for interesting science experiment and show the children how the siphon works.

A siphon is a structure resembling the letter P through which liquid flows upward without the aid of sediment. Gravity causes water to flow from the tube and reduces its pressure.

As a result, water from the upper container, due to atmospheric pressure, overpowers gravity and begins to flow upward at the short end of the tube. Water will flow as long as its level in the container is lower than the water level in the other container.

1. To make a siphon, carefully bend the end of one tube and insert it inside the other tube.

2. Twist the tube a little so that it lines up and there is no extra hole between the two tubes. You can tape the junction of the tubes with tape.

3. Place a glass filled with water next to the sink.

4. Insert a tube into the glass and run a siphon, sucking out some water through the tubes.

5. Lower the other end of the tube from the sink or another glass below.

You will notice how water flows from one glass to another.

8. Crafts from cocktail tubes: storage for sugar, salt, pepper, etc.

Small portions can be stored in tubes salt, sugar, pepper and various spices.

You will need:

Baking paper

Tubes

1. Cut each tube into several pieces. Choose the length of each part yourself, but it’s better not less than 5 cm, so that later it will be more convenient.

2. Fold the baking paper in half and insert the end of a piece of straw between the sheets. Run a hot iron over the baking paper. The main thing is that the iron does not touch the tube.

You have sealed one end. Fill the straw sugar or other ingredient and repeat step 2 with the other end of the tube. Can seal the end perpendicularly the opposite end.

9. Funnel extension

Funnels - quite convenient devices, but sometimes they are not suitable for narrow holes.

Fortunately, the design of the funnel allows you to insert a tube into it, which will lengthen the funnel and make it more convenient for pouring liquid through a narrow neck.

10. DIY straw toothpick

When you don't have a toothpick or dental floss nearby, you can use a straw.

Just press down one end of the tube teeth and gently brush between teeth with the sharp end.

Then you can use the same tube to take water and rinse your mouth.

Bonus:

From two tubes you can make convenient "lock" for any package. For example, you opened a bag of sugar or flour - you can’t just close it.

Just take two straws, cut one of them lengthwise, wrap the edge of the bag around the whole straw, and put the cut straw on top of the rolled bag.

You will find detailed instructions.

Straws for cocktails are frequent guests of holidays, parties or out-of-town trips. Well, those who have children often use them at home, even in everyday life. Did you know that you can make many interesting crafts using these plastic cocktail straws with your own hands? We have prepared a great selection of ideas for you. We hope this inspires you to get creative.

Very often we are forced to take straws for cocktails not in 5-10 pieces, as we need, but in huge bags. Then they get in the way in the closet, and it’s a shame to throw them away. If you are familiar with this problem, you should like these master classes on working with plastic straws. However, it is quite likely that the opposite will happen: you will be so inspired by these crafts that you will immediately go to the supermarket for the required “portion” of straws.

In this selection you will find accessories of varying degrees of complexity. Even children can do some of this (by the way, here you can get ideas for crafts for school). And somewhere cocktail straws are used to create very difficult crafts. However, all this is only at first glance - in fact, you will quickly figure it out.

So, let's go explore the stock of straws, get inspired, and create!

Decorative star

Such a star made of plastic tubes can be an excellent decoration for a holiday or for a child’s room. This craft can also be used as holiday table decor.

To make this DIY decoration, you will need 20 or more cocktail straws. First connect two pieces together. Then three, four, five - increase the total mass one tube on each side.

The most convenient way to collect straws is with superglue, flattening them in the middle. However, if you wish, you can simply sew them together.

To more securely fix the structure, pull the center with thread, fishing line or wire. You can add a beautiful ribbon to the craft to hang our star.

Bracelets

It would seem that bracelets made from plastic tubes should appeal only to little girls. The very simple material used to create them. In fact, older girls are also willing to wear such jewelry. It all depends on how to make a bracelet and which tubes to choose for this. Additional decor also plays a serious role.

Take a look at the photo: here are some great ideas.

The top bracelets are made of tubes that are ironed through a thick layer of fabric. If your straws are not too hard, you can simply crush them with your hands. Insert a thin wire into the center of each tube. Make several single bracelets, and then pull them together with another tube. We secure it with wire. Add ribbons, beads or any other decoration.

In the lower right corner is a bracelet, which is assembled from tubes cut into “beads”. Simply take a straw and cut it into equal lengths. Gather them with thread, braid or wire.

The last bracelet is made from twisted sections of tubes. Cut the straw into 3-4 cm pieces, flatten it, insert the wire inside and twist it as tightly as possible. At the same time, make sure that the wire inside does not break. Then the rings need to be assembled onto a base made of braid, wire or elastic. You can make beads in the same way.

Christmas decorations

Strictly speaking, this is not only a Christmas tree toy, because it can be hung in a child’s room or used as party decor. Even in an ordinary room, such geometric shapes made from cocktail straws will look very cool. Their minimalistic design is very interesting.

To make such decorations, we will need at least 6 tubes. If they have a spring, you will have to take more, because it will not look very appropriate. We cut off the extra parts so that we get 4 identical parts. We assemble the square using fishing line, wire or thread.

The side edges can be made identical or an unusual shape can be made by cutting the tubes offset. You can hang such decorations on a regular thread, since the straws are quite light.

Using the same principle, you can assemble the most beautiful geometric designs from plastic juice straws. To make them heavier, insert wire inside.

Wreath

This simple wreath would make a great Christmas decoration or just decor for a child's room.

We will need a standard package of plastic tubes (can be replaced with paper ones), cardboard, compass and glue. Using a compass, cut out circles on cardboard. If it's thin, make it double or even triple.

Then glue a layer of tubes along the entire perimeter of the circle on one side. The length of the straws needs to be changed constantly - alternate short with long. Then repeat the same on the other side. We glue all the tubes with superglue.

Decorate the craft with a bow or something else. If you are making a wreath for the New Year, choose red or green cocktail tubes, add tinsel or festive balls.

By the way, you can stick this wreath on an old alarm clock or dial - it will make an excellent watch decor!

Application

If you have a school-aged child, suggest this idea to him. With the help of plastic straws, he can create a very cute craft for school with his own hands.

We will need a package of colored tubes, cardboard, pencils, glue, and any decor.

The juice tubes need to be ironed along their entire length to flatten them. Draw a butterfly outline on the cardboard (or use stencils). Place a vertical tube in the center. And around it form wings from scraps.

You can make interesting voluminous flowers from “springs”, and decorate the craft itself with stickers, rhinestones or something else.

Lamp

This craft from cocktail straws seems very simple, but in fact you will make it with your own hands very simply - there are no tricks here. The main condition is the presence of an old unnecessary fabric floor lamp.

To make an original lamp from plastic straws, you will need 2-3 packs of 100 straws. The process will be labor-intensive, slow, but easy to complete.

It is quite possible that you will need to take thin wire. This depends on how thick the fabric in your floor lamp is.

The operating principle is simple. You need to bend each tube in half, flatten it thoroughly in the center, and then insert the ends into the fabric on the floor lamp from the inside. If you pre-install the wire, the structure will be more dense and reliable. Plastic straws should be inserted so tightly that there are no gaps between them. If the fabric does not pierce, use an awl.

The inside of the floor lamp can be additionally glued with a piece of fabric to cover all the folds. Just remember that you can’t leave the tubes sticking out inside, as they will melt from the lamp.

Photo frame

Another easy craft to make using plastic or paper cocktail straws is a homemade photo frame. Here everything is limited only by your imagination - create to your taste.

You can make a simple frame out of cardboard and decorate it with vertical tubes, cutting them exactly to the size of the accessory. Or leave the straws uneven and sticking out in different directions.

You can also cut two tubes lengthwise and sandwich a photo between them. In the center, place a beautiful thread and additional weighting in the form of a transverse straw. The result is a light hanging photograph in a beautiful frame.

The easiest option is to decorate the finished frame with tubes.

We hope you liked this collection of ideas and are ready to make your own unusual crafts from cocktail straws. Choose from what is offered here or create something unique.

We advise you to take a look at our master classes on weaving baskets from newspaper tubes. Simply replace them with plastic straws, repeating all the steps described in the lessons. You will get an excellent craft that will be very durable, bright, beautiful and convenient.

Working with juice straws is also very cool because this material is available, and you don’t mind spoiling it (if this happens). So you can train as much as you like to achieve the perfect result. Have fun creating!

Views: 10,154

Every year, millions of entertainment venues throw away countless amounts of plastic cocktail straws, polluting our planet and putting the environment at great risk. An environmental disaster is approaching us by leaps and bounds.

But you can make your contribution to saving the environment, especially since you can make a lot of interesting little things from them. And if you start making them with your child, then these will be your favorite toys, even better than store-bought ones! Your child's happiness will know no bounds. And your wallet won’t suffer much at the same time!

With the help of banal juice straws, you can teach your child the basics of geometry. After all, you can create so many geometric shapes from these drinking sticks!

Work progress for beginners step by step:

1. Let's start with the pyramid. We need to fold the short part lengthwise and then mount it into the long part.
2. Blind the resulting two triangles in two places with transparent tape.
3. Using the same scheme, we add other triangles to them.
4. We get a tetrahedron (a regular pyramid of four triangles).

The principle of constructing other geometric figures is identical. You can make a square, rhombus, pentagon and other geometric shapes.

Using tubes you can update and add color to a children's bicycle by decorating its spokes.

1. Cut them lengthwise.
2. Then cut into 2 cm pieces.
3. Put it on the spokes of a bicycle.

Flowers from cocktail tubes

Asters

We need tubes of different colors. We cut them at an angle of 45 degrees.

Our asters are ready. We can make leaves from colored paper.

Flower craft made from straws and colored paper. Master Class.

• Cut out flower blanks from colored paper, 4 pieces of different diameters.
• String them onto a straw, from largest to smallest.
• Cut the top of the straw in a circle into small strips.

Make several of these flowers. Our craft is ready!

DIY dandelion: master class

Now you will learn how to do dandelion made from colored paper and cocktail tubes. We will need:

• glue stick;
• colored paper;
• scissors.

Progress

Vase made of tubes

1. Cut the tubes in half to stabilize our vase.
2. Secure with an elastic band.
3. Glue the base onto a plastic plate.
4. We decorate with ribbons and bows at your discretion.

That's all! We made flowers and a vase for them easily and simply. And all this is “cheap and cheerful”, but at the same time incredibly cute, and brought joy to the children.

DIY origami sun made of colored paper and plastic tubes: master class

Let's build origami sun with our little ones and give everyone warmth.

1. Cut out squares from colored paper.
2. Fold the square in half and unfold it.
3. Bend the top and bottom corners to the middle of the fold.
4. We get a rhombus by bending the lower corners again.
5. Place the diamond like a tie and bend the end of the tie.
6. Fold it like a book so that the small triangle is on top.
7. We make the remaining “rays of sunshine” in the same way and insert one into another until a circle is formed.

You can stick this sun on the wall, and you will always have sunny weather in your house! Give a smile to your kids! Be sure to make this “sunshine” with them!

By the way, a note to mothers. The tubes can be used as curlers and get great curls!

Application “Sun from children's hands”

To make such a craft we need:

• Trace the child's hand and cut it out.

We will need about 20 palms of different colors. These will be our “rays”.

• cut out a circle from yellow colored paper and draw eyes, mouth and nose for our sun.
• Place your palms in a circle, and then glue them together in the form of rays.
• glue our face.

This is such a wonderful sunshine we ended up with!

Morning of January 1... The guests have left, everything is put in its place, and the kid in the kitchen is enthusiastically sorting through the bright cocktail tubes left over from the holiday - pink, green, yellow... If there are quite a lot of them left after the holiday, and the child likes them so much, you can “color them” » your joint vacation - make colorful crafts from such tubes. This is both a fun, exciting game, and an educational activity (remember, there is such an exercise for developing creative abilities - come up with as many uses as possible for a simple object?), and a great way to make a useful thing from unnecessary material. And after the holidays, the kid will have something to brag about to his classmates at school.

You say: but what can be made from simple tubes? There are a huge number of options! Look around and you will probably find many things that can be “colored” in this amazing way. Perhaps you have a boring glass tumbler at home, the last one left from an old set? You can make this cute little vase out of it.

Decorating a vase

To do this, you need to cut off a long straight part from the tubes (to the corrugated bend; don’t throw away what’s left - we’ll need it too!) Wash, dry and degrease the glass; if desired, you can cover it with acrylic paint - then the finished craft will look brighter. Cut the tubes to the height of the glass and glue them to its surface using a glue gun. When the glue has dried, tie a ribbon near the base of the vase that matches the color of the tubes you have chosen and tie it with a small bow. The vase is ready!

New Year's toys, candles and crackers...

If the holiday has not yet arrived, and you are already reading this article, take on another idea: making Christmas tree decorations from straws.

Cut the straw into small pieces, 4-5 mm each. We draw our future decoration on paper, and then use glue to assemble it according to the pattern from the tubes. Choose glue that dries quickly. The result will be inexpensive and bright Christmas decorations that can be used to decorate your windows or yard.

...and not toys.

Want to do something more serious? What do you think of the idea - such a fluffy colored lampshade?

It will require about two hundred straws, which must be glued to the glass shade using transparent glue. And from bright pieces of colored straw, using the same principle, you can make such a small cube lamp. With it, your baby will not be afraid of the dark! And an adult will be delighted with such a creative, bright gift.

Don't want to struggle with small pieces? You can glue long straws vertically - it will turn out no less beautiful.

You can decorate the door of your home for the New Year with this New Year's wreath. Using a glue gun, glue straws of different lengths onto a small cardboard circle with a “sun” and decorate with a bright bow.

A fruit stand can be not only a decoration, but also a useful thing. To do this you need:

1. String the required number of straws onto a nylon thread, secure the other, unstitched edge with adhesive tape and cut the straws obliquely, starting at a length of 3 cm, and then longer and longer until you reach the full length of the straw.
2. Pass the thread through the trimmed edge as well, placing beads and glass beads between the straws.
3. Then pull the edge together to create a snail shape and secure the ends of the thread with beads, and also pull the thread on the other side. A useful decoration is ready!

To get a perfectly flat stand, try to string the straws exactly in the center. You can use a different number of straws, then the stand will be larger or smaller. The main thing is to maintain the proportion in the ratio of the length of the straws.