• Home
  • About
    • About Crafts by Amanda
    • Visit Our Recipe Site
  • Work With Us
  • Join
    • Free Newsletters
    • Join our Facebook craft group
↑
  • Tutorials
    • Tutorial Index
    • Adult Crafts
    • Crafts for Kids
    • Crafts for Seniors
    • Recycled Crafts
    • Seasonal Crafts
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Free Printables
    • Craft Collections
  • Adult Crafts
    • Bath & Body
    • Beach Crafts
    • Clay Pot Crafts
    • Crafts for Seniors
    • Decoupage Crafts for Adults
    • DIY Gift ideas
    • Garden Crafts
    • Home Decor Projects
    • Kitchen Crafts
    • Light Bulb Crafts
    • Luminary Crafts
    • Mason Jar Crafts
    • Needlework
    • Photo Display Ideas
    • Recycled Crafts for Adults
    • Wearable Crafts for Adults
  • Crafts for Kids
    • Animal Crafts for Kids
    • Back to School Crafts
    • Beach Crafts for Kids
    • Camp Crafts
    • Cardboard Tube Crafts for Kids
    • Decoupage Crafts for Kids
    • Easy Crafts for Kids
    • Nature Crafts for Kids
    • Other Kid’s Crafts
    • Paper Plate Crafts for Kids
    • Recycled Crafts for Kids
    • Slimes, Doughs, & Clay
    • Wearable Crafts for Kids
  • Holiday Crafts
    • 4th of July Crafts
    • Christmas Crafts
    • DIY Gift ideas
    • Earth Day Crafts
    • Easter Crafts
    • Father’s Day Crafts
    • Halloween Crafts
    • Memorial Day Crafts
    • Mother’s Day Crafts
    • New Year’s
    • Other Holidays
    • Patriot Day Crafts
    • St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
    • Thanksgiving Crafts
    • Valentine’s Day Crafts
  • Seasonal Crafts
    • Winter Crafts
    • Spring Crafts
    • Summer Crafts
    • Fall Crafts
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Crafts by Amanda

crafts for adults and kid's crafts

  • Tutorials
    • Tutorial Index
    • Adult Crafts
    • Crafts for Kids
    • Crafts for Seniors
    • Recycled Crafts
    • Seasonal Crafts
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Free Printables
    • Craft Collections
  • Adult Crafts
    • Bath & Body
    • Beach Crafts
    • Clay Pot Crafts
    • Crafts for Seniors
    • Decoupage Crafts for Adults
    • DIY Gift ideas
    • Garden Crafts
    • Home Decor Projects
    • Kitchen Crafts
    • Light Bulb Crafts
    • Luminary Crafts
    • Mason Jar Crafts
    • Needlework
    • Photo Display Ideas
    • Recycled Crafts for Adults
    • Wearable Crafts for Adults
  • Crafts for Kids
    • Animal Crafts for Kids
    • Back to School Crafts
    • Beach Crafts for Kids
    • Camp Crafts
    • Cardboard Tube Crafts for Kids
    • Decoupage Crafts for Kids
    • Easy Crafts for Kids
    • Nature Crafts for Kids
    • Other Kid’s Crafts
    • Paper Plate Crafts for Kids
    • Recycled Crafts for Kids
    • Slimes, Doughs, & Clay
    • Wearable Crafts for Kids
  • Holiday Crafts
    • 4th of July Crafts
    • Christmas Crafts
    • DIY Gift ideas
    • Earth Day Crafts
    • Easter Crafts
    • Father’s Day Crafts
    • Halloween Crafts
    • Memorial Day Crafts
    • Mother’s Day Crafts
    • New Year’s
    • Other Holidays
    • Patriot Day Crafts
    • St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
    • Thanksgiving Crafts
    • Valentine’s Day Crafts
  • Seasonal Crafts
    • Winter Crafts
    • Spring Crafts
    • Summer Crafts
    • Fall Crafts
Craft Tutorials | Holiday Crafts | 4th of July Crafts | Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

Author by Amanda Davis on June 17, 2012 Updated on June 17, 2022

5 from 2 votes
Jump to Project
utensil holder made from toilet tubes
55 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • Email

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

 

The Fourth of July is right around the corner, and most of us will spend the day outdoors barbecuing, playing games and enjoying time with family. When July 4th rolls around this year, get the kids together and make this colorful picnic table utensil holder craft that’s full of patriotic spirit! A fun and useful recycling project.

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

I originally made this project for Michael’s Craft Stores via my designer gig with DecoArt. I used Craft Smart paint, which is made by DecoArt exclusively for Michael’s. It’s inexpensive and absolutely perfect for crafting with the kids!

There are full and detailed printable instructions at the bottom of this post. These pictures are just summarizations to help you visualize the steps in this craft.

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

Start with a large can, mine was from a big can of yams, and a cardboard tube from a roll of paper towel. Cut the card board tube into three equal pieces.

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

You’ll paint the tubes with white paint and the can with Gesso, an artist’s medium that’s similar to a primer and helps paint adhere better to certain surfaces. You can find Gesso in the art department of your local craft store. Then give the can a coat of white paint. Paint the top third of the cardboard tubes blue and the bottom third of the can. You will also paint red stripes on the tubes and add your stars (not pictured).

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

Cut strips from red felt and attach to the outside of the can, and then down into the inside. Line the inside with glue.

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

Roll up red red felt and insert into the can, then carefully unroll it inside the can and adhere to the glued sides.

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

Trace the can onto cardboard, then cut around that marking by about one inch. Cut it out and paint it blue, then glue it to the cake circle.

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

Glue everything to the cake circle and let it all dry!

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

More Patriotic Crafts

  • Patriotic Bandana Wreath
  • Patriotic Pinwheels
  • Patriotic Star Jars
  • Star Suncatchers
  • Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder
  • Patriotic Bandana Wreath
utensil holder made from toilet tubes
Print Project
5 from 2 votes

Recycled Patriotic Utensil Holder

Author: Amanda Formaro

Supplies

  • 10- inch cardboard cake circle
  • 1 recycled paper towel cardboard tube
  • 1 large recycled vegetable or soup can
  • 10- inch square of recycled cardboard
  • Red white and blue paint
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun
  • White craft glue
  • Star shaped sequins
  • 2 sheets red felt

Instructions

  • Paint the can with Gesso.
  • Paint the cardboard tubes and the can with white paint.
  • Paint the top third of each tube and the bottom third of the can with blue paint.
  • Glue star shaped sequins to the blue areas of the can and the cardboard tubes.
  • Paint red stripes down the length of the white areas of the cardboard tubes.
  • Cut red felt into 1/2" wide strips. Use hot glue gun to attach strips to the can where the blue paint ends and the white begins, about 3/4" apart. Glue each strip up the sides of the can and down inside the can.
  • Roll up a piece of red felt and place it inside the can to gauge how much you need to line the can. Trim.
  • Cover the inside of the can with white craft glue then place the tightly rolled up felt back inside the can. Loosen the felt and adjust until the felt is snug against the can and pressed into the glue.
  • Place can onto a piece of recycled cardboard and trace the can. Cut 1-inch away from and around that circle so that you end up with a circle of cardboard with a circle draw inside of it. Paint the entire cardboard circle blue. This is the brim of Uncle Sam’s hat.
  • Cover the back of the blue circle with glue stick and press it down onto the upper half of the cardboard cake circle. Glue the can to the center of the blue circle.
  • Glue the cardboard tubes, blue end up, to the white cake circle in front of the can.
  • Fill with utensils!

Expert Tips & FAQs

This project uses a glue gun. To avoid unpleasant burns, please supervise children when using a glue gun, or if the child's age dictates, have a grown up handle the glue gun instead.
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Amanda Davis
Amanda Davis is the crafty, entrepreneurial mother of four children. She loves to bake, cook, make kid's crafts and create decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years.
Latest posts by Amanda Davis (see all)
  • Spring Scavenger Hunt - May 9, 2025
  • How to Make Lip Scrub - May 2, 2025
  • How to Make Lavender Soap - April 22, 2025
55 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • Email

Filed Under: 4th of July Crafts, Cardboard Tube Crafts for Kids, Memorial Day Crafts, Other Kid's Crafts, Patriot Day Crafts Tagged With: 4th of july, barbecue, cardboard tubes, flag, fourth of july, holidays, independence day, july 4th, kid's crafts, patriotic, picnic, recycled, summer

Reader Interactions

Free CraftsBy email every week

Latest crafts straight to your inbox!

Comments

  1. htat says

    July 17, 2012 at 9:16 am

    I liked it a lot ! Hope I can win the recycling project with this ! :)

    Reply
  2. Cookie 17 says

    June 18, 2012 at 3:41 am

    Cool Job Amanda, I love do America painting….Thank’s……………

    Reply
  3. Natasha says

    June 17, 2012 at 10:42 am

    love this idea,

    Reply
5 from 2 votes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate This Project




The maximum upload file size: 640 MB. You can upload: image, video. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Amanda and I’m the founder and head designer of Crafts by Amanda. I have spent over 25 years creating projects to share, but it’s not just me anymore! It’s turned into a complete family affair. Come and meet the Creative Team!

Free CraftsBy email every week

Latest crafts straight to your inbox!

All Time Favorites

snowy pinecone candle jar luminaries

Winter Luminaries: Snowy Pinecone…

Make pretty winter luminaries that appear to be covered ... Go To project

Make this wonderful deco mesh pumpkin wreath to hang on your door this fall!

Deco Mesh Pumpkin Wreath…

Adorn your door this fall with a pretty deco mesh ... Go To project

Learn to make these adorable ladybug painted rocks. use special outdoor paint for this adorable garden craft so you can keep garden ladybugs all summer!

Ladybug Painted Rocks…

I'm going to show you how to make these adorable ... Go To project

Reuse those empty prescription pill bottles in all sorts of ways. From organizing to making cookies. Yes, cookies! See how to use your empty pill bottles!

20 Uses for Prescription Pill…

You've been collecting prescription pill bottles for ... Go To project

Meet the Family

Amanda

Founder and Designer

Kristen

Editorial Manager

Lindsay

Social Media Manager

As seen on:

Footer

Favorites

  • Jar Photo Frames
  • No-Sew Roman Shade
  • Paper Flowers
  • How to Make a Scrunchie
  • Mermaid Slime

About

  • Home
  • Meet the Creative Team
  • Work with Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Contact Us

Images/text copyright Amanda Formaro 2020. To feature a post from Crafts by Amanda, you may use one photo credited and linked back directly to the project post.

Free CraftsBy email every week

Latest crafts straight to your inbox!

Copyright ©2025, Crafts by Amanda. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs

Rate This Tutorial

Your vote:




To share a photo with your comment click here!

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.