Class Up Your "Silverware"

A fun and easy trick I like to use to class up that plasticware at a shower, birthday, or holiday party is to wrap it up ahead of time in a fun way. Wrapping your cutlery helps your guests grab them with one hand if needed and adds a touch of professional class to your event. (Wrapped plasticware says you know what you are doing-even if you don't)  Play with plasticware color, napkin color, and ribbon-all of which you can get at the dollar store or odd lot store. (Try to avoid a party supply store as they will sell paper goods and colored plasticware at two to three times the price)

To wrap cutlery take a dinner napkin and turn it like a diamond. (You may have to open your napkin if it is a rectangle to make it a square), stack your silverware with the knife on the bottom then the fork and finally the spoon with the tips just sticking over the top edge of your diamond. Fold up the bottom portion of the napkin, fold over one of the flaps, and finally roll up your cutlery in a snuggly wrapped package. 

Use thick ribbon to make a napkin ring. Peruse your local arts and crafts store for a fun design that matches your event colors- there are soooooo many cool options out their for ribbon. I recommend 1-2" ribbon.

Precut your thick ribbon into strips. Wrap the ribbon around the rolled cutlery and use a little hot glue to hold it in place. Take the extra end of ribbon and fold it into the hot glue crease and add a dab of hot glue to hold the folded edge down and make a finished looking product.  Finally stack your beautifully rolled cutlery in a basket, bowl, or creative container. 

Wrapped plasticware for the baby shower I am helping host this weekend. The mommy to be wants black, white, and touches of hot pink. She also really likes monkeys so I went with jungle animal print ribbon.

You can also use a few pieces of thin 1/4" wide ribbon to add a colorful bow to your wrapped plasticware instead of a napkin ring. The advantage of small ribbon is it is easier to add a few colors of different ribbon at once. Just wrap the ribbon around your wrapped cutlery (to add a little flare tie a piece of candy or small gem into your bow).

A few years ago I did a holiday party with gold plasticware wrapped in a white paper dinner napkin with thin gold ribbon and a mini candy cane tucked into the bow.  Supper cute and easy to do ahead of time!