Uses for toilet paper/paper towel tubes?...

[Sue G in PA]

I save them b/c I figure there must be 101 uses for them. Craft projects, building projects, etc. So, post your most creative uses for those cardboard tubes or they are going to overrun my house! Eek! I'll start...I just read in a gardening book that they make terrific "homes" for starting seeds inside. Just cut each to a 3" length or so, cut a slit down the length (so you can easily peel it away when you want to plant outside), fill w/ seeds and good starter soil and group them together in groups of 4 or so, tie together w/ string and wala! Okay, anymore?

[Liz CA]

I save them b/c I figure there must be 101 uses for them. Craft projects, building projects, etc. So, post your most creative uses for those cardboard tubes or they are going to overrun my house! Eek! I'll start...I just read in a gardening book that they make terrific "homes" for starting seeds inside. Just cut each to a 3" length or so, cut a slit down the length (so you can easily peel it away when you want to plant outside), fill w/ seeds and good starter soil and group them together in groups of 4 or so, tie together w/ string and wala! Okay, anymore?

never thought of starting seeds in them but I can see how it would work.
My son has used them as a megaphone and scared the dog with it and I have used them to spark up a fire in the woodstove. Someone has painted them with faces on one end and clothes for the rest of the tube and then hung them from the ceiling. :D

[Tarheel Heather]

And my 10 ds is a very happy child!

[Wendi]

Our bunnies like to chew on them and play with them, so we never had enough to make the Parthenon.

A rabbit shelter would love to have them!

Wendi

[Faithseed]

For seed starting, you wouldn't have to peel off the roll before you plant them. Just like with newspaper pots, plant the whole thing! It will break down just like composting.

For larger rolls- like wrapping paper (when I can actually find some that are a whole piece), I save to roll up table clothes. No fold lines- whoohooo! I hate to iron :D

[clerkofkirk]

I use them to slip over the tops of my leeks when they start to get large. That gives me a larger white useable end. Works great!
Susie in SWVA

[Doran]

This site (http://familycrafts.about.com/od/cardboardtubecrafts/) seems to have lots of suggestions.

Doran

[Montana Peach]

I have used toilet paper rolls to contain hair dryer and curling iron cords, (and others) when stored. Just fold up the cord to about the same length ad the roll, then slip it on.

[Tracy in Ky]

We give them to our gerbils to shred! :D They love them.

[Mrs Mungo]

paint them and make model rocket ships. With the lighter ones like toilet paper tubes you can even tape in a film canister (the clear type where the lid fits inside the canister instead of snapping over the top..does that make sense?), put an alka-seltzer (or generic) tablet and water inside the canister and watch it take off! My kids *love* doing this.

Make rain sticks (really easy).

Slice them and paint them to make bracelets or napkin rings (only works with sturdier ones).

Make insects, robots or cars.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/flowers/sunflowerplate/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/na/totempole/

ed a site out because site was already posted!

[KarenC]

We used packing tape and taped it to an outside wall. The girls had a great time and it kept them busy for quite a while.

Karen

[mcconnellboys]

Rub glue or use spray-on glue to sticky up the outside of a toilet paper tube. Wrap the entire outside in brownish yarn. This will make the cocoon for a coffee filter butterfly.

To make the butterfly, mix some food coloring into a little alcohol. Make up dishes with different colors. Wad up and dip coffee filters into these different color bowls to end up with a tie-dye effect on your filters. Spread them out on newspaper to dry. Once dry, crinkle up the filter in the middle and add a pipe cleaner butterfly body. Spread out the 'wings' to enjoy the colors of your butterfly. Scrunch up the wings and put your butterfly into its cocoon. Then you can sing a song, say a poem, or make up a play about the butterfly exiting its cocoon.......

To make the butterfly body - I'm not sure I can describe this...... Fold a pipe cleaner in half. Place this folded piece about midway on your filter paper. Fold each side over so that they cross and put the open sides through the loop of the folded end. Hope that makes sense. Pull tight. Twist the folded end to create the body of your butterfly. Twist tight the two open ends near the point where you pulled the pipe cleaner tight until you've created a knob for the head of your butterfly. Fold up the two open ends and shape into antennae. If they're too long, cut them off a little.

Regena

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I used TP rolls to make an apartment building for my silkworms. They moved right in and spun their cocoons. :o)

[Laura Corin]

Laura