Click through our slideshow for instructions on how to turn chopsticks into a vase.

What You'll Need

• Necktie
• Pins
• Sewing chalk
• Tape measure and/or ruler
• Cutting wheel and mat or sewing scissors
• Sewing machine or needle and thread
• Iron and ironing board
• Button or snap

Step 1: Measure the circumference of your jar. If it has any sticky labeling, use Goo Gone to rub it off. 

Step 2: If your collection of chopsticks is dirty, wash them and let them dry completely. Then lay them out in a row and measure out the length of your jar's circumference. This will give you a good idea of exactly how many you need. Check them over and weed out ones that are too bent, splintered, long, or short—but don't be too picky. Some variation (especially in length) is normal.

Step 3: Sand each stick smooth, especially at the bottom, where it was broken apart from its mate.

Step 4: The sticks will be slightly different hues, and it is nice to accentuate this by dying some of them a darker shade. The easiest way to do that is to use different shades of wood finish, but I wanted to experiment with a more natural method, so I soaked about a third of them in coffee for about 15 minutes.

Step 5: To get a deep variation in color, you need to let the coffee-stained chopsticks dry out (a process you can speed up by putting them in the oven on warm) and then put them back in the coffee to soak for another 15 minutes. After I did this for a day or two, there was a nice difference between dyed and undyed chopsticks.

Step 6: Brush all of the sticks with wood finish. I used polyurethane gloss, which gave the vase a nice, shiny glow, but there are more environmentally friendly alternatives that I'm curious to try next time.

Step 7: Your sticks will need a few hours to dry, at least. I used part of an old dish rack and a plastic cookie container to position them.

Step 8: Mix a bit of the epoxy (it dries fast, so only do a little at a time) and dab some on the sides at the bottom of the first chopstick, where it will touch the chopsticks next to it, and on a spot about 1½ up on the side that will lay against the jar. Leave the upper half of the sticks free so you will be able to reposition them a bit.

Step 9: Put a rubber band around the jar to hold the chopsticks in place and slip the first stick in. Glue and position the rest of the sticks one at a time. As you go along, keep pressing the sticks together at the bottom of the vase and readjusting them—they do slip around a little. It doesn't have to be perfect, though. The twine that you tie on in Steps 11 and 12 will literally help it all come together.

Step 10: Once you've attached the last chopstick, let the vase sit and dry for at least 30 minutes. Check to make sure your rubber band is loose and not accidentally glued on.

Step 11: Remove the rubber band and wrap the twine around the bottom of the vase, pulling as tightly as you can. Tie a knot and snip off the excess twine.

Step 12: Wrap the twine around the top of the vase, again pulling tightly, tying a knot, and snipping off the excess twine.

Step 13: Find a good spot to put your chopstick vase. Sit back and admire.