8 Fork Hacks That Will Put All Other Cutlery To Shame
Forks are actually among the oldest tools of humanity and date all the way back to the Bronze Age. However, the personal table fork as we now know it, became commonplace in ancient Greece, the Byzantine Empire, and the Middle East by the 10th century, although it would still take quite some time before it caught on in North America and northern Europe, thanks in large part to the Italians and their love of pasta. Fortunately, the fork is now a jack of all trades, which is not only beneficial at the dining table, but also in everyday arts and crafts and DIY projects, as the following 8 tips and tricks prove.
1. Make Pom Poms
You'll need:
- four-pronged fork
- ball of wool in the color of your choice
- scissors
Here's how:
1.1. Lay a small piece of string through the middle space of the fork.
1.2. Wrap another string horizontally around the fork tines, and then cut the string from the ball.
1.3. Guide the single vertical thread from the beginning to the end piece and tie the ends together.
1.4. Slide the string ball off the fork and cut the string on either side of the knotted end.
1.5. Trim the protruding wool so that you get a decorative pom pom to decorate hair ties or headbands.
2. Lift Can Tabs
Why risk breaking a nail or scraping up your fingers when there's such an easier way? Simply slide a fork under the metal tab and pull up — the pressure from the fork will do the job for you.
3. Protect Flower Beds & Garden Plots
They may be man's best friend, but your dog is certainly no friend to your garden. To keep Fido from sniffing around and damaging all your hard work, stick a few forks into the ground around the area. This will keep your pet from trampling your flowers and sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. Clear plastic forks are recommended as they are the least noticeable.
4. Make Mini Bows
You'll need:
- fork with four prongs
- 2 fabric ribbons in different colors
- scissors
- candle
Here's how:
4.1. Guide the fabric ribbon in and out through the tines of the fork. When you reach the fourth tine, pass the ribbon once more through the tines, over the first row in the opposite direction. Repeat this several times until five rows of ribbon are on top of each other, as seen in the picture.
4.2. Thread the second ribbon through the two middle prongs, over the five rows, and pull the ribbon together with a simple knot.
4.3. Pull the ribbons off the fork and cut the ends with a pair of scissors so that they are the same length. You can also briefly pass ends of the ribbon over an open flame to protect them from fraying.
These adorable mini bows look great on wrapped presents, not to mention hair clips, purses, dresses, shoes, and so many other accessories.
5. Curl Your Hair
5.1. It's time to ditch the expensive curling irons and curlers, because you can make fabulous ringlets with nothing more than water and a few plastic forks. All you have to do is moisten the strand of hair you want to curl and then wrap it all the way around the fork, making sure that the tines of the fork point upwards.
5.2. Rotate the fork until it won't turn anymore and then push the fork tines down into your hair.
5.3. Once your hair has dried, remove the forks and get ready to say hello to the bouncy curls of your dreams.
6. Remove a Wine Cork
Have you ever wondered how to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew? Thankfully it's quite easy with this trick: just push a nail or screw into the cork, and then use a fork to pull it out. The fork will pull out the nail, which is attached to the cork, and now you can get the party started!
7. Powder Your Nose
Place a fork on your nose like in the picture. Brush powder highlighter over your nose through the middle space. Then brush powder contour on your nose through the spaces on the left and right. Remove the fork and first blend the contour, and then the highlighter.
8. Remove Carpet Dents
And finally, a very simple trick: remove furniture pressure points from thick carpeting by running a fork over the dent as this will loosen the flattened area.
And here you thought that forks were just for eating! Share these fun and useful ideas with family and friends to impress them with your handy skills.