Don't Toss Out Jar Lids - Protect Countertops With A DIY Kettle Rest Instead

From jams to sauces, there are so many different things we buy that come in jars. The glass containers are handy, and the lids are durable and reusable, so after the sauce is gone and the last bit of jam has been enjoyed, sometimes we hang onto them. After all, there are plenty of things old jars and their lids are good for, like storing craft supplies or nuts and bolts. If you have an overabundance of jar lids, you can upcycle them into something useful and unique for your kitchen, like a DIY kettle rest.

For this simple project, all you will need is seven old jar lids, a little bit of fabric, cardboard, some jute rope, and a hot glue gun. To withstand the heat, natural fabric like cotton, wool, or linen is best. This craft is the perfect opportunity for the tea lover in you to reuse some old jar lids.

To get started with this project, pick out your fabric and gather your lids — choose lids that are all the same size. Cut the pieces of fabric large enough to cover each lids and wrap around the edges. Then, apply a thin ring of hot glue to the top of your first lid and add a piece of fabric on it. Wrap the fabric over the sides of the lid and hot glue it to the underside (it does not need to look pretty on the backside). Repeat these steps with the rest of the lids.

After all seven lids are covered, arrange them in a flower formation, with one lid in the center surrounded by the other six lids. Use your hot glue gun to affix them to stay in this position. Each "petal" of the flower will need to be glued to the center of the flower, as well as its neighboring petals. When the glue has dried, place your jar lid flower over a large piece of cardboard and trace it. Then, cut out the cardboard flower and apply hot glue along the edge and face of the cardboard. Secure the cardboard to the underside of the lid arrangement. After it dries, hot glue your jute rope along the outer edge of your flower. Now, your kettle rest is done, and you have successfully repurposed jar lids in your kitchen.

If you don't have the exact number of same-sized jar lids needed for this project, don't worry. Having four lids of the same size works too. Instead of a flower, you can make the kettle rest in the shape of a quatrefoil, like a four leaf clover. You could even make a small kettle rest with just three lids. If you don't have any lids of the same size, simply make a mismatched set of DIY hot pads for your small pots.

You could also use this method to create a set of customized coasters for your home. Or with a handful of jar lids, DIY a set of coasters for a party or wedding. This jar lid hack can even be taken out of the kitchen and used for making DIY Christmas tree ornaments. For this, you would just want to replace the cardboard backing with corkboard or a lightweight wood.