Sew a canvas tool roll
Give brushes, pencils, or small hand tools their own pockets. Unroll it on a bench, find what you need, and tie it up when you leave.
About this project
A cloth roll keeps a small kit together without a rigid box. Your own tools set the pocket sizes. Make it plain, use contrasting scraps, or stitch a name into the outside; worn pockets can be patched instead of throwing the whole thing away.
Supplies
Materials & tools
- Outer cloth: one 650 × 450 mm rectangle of washed, dry canvas, denim, or heavy cotton
- Pocket cloth: one 650 × 220 mm rectangle of similar fabric; contrasting cloth is welcome
- Two soft cotton tapes or cords, each about 450 mm long; test the length around your packed roll
- Sound sewing thread, a hand needle suited to the fabric, a thimble, scissors, ruler, pencil or washable fabric marker, and clips or pins
- The actual kit to fit: start with pencils, brushes, or light hand tools no longer than about 250 mm. Keep guards on any cutting edges.
Before you start
- Lay the tools side by side, all pointing the same way. Leave room to get your fingers around each. Wrap a scrap of cloth around the thickest handle to see how much cloth it needs. Drawing around a tool lying flat does not leave enough room.
- After folding and sewing the edges, the main cloth will be about 610 mm wide × 410 mm high. The pocket piece will be about 610 × 180 mm. Longer or thicker tools need bigger pieces. Fold and clip your cloth around the actual tools before sewing.
Instructions
Fold and sew the edges
On each cloth rectangle, fold every cut edge inward by 10 mm, then another 10 mm. This hides the loose cut edge inside a fold, called a hem. Clip the folds and sew them down. Use backstitch: knot the thread end, bring the needle up through the cloth, go down 3 mm behind that point, then come up 3 mm ahead of it. Go back into the last stitch’s end and repeat. This fills the gaps between stitches. Knot underneath when finished. A sewing machine you know how to use works too. Measure the finished pieces: about 610 × 410 mm and 610 × 180 mm.
Sew on one wide pocket
Lay the main cloth with its 610 mm edge running left to right. Put the pocket piece across its lower part. Its bottom edge should sit 20 mm above the main cloth’s bottom edge. Line up the left and right edges. Clip it, then sew along its left, bottom, and right edges. Leave the top open. Sew just inside the folded edges. Go over the top corners twice to make them stronger. You now have one wide pocket.
Keep each tool in its own pocket. Fold the top flap down over the exposed ends, then roll from one side across the row of tools. Leave enough slack to roll without straining the seams. Make pockets around your tools
Put the actual tools handle-first in the wide pocket. Keep sharp ends covered. Mark a line between each pair of tools, leaving enough cloth to wrap around each handle. Take the tools out before sewing. Sew down each marked line from the pocket opening to its bottom seam. Sew the first centimetre at the opening twice. Make one line at a time and try the next tool before sewing another. Use as many pockets as your kit needs.
Fold a flap over the tool ends
Put the tools back in. Fold the top of the main cloth down over their ends. For tools 250 mm long resting near the pocket bottom, try a fold 285 mm above the main cloth’s bottom. This leaves a flap about 125 mm deep. Adjust it around your own tools: it should cover their ends without pushing them down. Clip the flap and try rolling the cloth. It should help keep tools inside even if the closed roll turns upside down.
Add ties and roll from left to right
Sew both ties to the outside of the RIGHT short edge, about halfway up your packed kit. Sew each tie end down with a small rectangle and an X across it. Fold the flap over the tools. Start at the left edge and roll LEFT TO RIGHT toward the ties, across the row of pockets. Keep the tools pointing along the length of the finished roll. Do not roll up from the bottom; that would bend the cloth across the stiff tools. Wrap the ties around the roll and tie a knot you can undo.
Take your kit to the work table
Carry the closed roll a short distance and open it flat on a table. Look for tools that slipped, pulled a seam, or poked through. Fix the fit before adding more. Let wet brushes and damp tools dry before packing them. Once the roll works for your kit, add a name, a patch, or stitching of your own.
Troubleshooting
- A tool will not enter its pocket.
- Carefully remove the stitches along that pocket’s side and mark a wider pocket around the tool. Thick handles need extra cloth around them. Do not force the tool or stretch a tight seam.
- Tools slide out when it is tied.
- Check that the flap covers the ends and stays tucked as you roll sideways. Refit overly wide pockets or extend the flap. Do not solve this by tying so tightly that tools pierce the cloth.
- The pocket opening tears.
- Empty the roll, patch with sound fabric, and restitch the opening with reinforced ends. Check whether the tool is too heavy or has an unguarded edge before putting it back.
- The needle will not pass through the folded edges.
- Ask someone who sews for help choosing a needle and thimble, or use thinner cloth for a lighter kit. Do not push the needle toward your hand or pull it with your teeth.
Where to take it next
- Make a brush or drawing roll from a smaller rectangle. Keep a broad pocket for a sketchbook and narrow pockets for pencils if that suits your work.
- Add a separate closable pouch for small parts rather than letting screws or needles rattle loose between the tools.
- Patch a worn pocket with a contrasting scrap. A changed kit can have its divisions unpicked and sewn again.
A closer look
The sewn lines separate your tools, the flap covers their ends, and rolling wraps the cloth around them. Each time you pull a tool out, you also pull on the pocket opening. Extra stitches there help it last. Make the pockets fit your objects; they do not all need to be the same size.
What it needs to do
A function can have more than one solution. These options belong to this example; try alternatives thoughtfully.
flexible wrap and pockets
Use canvas, denim, or thick cotton with tightly packed threads. Thin or frayed cloth will not hold heavy tools well.
stitching material
Use strong thread suited to your cloth. Sew the pocket openings twice, where tools will pull on them.
making hand stitches
Match the needle to the cloth and use a suitable thimble. A familiar sewing machine is another route, not required here.
closure
Sew two soft ties to one side, then wrap them around the filled roll. Check they are long enough for your kit. Use cord or tape rather than stretched elastic.
measuring the pattern
Measure the cloth again after folding and sewing its edges. Fit it around the real tools, not just the starting measurements.
marking pocket divisions
A pencil or washable fabric marker records the fitted divisions. Cloth thickness consumes space, so a flat tool outline alone does not establish pocket fit.