Cutlery roll & placemat for work and travel - and a tutorial

Today I have been making these, there is far too much single use plastic, so I thought I would make these cutlery rolls.  They work as a placemat/lap napkin as well, so perfect for travelling. 

Since retiring we have had quite a few days out and short breaks, and have realised that there is some lovely takeaway food, and better enjoyed with a proper knife and fork.

I thought it would be lovely to share how to make one, for those of you that sew.  Those that don't I will be making them for sale too (£6.50)...including cutlery!

I used quite a thick fabric on the outside and a finer fabric on the inside.  After much deliberating I decided not to add wadding, as I felt it would make it too bulky, but I did add another piece of plain fabric as my lining felt a bit thin.  I also didn't want the stiffness of iron on interfacing.

This one is big enough to add some condiments/napkin or similar in the end pocket.  You can of course make it a lot smaller (start with around 18cm width I would say, but then it won't be a placemat/lap napkin.

Fabric
2 x 30 cm squares (12 inches) - 1 for the outside and 1 for the inside.
 - Optionally another piece to add between depending on your choice of inner fabric.

For the cutlery section
- 30 cm wide and this time about 14 cm high.
- again depending on fabric choice you either need another piece to line, just join the top with right sides together and open out and top stitch along the top...
- or for a thick fabric turn the top over and over and hem along with 2 rows of stitching.
you will be aiming at a section about 12.5cm (5 inches) - unless your cutlery is much bigger (or even smaller)

Finally a piece of ribbon or cord etc 45cm (18 inches)

The construction is simple.
The hem allowance is your choice really I use the width of my sewing machine foot, which is weirdly between 1/4 and 3/8 inches

Take your inner fabric right side up and the smaller piece right side up - stitch the very edge (less than your chosen hem size- to stop it moving.

Iron marks

Then I like to iron the stitch lines for each section, but you could mark with a chalk or any other fabric marker that disappears, so that you get a straight line, or of course you can just wing it!

Each section needs to be 4cm (1.5 inches) apart for average cutlery, don't forget the first one needs to be measured from your hem allowance. Double check your cutlery fits before continuing.

You will do 4 sections of 4cm and then a large one at them end.

Once that is done, fold your ribbon in half and attach it to about a 3rd of the way up, on the right side (you will be folding over the top to stop the cutlery from falling out.

Now put the front fabric right sides together, and stitch around leaving a turning gap at the top.

Clip the corners and turn right sides out, make sure your corners are neat, I would iron at this point.

Then top stitch all the way around making sure you get the gap closed, so you will need to be reasonably close to the edge..

All done, tidy up and give an iron.

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crafting and nattering