Tutorial: Oilcloth Tool Roll

Tags

DIY, oilcloth, tool roll, tutorial

Thanks to everyone who swung by the Cascade booth at the Bike Expo to check out the DIY demonstrations. It was awesome to meet some new folks and have some great conversations.

In all my excitement I neglected to take even a single picture (oops!), but keep an eye on Cascade’s blog, since there were plenty of other people taking photos, and some may surface there.

If you weren’t able to make it but still wanted to learn how to make a tool roll, you’ve come to the right place.

(For tips on working with oilcloth, check out my tutorial on making oilcloth panniers.)

My idea in making a tool roll was pretty simple: I wanted something that would keep my tools all together in one place, that was easy to strap to my bike or throw in my backpack. The concept and construction are really easy: just a main body piece and a flap.

One woman who came to the demonstration said she planned to make one for each of her bikes, so she would never be without her tools, no matter which bike she chose for the day. That way you could coordinate colors with your bike frames, which is always an important consideration if you’re my husband.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

I made up a printout for the demonstration, which you can find here, but I’ll flesh out those instructions a bit more in this post.

What you need:
1/4 yard oilcloth
1/4 yard lining (optional)
2 yds 3/4” polyester twill tape
Old toe strap

Cut list (cut 1 each of both oilcloth and lining):
main piece: 11” x 16”
flap: 3” x 15”

1: Make flap: Lay the flap oilcloth and lining pieces with wrong sides together, then baste with a 1/4” seam. Trim seam allowance close to stitching. Round both the lower corners (I cut one how I liked it, then folded it over to trace the rounded shape on the other side).

Bind the lower edge with twill tape. Binder clips are your friends here, since you can’t pin the oilcloth. I used a zig-zag stitch because it’s a bit more forgiving, and I liked the way it looks. Feel free to use contrasting thread to make it more fun.

2: Make main piece: Baste the oilcloth to the lining with wrong sides together, as you did for the flap. Don’t trim your seam allowance everywhere yet, just along one long edge. Bind that edge with twill tape.

2b: I decided to just use a toe strap to secure my tool roll, but if you wanted to actually attach straps to the roll, now is the time to do so, before you start sewing the pockets. When you’re placing the straps, make sure to keep in mind that the finished width will actually 4” less once you fold the pocket over in the next step.

3: Fold up the edge you just bound to make a 4” pocket. Baste the sides together. Trim SIDE seam allowance, but not the top seam just yet.

4: Decide how many pockets you’d like. I got out all the tools I wanted to put in it and marked it out, and I ended up with 4 pockets: 2 @ 4.5″ wide and 2 @ 3.5″ wide. Use chalk to mark your stitching lines, then stitch up each marked pocket.

Tip: make a narrow triangle at the top edge of each seam to keep it from coming apart. Stitch back and forth across the top of the triangle to reinforce it.

5: Center the flap on the main piece. It should overlap the pocket by a quarter inch or so. Baste, then trim seam allowance.

6: Bind all the way around with twill tape, starting at one lower edge and pivoting at the corners. You can use a zigzag stitch again here, or a straight stitch if you like.

7: Fill with tools, roll it up, and secure it with a toe strap. Viola!