Roll Up Organizer Tutorial

Child's Rollup Art Caddy or Makeup Brush Caddy Tutorial.   Be it a long-haul flight or a night at grandma's, prepping little ones for a trip is no joke. Get the upper hand with an activity roll sewn in a playful print - this one's full of pouches and pockets for toys, crayons and treasure maps, and it becomes a door hanging organiser when you unroll it. We want one for all our make-up bits, and another for on-the-go crafting.

HOW TO MAKE AN ACTIVITY ROLL

MATERIALS
■    1m (39 3/8") patterned cotton (Fabric 1)
■    50cm (19 3/4") plain cotton  (Fabric 2)
■    50cm (19 3/4") fusible fleece
■    50cm (19 3/4") lightweight fusible interfacing
■    40cm (15 3/4n) green zip
■    15cm (6") gold elastic, 2.5cm (1") wide
■    2m (78 3/4") white cotton webbing, 2.5cm (1") wide
■    28cm (11") Velcro tape, 2cm (3/4") wide
■    White sewing thread
■    Two 3cm (1 1/4") D-rings
■    Erasable fabric pen

1. From Fabric 1, cut a 36 x 46cm (14 1/8 x 18 1/8") piece for the main exterior, a 13 x 31cm (5 1/4 x 12 1/4") piece for the pencil pocket, a 36 x 17.5cm (14 1/8 x 6 7/8") piece for the slip pockets and a 36 x 12cm (14 1/8 x 4 3/4") piece for the zipped pockets. From Fabric 2, cut a 36 x 46cm (14 1/8 x 18 1/8") piece for the lining and a 36 x 3cm (14 1/8 x 1 1/4") piece for the dividing strip. Cut a 36 x 46cm (14 1/8 x 18 1/8") piece from both the fusible fleece and the fusible interfacing.

2. Fold the pencil pocket piece in half along the length, then sew 0.5cm (1/4") in from the folded edge. 

3. Align one edge of the zip with the bottom long edge of the slip pocket piece, right sides (RS) together. Sew using a zipper foot, then press the seam open. Sew 0.25cm (1/8") in from the seam.

4. Fold the top long edge of the slip pocket to the wrong side (WS) by 1cm (3/8") and press. Fold to the WS by 1cm (3/8") again and press. Sew 0.25cm (1/8") down from the fold. Align the other edge of the zip with the top long edge of the zipped pocket piece, RS together. Sew, press the seam open, then sew 0.25cm (1/8") in from the seam. 

5. Align the raw edges of the pencil pocket with the top left edges of the lining piece, RS facing, with the folded edge of the pocket on the right. Place one end of the elastic 7.5cm (3") in from the right-hand side of the lining piece and 13cm (5 1/4") down from the top, parallel to the pencil pocket. Place the dividing strip RS down along the bottom of the pocket and elastic, aligning the raw edges. Pin, then sew 0.5cm (5/8") in from the edge. Fold the raw long edge of the dividing strip to the WS by 0.5cm (1/4"), press, then sew 0.25cm (1/8") in from the folded edge.

6. Sew five horizontal lines 2cm (3/4") apart on the pencil pocket, measuring upwards from the dividing strip. Pin the elastic at 4cm (1 5/8"), 8cm (3 1/8"), and 12cm (4 3/4") up from the dividing strip. Push the elastic up as you pin to create loops, then sew.

7. From the webbing, cut two 7.5cm (3") lengths, two 22.5cm (8 7/8") lengths and one 45cm (17 3/4") length. Double fold both ends of the 45cm (17 3/4") length and sew each end over the curved side of a D-ring. Fold each 7.5cm (3") length over the straight side of the D-ring, then tack the raw edges together. Double fold and sew one end of each of the 22.5cm (8 7/8") lengths. Align the 22.5cm (8 7/8") length and the 7.5cm (3") length at the raw edges, and tack. Repeat. Cut two 14cm (5 1/2") lengths of Velcro. Sew the two loop lengths of Velcro to WS of the two 22.5cm (8 7/8") lengths of webbing.

8. Match the webbing straps with the top of the lining, aligning the raw edges 5cm (2") in from each side, and tack in place.

9. Using the fabric glue stick, attach one of the remaining hook lengths of Velcro to the main exterior, 5cm (2") in from the left-hand side and 15cm (6") down from the top. Repeat with the other Velcro hook length, this time 5cm (2") in from the right-hand side. Sew both Velcro lengths in place.

10. Place the slip and zipped pockets on the lining, RS up, aligning the bottom and side raw edges. Place the main exterior piece WS up on top, aligning the raw edges. Pin all the way around. Sew with a 0.5cm (1/4") seam allowance, leaving a 7.5cm (3") gap along the bottom edge for turning out. Make sure you use the hand wheel when sewing over the zip to avoid breaking the needle.

11. Next, trim the zip, edges and corners, then turn the roll RS out and push the corners out. Press. Top stitch along all the edges, except over the zip, using a 0.25cm (1/8") seam allowance.

12. To finish, top stitch 0.25cm (1/8") in along the top edge of the dividing strip. Sew horizontally 2cm (3/4") above the zip. Sew a vertical centre line from the bottom of the zipper pockets to the top of the slip pocket, taking care not to hit the zip teeth with the needle.