How to make a cutlery roll

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one roll, 4-piece set)

• Outer fabric (linen, canvas or oxford cloth) — about 30 cm × 40 cm
• Lining fabric — the same amount
• Fabric for the pocket — about 25 cm × 15 cm
• Matching fabric or cotton tape, 1.5 cm wide, for the tie — about 60 cm

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Accessories” → “Cutlery roll” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the cutlery length, the number of slots, the width per slot, the flap depth and the tie length. Presets cover 3-piece, 4-piece and paintbrushes.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Measure what goes in
   Measure the longest piece of cutlery and the widest one. Chopsticks set the length; a spoon sets the width.
2. Trace the pattern
   Trace the body, the pocket panel and the tie. The notches along the pocket panel mark the dividing lines.
3. Cut the pieces
   Cut 1 body in the outer, 1 in the lining, 1 pocket panel and 1 tie.
4. Finish the edges
   Not needed — it is turned right side out.

4. Sewing

4-1. Hem the top of the pocket panel

1. Double-fold the top edge of the pocket panel by 1 cm and 1 cm again and stitch. That is the opening the cutlery slides into.
2. Do it first. Once the panel is on the body you cannot reach this edge.

4-2. Lay the pocket on the body

1. Spread the outer body right side up and lay the pocket panel on it, bottom edges aligned.
2. Baste the sides and the bottom, inside the seam allowance.
3. Do not sew the top edge. If it is closed, nothing goes in.

4-3. Stitch the dividers

1. Stitch from the top of the pocket down to the bottom at each notch. That creates one slot per piece.
2. Always backstitch at the start of each line, at the top of the pocket. That is where a roll tears with use.
3. Spoons and forks are different widths. Nudging the divider positions to match your actual cutlery gets a snug fit.

4-4. Assemble and add the tie

1. Fold the tie in four and topstitch.
2. Baste the end of the tie to the outer body, halfway up one side edge — the point it comes round to when the roll is closed.
3. Place the outer and lining right sides together and sew all the way round, leaving an 8 cm opening.
4. Trim the corners diagonally, turn right side out through the opening and press.
5. Topstitch 3 mm from the edge all the way round, which closes the opening too.

✏️ The pocket is a little over half the length of the cutlery. Deeper and it is awkward to get things out; shallower and they work loose when you roll it. Rolled up, the flap should fold over the tips — that is how you know the proportions are right.

5. Tips & variations

• For packed lunches: rolled and tied, nothing rattles loose in your bag. It is the thing that finally gets you off disposables.
• Water-resistant lining: cutlery goes back in damp, so a coated lining saves the roll.
• Not just cutlery: 8 slots at 3.5 cm each turns it into a brush or knitting needle roll. Same pattern.