This is the perfect way to store a set of cutlery, to prevent the individual pieces from getting scratched and keep all the components together. Alternatively, use it to keep picnic cutlery handy for al fresco dining so that you’re always ready for an impromptu summer outing. Careful measuring is essential, to ensure that the compartments are evenly spaced across the roll.
Take 1.5-cm/½-in. seam allowances throughout unless otherwise stated.
2 hours
1. Cut a 62 x 12-cm/24½ x 4¾-in. rectangle of polka-dot fabric and a 62 x 6-cm/24½ x 2¼-in. strip of patterned fabric. With right sides together, aligning raw edges, lay the patterned fabric along one long edge of the polka-dot strip and machine stitch 1.5 cm/½ in. in from the edge. Fold the patterned strip over, turn under and press 1.5 cm/½ in. along the remaining raw edge, and slipstitch in place along the back.
2. Cut a 62 x 33-cm/24½ x 13-in. rectangle of polka-dot fabric. Lay the patterned border piece along one long edge, with the raw edges together at the bottom. Measure 6 cm/2¼ in. in from one side and pin from the top to the bottom of the smaller panel. Continue along the panel, pinning every 5 cm/2 in. There will be another 6-cm/2¼-in. pocket at the other end. Machine stitch along each pinned line.
3. Cut an 86-cm/34-in. length of blue grosgrain ribbon. Cut a 67 x 39-cm/26¼ x 15¼-in. piece of patterned fabric. Pin the ribbon across the fabric 13 cm/5 in. from the bottom and 3.5 cm/1½ in. from the edge, leaving the same amount of ribbon extending beyond each edge. Machine stitch the ribbon onto the fabric, stitching a rectangle 12 cm/4¾ in. long to fix the ribbon securely in place.
4. With wrong sides together, centre the polka-dot panel on the patterned fabric, leaving an even border all the way around. Fold the corners over and fold each side of the patterned fabric over by 1 cm/⅜ in. and then by another 1.5 cm/½ in. Pin, tack and machine stitch in place, stitching as close to the folded edge as possible.
