Roll Up Picnic Flatware Towel
Transport Supplies and Utensils in a Convenient, Easy-to-Carry Pouch
Apr 19, 2009
Food, flatware, a basket and a blanket are necessary items for a picnic outdoors. When packing a picnic basket, careful planning is needed to ensure that all materials reach their destination. A convenient way to hold flatware, a cheese knife, a corkscrew and other essential items is by adding pockets and a Velcro strip to an ordinary kitchen dish towel.
It's simple to put together a roll up picnic flatware towel: Fold up one of the short sides of the towel to make a flap and create pouches to hold your essentials. A Velcro strip allows you to keep your flatware secure while you're on your way to your picnic destination. A ribbon attached to the outside of the towel makes a convenient tie. When you're ready for the picnic, fill the pouches with a few necessities, fold down the top of the towel to cover the pockets, roll it up and tie it closed with the ribbon.
Technique
Making a Roll Up Picnic Flatware Towel
Materials:
- Kitchen dish towel
- Tape measure
- Steam iron
- Straight pins
- Thread
- Sewing needle
- 14-inch length of Velcro
- Fabric marking pencil
- Stitch Witchery®
- 34-inch length of grosgrain ribbon
- Picnic essentials, such as flatware, a corkscrew, cheese knife and napkins
Directions:
- Place the dish towel right side down. Fold up one of the short sides of the towel so that it measures approximately 7 inches. Press the fold of the bottom of the pouch.
- Unfold the pocket, returning the towel to its original length. Pin Velcro to the right side of the pocket portion of the towel, approximately 4 1/2 inches from the bottom edge. Sew Velcro strip to the pocket. After the Velcro is attached, fold up the pouch.
- Fold down the top of the towel so that it's even with the bottom fold; press to make an outer flap the covers the contents of the towel.
- With a fabric marking pencil, mark three vertical pouches along the top edge of the pocket portion of the towel.The left pouch should measure about 5 1/2 inches wide; the middle pouch should measure about 4 1/4 inches wide, and the right pouch should measure about 5 1/2 inches wide.
- Place two strips of Stitch Witchery® along the outer left and right edges of the pocket, in between the layers of the towel. Fold a 34-inch length of ribbon in half. Insert the fold into one of the sides of the pocket, 2 inches down from the top of the pouches. Insert a piece of Stitch Witchery® along each of the marked pouch lines, in between the layers of the towel.
- Cover towel with a damp press cloth. Set iron on the "Wool" setting and press for about 10 seconds on each side of the towel. Do not slide the iron. Check to see if the bond between the layers of fabric is secure. Press again, if necessary.
- Insert your flatware into the Velcro strip. Place other picnic essentials, such as a corkscrew, cheese knife and napkins, in the pouches. Fold down the top of the towel to cover the pouches. Roll up the towel, starting at the side opposite the ribbon tie. Tie the ribbon around the rolled up towel.
Sources
Dish Towel
- Ad Hoc, 410 West Broadway, New York, NY 10012; 212-925-2652
1/2-inch grosgrain ribbon
- So Good Ribbon, 28 West 38th Street, New York, NY 10018; 212-398-0236
- Also available at local art- and sewing-supply stores
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