# Tutorial: DIY Canvas and Suede Travel Watch Roll (lots of pics)



## CRAwriter (Jul 1, 2014)

Hey guys! I started this DIY project after seeing a lot of incredible but expensive watch rolls on the market. I decided to make one, using cheap but very durable material found at fabric and hardware stores. It cost about $25 to make but, you'll have enough to make four or five of them. All together it took me and my wife (who can use a sewing machine) a few hours to make two of them (one as a gift and one for me). This tutorial is for a three-pocket watch roll that holds two watches (about 41 mm each), a pen and extra straps.














*List of materials needed:*
1 yard of canvas (also called Duck Cloth) = $7
1 yard of suede = $6
1 yard of leather lacing 1/8 inch width (comes in 4 yards)= $4

3/8 inch Grommets (silver or bronze) = $3
OPTIONAL
You CAN use black paracord or rope if you don't want to buy the leather lacing = $3

*Tools needed:*

Sewing machine
Grommet kit
Hammer
Scissors
Pins (and pin cushion if your fancy)
Iron
Chalk
Ruler

*Step 1*

Cut out canvas into rectangle measuring 11 inches by 15.5 inches. Iron the canvas rectangle.

*Step 2*

Heat up your iron. Fold over the edges of the canvas approximately ¼ inch on every side and begin ironing the edges. After you do all four sides, fold the canvas over again ¼ inches and iron them down (two folds on every edge).















*Step 3*

Put your canvas (now with the ironed edges) down on the back side of the suede. Using the chalk, trace the canvas over the suede, then cut out the suede rectangle. Then iron the suede using the low setting on the iron.

*Step 4*

Place the suede rectangle inside of the canvas rectangle. It may take some snipping but the suede should fit snugly inside of the canvas. Make sure the suede is not bunched up. When you're done, the suede should sit flat inside of the folded, ironed canvas. The edges of the suede should reach all sides of the canvas so that the 1/4 inch folds cover 1/4 inch of the the suede.









*Step 5*

Get your pins. You want to put the pin through the top of the folded area and the suede then have it come up back through the canvas. It takes a little while to put a pin in every two inches around the entire rectangle.


























*Step 6*

My lovely wife aided in this step because it involved sewing and I can't sew at all. Sew a line around the entire rectangle in the middle of the ¼ inch folded area, which will go through the canvas and suede. Take out the pins as you go, or else you'll stab the hell out of your hand (as my wife found out).









*Step 7*
When you're done sewing around the rectangle, fold the bottom of the rectangle (the shorter end) up 3.5 inches. This will form the pocket of the watch roll. Then, sew the two side edges of the pocket to the edges of the material below (at this point you'll have a large pocket).

*Step 8*

Using a ruler, measure from the right side of the pocket to the left. Then, draw a vertical line 1 inch from the right with chalk (it's ok to use chalk on the canvas, it washes out with water and sponge). From that line, measure 3 inches and draw another vertical line down to the bottom. From your second line, measure 3 inches and draw your last vertical line down to the bottom. These lines will mark where you will sew next.








*Step 9*
Sew over your chalk line from bottom to top of the 3.5 inch pocket. Now there will be three pockets and a small area on the right side. The small area on the right will be where the grommet will be placed.

*Step 10*

Now, go to the right side of the watch roll where there is the small 1 inch section. Ready your grommet tools and grommet. From the top of the pocket, go ½ inch up and place your grommet cut out tool. Hammer the tool so that you cut out a small circle through both fabrics. MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT HAMMER THROUGH ANY SEAMS. ONLY PLACE THE GROMMET ON AN AREA THAT YOU CAN SEE SUEDE.














*Step 11*
Put your grommet through the hole and hammer it into the interlocking pieces. ALMOST DONE!
















*Step 12*
Using about an arms-length or 1 yard of leather lacing, lace the strap through the grommet. NOW YOU'RE DONE!. 








NOW YOU'RE ALL DONE. LOOK AT YOUR MASTERPIECE! I hope this helps you guys out. I have already used mine and it works really well.


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## chronomancer (Jun 7, 2013)

Really cool! Looks awesome, nice tutorial.

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## ten13th (Nov 2, 2013)

Nice job. Now give it a catchy logo then charge it $150 as a handcrafted watch roll.


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## Iliyan (May 30, 2010)

Thank you for posting. That's really useful.


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## BlueWindWave (Jul 8, 2018)

This is great! I was hoping to find something like this and it’s perfect. I hope to adopt your design for 3-4 watches. 


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## lawtaxi (Feb 9, 2018)

Very nice! I'm not too handy so just use the one that came with my Dan Henry


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## Ranger822 (Feb 9, 2013)

Nice. Thanks. I know exactly what I am going to ask my wife for Christmas, hehehe.


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## Woolrich (Jan 18, 2019)

Very nice! I think I'll give it a try, maybe add in my initials to personalize it a bit. Thanks for sharing!


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