There are a handful of really useful tools cyclists, mountain bikers, and fixy riders like to have on hand. Spoke wrenches, lube, tire levers (good luck getting a tire off without them), spare tubes, and a set of hex tools/allen wrenches.
To keep them organized and together, how about stitching together a portable tool roll out of some durable fabric?
Follow my drawings step by step and you’ll have a super solid gift in no time.
Just in case, my handwriting is difficult to read, I’ve written out the steps below each picture.
Step 1: Gathering Materials
- Cloth: Canvas, Denim, Linen, Corduroy, other durable options.
- Scissors
- Measuring Tape
- Seam Tape – To hold the hems while you sew.
- Iron – To keep your hems flat.
- Sewing Machine – You could do it by hand, but it would be time-consuming. Also, I’m not much good with or without a thimble especially with tougher fabric.
Step 2: Cloth Prep
- Cut a 16″ x 16″ square or your chosen cloth.
- Fold over 1/4″ – 1/2″ on each side.
- Tape the hem down or iron it.
- Lay stitch down the middle of your hem.
Step 3: Fold over 5 inches of the left side of your hemmed square.
Step 4: Sew the top and bottom edges down, forming a long pouch.
Step 5: Sew lines into the pouch perpendicular to the long edges of your pouch. These will form the slots for the tools.
Step 6: Once the tools are in their respective slots, fold the top down. You will have a long rectangular pouch approximately 5 inches by 15 inches.
Step 7: Roll it up like a burrito and tie it off with twine, boot lace, or an old belt.
The great thing about this gift is that it’s already wrapped. Throw a bright bow on it and leave it somewhere to get noticed or do the old classic hide-behind-the-back deal.
Some excellent examples:
Etsy: Overlap’s Waxed Canvas Bike Tool Bag Wrap
Amazon: Arsenal 5870 Tool Roll-Up
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Source: I got this idea from a BikeHugger post.
For more of the 12 DIYs of Christmas check out: Homemade Beard Oil, $2 Bow Tie, and the Jar of Memories.