Make Your Own Sleeve Roll

Introduction

There are probably several different ways to make a sleeve roll. The most popular method is to cut two pieces of fabric, sew them together leaving one end open, filling the sack with pillow stuffing and closing it by hand.

I prefer a simpler, faster method. It is nothing I saw or heard about. The sleeve roll I use is an invention of my very own.

The Process

To make my sleeve roll, you will need the following:

• Empty paper towel roll
• Fabric scraps
• Quilt batting
• Felt
• Muslin
• Stitch witchery [optional]

The first step in making your sleeve roll is to stuff the paper towel roll with fabric scraps. Make it as tight as you possibly can. The tighter the roll is stuffed, the sturdier your finished sleeve roll will be and the longer it will last.

Next, cut the quilt batting so that it is between 14 and 15 inches wide and at least 24 to 30 inches long.
Wrap the quilt batting around the paper towel roll lengthwise as tightly as you can, making sure that everything is even on both ends.

When you finish wrapping the batting around the paper towel roll, tuck the excess fabric into the ends of the tube. You may want to seal it with stitch witchery to keep it in place, but that is up to entirely up to you.

Once the quilt batting is securely in place, cut a length of felt the same length and width as the quilt batting. Tightly wrap the felt around the roll with the quilt batting in place. Tuck the ends into the tube. Again, if you want to seal the end, use stitch witchery to hold it in place.

Finally, cut a piece of muslin 14 inches wide and 24 inches long. Place your unfinished sleeve roll at one end of your muslin strip, making sure you leave a minimum of an inch and a half of muslin on each end of the sleeve roll.

Starting at one end of the muslin strip, tightly wrap it around the sleeve roll until all of the muslin is used. [NOTE: It is best if the selvedge is exposed on the end. If not, fold the raw edge under and press. You could also serge the raw edge or turn it in and stitch it before wrapping the muslin around the sleeve roll.] Tuck the ends of the muslin into each end of your sleeve roll and you are done.

Once again, you have the option of using stitch witchery to hold the muslin in place. However, if you followed these directions, it should not be necessary.

This is only the second sleeve roll I’ve made like this in about 20 years. I didn’t sew of fuse the ends and it never once started to come apart on me. It did, however, finally start to show signs of wear, so I decided to replace it.

If it were just a case of the muslin getting dirty or stained, I could have simply recovered it. But, my old sleeve roll started to sag in the center from so much pressing, so I decided to make a new one and share it with you in the process.

Caring for Your Sleeve Roll

Because of the paper tube at its core, I do not advise that you toss your sleeve roll in the washer. You can, however, remove the outer covering, toss it into the washer and dryer and then put it back on your sleeve roll.

This is one reason I don’t fuse the outer layer with stitch witchery. If you do this, you eliminate the option of being able to take it off. You could, however, always simply just make a new cover for it.

Conclusion

The fabric scraps in the core of the paper towel roll not only give your sleeve roll added density, it’s a great way to use those scraps that you’ve been saving for a pocket lining or trim that somehow never seemed to make it out of the bag or drawer.

Using a paper towel roll is a wonderful way to put something that would otherwise end up in a landfill to use.
I always seem to have extra bits and pieces of fabric, quilt batting, felt and muslin around. So why not use them to help keep things in your sewing room running smoothly?

I choose muslin because it is inexpensive, easy to use, and won’t have an adverse affect on anything that I may press. You could always use a different fabric for the outside of your sleeve roll. Just be cautions about the fabric you select.

Make sure that high temperatures and steam will not cause the fabric you choose for your sleeve roll to bleed onto your sewing projects. This could be disastrous, especially if you are working with delicate or light colored fabrics.

Muslin may not be aesthetically appealing to the eye and may not match your sewing room décor, but it is a safe bet when it comes to things like pressing silks, whites, or pastel colors.

Making this sleeve roll takes no more than a few minutes. Buying one while you’re already in your favorite fabric store takes even less time. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather spend my money on fabric.