How to Make a Lunchbox Silverware Placemat Roll

Take your zero-waste lunchbox set up to the next level with one of these lunchbox silverware placemat rolls. Just slip your silverware and cloth napkin in the designated pockets; roll it up, and tuck it in your lunchbox. Then, unroll it at lunch time, and use it as a placemat.

Having a clean surface to eat on when you’re away from home is good peace of mind, especially if you send your kids to school with a bag lunch.

These placemat rolls are also nice to take along on picnics and camping trips.

And they’re easy to clean. Make them out of laminated cotton, so you can simply wipe or rinse them off as needed, or make them out of a machine washable fabric, and throw them in the wash at the end of the week.

Like the idea? Here’s how to make one.

How to Sew a Lunchbox Silverware Placemat Roll

What You’ll Need:

(2) 13″ x 17″ pieces of fabric for the placemat (laminated cotton or a washable fabric)
7″ x 10″ piece of fabric for the pocket (laminated cotton or a washable fabric)
(2) 3″ x 10″ pieces of fabric for the ties (laminated cotton or a washable fabric)
Polyester thread
A ruler
Scissors
Sewing clips
A sewing machine (This is the machine that I have)

Optional (but nice to have):

An air or water-soluble marker
A self-healing cutting mat
A rotary cutter (This is the one I have)

You can buy laminated cotton, or make your own by ironing a vinyl interface, like Pellon 875 Lamifix, to any quilting cotton. Be sure to use sewing clips, if you decide to make your roll out of laminated cotton. Pins will leave permanent holes in the laminate. Binder clips are a good alternative, if you don’t own sewing clips.

I used polyester thread for this project to keep my lunchbox roll mold-resistant and easy to clean.

While I used the same fabric for all the parts of the placemat/silverware roll, it would be fun to use coordinating fabrics for the pocket and ties.

What You Do:

Clip the 13″x 17″ pieces together, right sides facing.

Sew a half-inch seam around three sides of the placemat/silverware roll, leaving one of the short ends open for turning. Trim the excess fabric from the corners and edges of the sewn sides, to eliminate any bulk.

Then, turn the fabric right side out.

To create the ties for your roll, start by folding the fabric in half, long ways.

Then, open it back up, so you can see the crease you created.

Fold the bottom of the fabric up to the center crease.

Then, fold the top of the fabric down to the center crease.

Now, fold the fabric in half again, long ways, to hide the cut edges.

Sew an 1/8-inch seam along the top to complete your ties.

To attach the ties to your roll, fold the open edge of the roll in half an inch. Then, clip the ties inside the center of the opening.

Sew a 1/8-inch seam along the open edge, and continue sewing. around the other three sides of the placemat/silverware roll.

To create the pocket for your silverware, place the pocket fabric on your work surface good side down. Then, grab one of the short sides, and fold the fabric in half.

Position the fold at the top (this will be the top of your pocket). Then, measure and fold the other three sides in one-half inch. Make a 45-degree cut at the bottom corners, to eliminate bulk.

Then, clip your pocket in the lower left corner of your placemat/roll, one-half inch in from the bottom and side edge.

Sew a 1/8-inch seam along three sides, leaving the top open.

To create the individual pockets for your silverware and cloth napkin, mark and sew a line 1.5 inches and 3 inches from the left side of the pocket, and you’re done!

Stick your silverware and cloth napkin in the pockets, roll up your mat, and secure it with the ties.