It never ceases to amaze me how many ways you can use a painter’s canvas drop cloth. I recently used one to make a wall caddy. Actually, it’s a storage caddy for my elevator. That’s right – elevator! I live in a narrow row house that has four stories and, yes, a small elevator. So, you can imagine how many lost items find their way to different floors in the house. Instead of cluttering the stairs with piles of items to be put away, I decided a storage system in the elevator would work great. So I grabbed a canvas drop cloth and my measuring tape, and I came up with a simple solution – a wall caddy.
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supplies needed:
- canvas drop cloth
- double fold bias tape
- measuring tape
- velcro strips
- sewing machine
step 1 – caddy
Determine the size needed for the wall caddy, then cut a rectangular shape from the canvas drop cloth. Machine-stitch a narrow hem around 3 sides, as shown below, leaving the bottom edge unfinished.
Next, finish the unfinished edge with a strip of double-fold bias tape.
Now fold the top edge over about 6″ and press.
Then fold the bottom (the edge with bias tape) up and slightly over the bottom of the top folded piece. Press. Stitch in place along the two long sides.
Your caddy should look similar to mine below.
To create pockets (I needed four), stitch seams as shown below. Make sure the pocket widths are all even.
step 2 – straps
Cut 6 strips (3 long, 3 shorter) from the drop cloth. Fold the long top and bottom edges over and press. Then fold again so no raw edges are showing. Stitch in place, then press.
Next stitch one long strap to one short strap, with seams together, and stitch together at one end.
Pin the straps to the top back side of the caddy in three places – one on each end and one in the center. Make sure the long piece is in the front. Stitch in place (see photo A below). Then sew two small pieces of velcro in the placements shown in photos B & C.
And that’s it! It was simple to make; the canvas drop cloth fabric is sturdy; and I have one pocket per floor to keep items organized until they can be delivered to their proper floor and put away.
The biggest compliment is a little share – pin the photo below!
