Monday, July 19, 2010

Dude Gifts

By {show of hands} how many of you have a hard time with homemade gifts for guys?

me too...

My BIL had a birthday last week, and I really, {really} wanted to do something homemade for him. 

The men in my life fall into three categories: 

1) Hunter-gatherer, do it your self-ers
2) Computer geeks / LOTR fans
3) 4-year olds 

This particular BIL is solidly in category 1. 

So I created.... {drumroll} the Man Roll!

(Slogan: "It's like a Crayon Roll, but for a Man!")

(Did you know you can actually buy one of these at Sears? Why would you though, when you can {make} one?)

You will need:

Something manly to put into the roll 
( I used a set of open end wrenches, $6.99 at Harbor Freight Tools)

2 contrasting fabrics 

a fastener (velcro on a strap, or a big snap)

***
I decided to use a pair of jeans for my main fabric. Herr Handsome informed me that his bro will get these wrenches greasy, and that it should be made out of some {manly} fabric that he can, I don't know, wipe clean or something. You could use canvas or nylon, or something like that, but I chose to use denim. I cut off both pant legs to use, but if you're buying fabric, 2/3 yard should be adequate. 

In an attempt to blend manliness with cuteness, I chose this fabric for my inside fabric


nuts and bolts! {So cute!}

The dimensions for this particular project were 19x11" for each of the denim rectangles 


and since my largest wrench was 9" 


I made my contrasting fabric 18x19", and folded it in half so it is 9x19.

Lay your folded contrast fabric on {top} of one of your rectangles

(Pressed fold pointing up in this pic...)



Take whatever manly items you're making this roll for, and lay them on the contrast fabric, pinning so there is an acceptably sized {pocket} for each item


once you have all the individual spaces pinned, appreciate how {cute} wrenches look in a roll. It's like they're sleeping!


Now sew a straight(ish) line down from the top of your contrasting material to the bottom of the roll. 
Dang, I just realized that I'm giving this to my BIL, Scott who as an ex-Navy fabricator welder guy will probably totally notice if the lines aren't {perfectly} straight. 
Hmmm. All well. 
Since this is for a {man}, make sure you securely reinforce the top inch or so, so he doesn't have to treat this man roll delicately. 

Tuck in your cute little wrenches  big manly wrenches, and pin beneath them in a diagonal, so that they will sit {more or less} evenly. 



Here is a close up of the pins to give you a better idea...


now sew a {diagonal} line from one end to the other, following the pins. (Make sure you take the wrenches out of the roll before trying to sew...)

Say some bad words when you realize you ran out of bobbin thread 10 inches ago

Decide what you're going to use to fasten the roll. I made a band with a leftover piece of my contrasting fabric, but you could use snaps, nylon webbing, whatever to attach it once it is rolled up.


Pin your large rectangles right sides together, and stick your strap (if you're using one) in between, (like the pickles on a sandwich...)

Pin it. {Do it!} If you don't it will fall out, and you'll have to get out your seam ripper, blah-blah...


Make sure (If you're using jean legs) to NOT line up the seams. It will make the fabric waaay too thick to sew through, and you'll feel stupid. {Really}. Learn from my mistakes, sister. 



Now sew around the edges, with a 1/2" or sew (get it?!) seam allowance, leaving a hole big enough to get your hand through on one edge. Turn and press, and sew the hole shut. Stick your wrenches in and admire. 


Roll the man roll up, and wrap the strap around, marking with a pin where the two spots meet (so you'll know where to put the velcro/snap, whatever)



Sew on the velcro, and give to a man for his {26th} birthday (his 22nd would probably be okay, too)



(Happy Birthday, Scott!)

Other items you could put in the man roll:

drill bits
saw blades
fishing stuff (and yes, that's a {technical} term)
bullets
shaving supplies 
whatever your man is into... 

<3 AmberLou












I'll be sharing this at these parties






NightOwlCrafting

1. Have you ever broke a bone or anything on your body?
never broken. I had a cracked toe once when a horsie stepped on it
2. What is your favorite drink?
Dr. Pepper. (It makes the world taste better!)
3. When is your birthday! You don't have to tell the year you were born!
October 1st
4. Do you have an allergies?
Vicodin and dissolvable sutures. (don't ask...) Oh and fabric softener!
5. What is one of your all time favorite movies?
Love, Actually (the clean version... that movie is so dirty otherwise!)




p.s. Check out this new, fun blog! She has some really great ideas, and is brand new! 


30 comments:

  1. What a great idea!!

    jen @ messhalltobistro.blogspot.com

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  2. Cool! Thanks for linking up to Mad Skills Monday!

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  3. Thanks for linking up to the Mad Skills party!

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  4. Comin' over from Hoo Are You. Nice tute. I did something like this for my SIL for Christmas. I called it a too wrap, but "Man Roll" sounds so much better. I LIKE IT!

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  5. My daughter is Nov 1st. I wanted her to be an October baby so badly!! I love that birthstone! :D

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  6. oooh, I love Dr. Pepper don't you know! visiting from Hoo Are You Tuesdays. It's nice getting to know you.

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  7. I'm allergic to Vicodin, too. Found out after taking it for several days. It gave me a nasty itchy rash on my legs and arms! Visiting from Hoo Are You!

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  8. I watch Love, Actually every Christmas - it's so fun!

    Popping in from Hoo Are You. Hope your Tuesday is a great one!

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  9. Cute idea! Thanks for linking @Creative Itch's "Sew Cute Tuesday"!

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  10. That is neat. It saves a ton of more money making one than it does to buy one at a store.

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  11. come to think of it, I can make one of these for my jewelry pliers.

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  12. This is a great idea! I love the fabric you picked too!!! This makes me wish that my hubby was handy around the house, but unfortunatly I am the one that came into the relationship with a Thank you for linking to It's Stinkin' Cute Craft Thursday!

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  13. This is way better than anything from Sears.

    You'll be so busy linking up to all those parties no one will hear from you and you'll have no time left for crafting for the rst of this month!
    (you're my hero)

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  14. I love this idea! I am always looking for guy gifts to make & this one is perfect. Can't wait to try it. -Jessica from http://lifesgoodbehappy.blogspot.com/

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  15. That is some serious man case. I hope your BIL loves it. Thanks for linking with FFT.

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  16. I LOVE the man roll. What an awesome idea :)

    Thank you for participating in the Therapy Session with Life in the Pitts!

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  17. I love the idea! It's fantastic and it looks awesome!
    Thanks for linking up!
    ~Liz

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  18. What a totally clever idea! Love the red tool fabric. :-)

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  19. Very crafty! Thanks for sharing at It's Party Time Thursday at PonyTails&FishScales!

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  20. Awesome! I love that nuts and bolts fabric!

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  21. great idea! I never know what to give the guys. This is a lot of fun and so useful.
    -Crystal

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  22. Great idea and great tutorial! Thanks for sharing. Happy Sewing! :o)

    www.seamsinspired.com

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  23. I love it, a DUDE gift! We need more of these in the blogsphere! Thanks for linking up to Topsy Turvy Tuesdays. Of course at my how all the tools are mine! Ha!

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  24. I could use one of these for sure! Thanks for joining us for another great Anything Related! ~Bridgette

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  25. I love you. I am just sitting here laughing out loud. I would totally cut the manliness with some cuteness too, and the "sleeping wrenches" is just so funny.

    I'm married to a computer geek. I'm going to look for some manly things I can make a crayon - er- MAN roll for.

    Thanks so much for linking up to Finished for Friday.

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  26. That is such a great idea! And very cute!

    Thanks for linking up for Friday Favorites!

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