Nothing doing

... is not the same a doing nothing! For the past few days I've been rummaging in cupboards and sorting out drawers, on the pretext of finding fabric for the Binders Keepers that I'm planning to take to the Turn the Page book fair at Norwich next weekend.

I fear this is a displacement activity, as the "perfect" design for the Binders Keepers continues to elude me. And time is starting to run out....

With all the forgotten fabric I've gathered, "wasting" some on unsuccessful prototypes shouldn't be a problem. First, though, some thought... about the tools you might want to carry to a workshop -

which determines the size of the tool roll. For me, the essentials are a bone folder, scalpel, bookbinding awl, needles, thread, a mechanical pencil, and my favourite flat paintbrush for gluing. Scissors and a ruler would be nice too.

Realistically, how would these tools fit - and stay - in the rolls I've made already? The flap keeps the tools from sliding out when it's rolled up; the side pocket is for thread, clips, etc (and is a leftover idea from the sewing kits).

The small pockets definitely need to be deeper. Perhaps the pocket for the scissors doesn't need to be reinforced (as does the pocket for sharp-pointed embroidery scissors). Perhaps the tie closure could make loops into which the tools are also put, before the tie is used for wrapping the bundle. Perhaps the big pocket isn't needed... Perhaps the fabrics should be less of a jumble ...

Years back, I made myself a bookbinding tool roll - but never use it, even though it carries 12" rulers - it's too big -

Not before time, I look online for versions of and ideas for bookbinding tool rolls.

by Sophia Kramer (seen here)

can carry various assemblages of tools

simple and useful (thanks, Karen)

Back to mulling... and turfing out a few more cupboards.

Though if this capacious "student tool roll" is available for a mere £10.65 (from here), why am I bothering?