Tutorial: How to save your toilet paper from your toddler!

 

So i have an almost 23 month old.   If you have one of these around then you are probably in the same boat as me.  They find the toilet paper FASCINATING.  When they are going potty they have to use 1/2 the roll to wipe and when they are bored it always brings entertainment.  For my daughter it probably does not help that her grandma bought her the Curious George movie for Easter and in it is a scene where he fills the entire bathroom with toilet paper.  Monkey see monkey do lol!

Anyways, i'm fed up with the toilet paper waste (it would be one thing if she just unraveled it but most times she shreds it as well) so i started thinking of a plan.  I had this idea in my head for a while (i don't know if in the past i saw a picture of something like this or what), but i just haven't found the time yet to do it.  Well, this last weekend i've been working on re-decorating my bathroom and i figured that now it was time.  I had the sewing machine out, i had left over fabric from another project in the bathroom, there was nothing stopping me.

So i popped a movie in the my daughter and got to work.
(this is my first ever tutorial so sorry if it's not the best)

Materials needed:
Fabric
elastic
buttons (3 or 4)
Thread and needle (to sew on buttons)
Sewing machine (although you could do this by hand)
Ribbon

The fabric i had to work with.  I found it for $4 a yard at a local store and bought it to starch to the wall behind my shelves.  Part of my bathroom re-do.  I also painted the shelves and got the new shower curtain ;)

Cut your fabric out.  I don't know what size you'll need cause i wasn't smart enough to measure it LOL!  I just happened to have the EXACT amount of fabric left over to do this project.  Didn't have to cut or anything.  (Ignore the two strips on the bottom, i didn't end up using them.)

For you to do this project you will want one piece of fabric that will wrap around your roll of toilet paper completely (a new roll) with a little bit to spare (maybe 1/2 an inch) for a seam allowance.  And you want it twice as wide as the roll as you will be folding it in half.

For the 2nd piece you'll want it a little bit bigger.  You will see why in the pictures below. 

fold smaller piece of fabric in half lengthwise and then stitch around

when you get to the end, leave a gap, about 2 inches.

Turn right side out

Use long pointy thing to turn out corners.  Chopsticks work.  Or if you're lazy like me use what you have on the table, like a star on a stick.

If you just happen to have your iron out from other projects you can use it to press your fabric to make the next step easier.  Normally i don't even bother though.

top-stich around

add a loop of elastic at one end and stitch in place

then very precisely figure out where you want your button. 

sew button in place.  Ta da!!

I added 2 more buttons so as the roll gets used up the cover will still fit.  As i put my design to the test i might have to add another button.

cover in action!  on the last button.

NOW, for the next little project.  A holder for your extra roll of toilet paper!  You will need that 2nd piece of fabric and then some ribbon. 

First you want to take your square of fabric and fold it in half right sides together and stitch around like you did before leaving a 2 inch gap (sorry i do not have pictures).  Then you want to turn it right sides out (use your star again for the corners!) and then press.

measure out your ribbon.  You will want extra length past the fabric like shown.

make sure before you sew the ribbon down that you seal the ends by burning them. Once the ends are sealed you want to top-stich around the entire square and by doing so stitch the ribbon down the sides.

Now all you have to do is tie the 'sling' to your toilet paper roll holder bar thing and then slip a roll in! 

And then the best part about the extra roll holder is that when your toilet paper is in use above it will hold your toilet paper cover so it will not fall on the floor :)  Easy-peasy!

And there you have it!  I haven't yet tested this against the toddler but i think it will work!  At least the cover should ;)  The extra holder might not work until she's a little older but we'll see.  But i love it!  So much that i took 1/2 my day (and 2 movies for my daughter) to make this tutorial for you :) Enjoy!  I would love to see your creations as well!  (and comment below and tell me how i did!)