DIY Hanging Watch Holder

My husband was cleaning out his closet the other day and he started unearthing watches.  And more watches.  We knew he had a bit of a problem, but it quickly became clear that things were getting out of control.  Here’s why: he almost NEVER wears watches.  I could probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen him wear one. 

So we decided that we needed to come up with a way to get him to wear these watches.  We’re going to attempt hanging them in plain view in his closet so that he remembers he actually owns them and maybe, just maybe, he’ll take the next step and put one on.  He asked me to construct something for his closet that would hold about eight watches, for now.  We’ll see if this works first, then I can always make more for the remainder of his collection.

I wanted a no-sew solution, because my sewing machine has been a little bit temperamental lately and I’m not about to lug the thing all over Tokyo trying to find someone who can give it a tune-up.  I used leftover flannel fabric from another project, which I liked because flannel doesn’t fray as easily as many other fabrics.  That meant I wouldn’t have to worry too much about finishing the edges.  Also, it’s a masculine plaid, which is great for my husband’s closet (his “uniform” is a plaid button-down). 

This hanging watch holder would make a great Father’s Day, Christmas or birthday gift for a hard-to-buy-for man in your life.  If he’s REALLY been a good boy, put a shiny new watch on it and witness the debunking of the myth that men don’t like jewelry.

A quick note: if the watch collection in question includes the kind without buckles, the snap-down kind, then you’ll need to be able to slide the watch on and off the roll, instead of buckling it around the roll.  This means that the string used to hang the roll needs to be able to come untied.  Leave the ends tied as bow so you can untie it and slide the watch on. 

What you’ll need:

empty toilet paper roll or paper towel roll (a tp roll will hold about 2 men’s watches, while a paper towel roll will hold 4-5)

batting

enough fabric to cover the tube, with an extra inch or two of fabric on the width and an extra inch on the length

leather cord

hot glue gun and glue

scissors

What to do:

1.  Attach batting to the tube: Cut the batting to the same width as the tube.  You’ll need enough length to roll the batting around the roll 2-4 times, depending on how big the roll is and how big the watches are.  Glue one edge down onto the tube.  Roll the batting around the tube until it reaches the desired thickness.  Glue the other edge down so the batting is secure. 

2.  Attach the fabric: “Hem” one of the ends of the fabric that will run parallel to the tube by folding over the edge and using hot glue to secure it in place.  Glue the unfinished edge to the batting and roll the fabric around the tube, the same way you did with the batting in step 1.  Glue the finished edge to the fabric to secure.  

3.  Finish the edges: Draw a line of hot glue around the inside of the fabric at the edges of the roll.  Tuck the ends into the tube, adding more glue if necessary to fix them in place.

4.  Attach the cord:  Cut a piece of leather cord to your desired length.  Thread it through the tube and tie the ends in a bow at the top of the loop, where it will hang from the wall.  Secure the cord in place with a few spots of hot glue on either side of the tube.