How To Make A Canvas Log Carrier

Since we moved to a house with a fireplace insert, finding an easy way to bring wood into the house became an issue we didn’t used to have. Well, bringing in wood without leaving a trail of bark and wood shavings, that is. When I saw a canvas log carrier advertised last fall that sold for $25.00 (not a bad price, by the way), it seemed pretty easy to replicate for a lot less money.

Not only did I make it for less, but I found they really are easy! I’ve since made one for us and a few more as gifts for those I know heat with wood. And these carriers are a wonderfully useful gift for people (Ok…men) who are somewhat harder to find things for.

And how much did my version end up costing? About $6.00 and an hour of time. Cha-ching!

Here’s what you’ll need for this project:

• 1 yd of 52″ wide canvas (this makes two- it’s cheapest and easiest to make two, as you just cut the yard in half- if you only can think of one person who’d like this, you will need 3/4 yd. of canvas, but you will have some leftover and it will be more expensive- UNLESS you don’t mind a seam in the bottom, then buy 1/2 yard, cut in half and sew together to create the 36″x 26″ piece needed).
• 3 yds. (for each carrier, so 6 yds to make 2) of strap-style webbing- the type used for tote bags and such. I used poly (vs. cotton) to hold up to the rough handling it will get when full of wood.
• 2 craft dowels for each carrier- medium thickness
• matching thread

How to make a canvas log carrier directions:

Note: The following directions are broken down into small visual steps, so there are a lot of pictures, but that doesn’t mean these are hard to make! As long as you have basic skills (and I’m serious- just basic, straight-stitch sewing is all you need here), you will be able to make these.

1. Cut the yard of canvas in half. You will have a 36″ x 26″ (approximately, depending on the initial width of fabric) piece for each carrier (cut to this size if making one with 3/4 of a yard, or cut in half and sew together if using 1/2 yard).

2. Make side hems by folding over the long 36″ sides 1/4-inch, pressing with a hot iron, and then turning another 1/4-inch to enclose the raw edge. Press hem to hold while sewing.

Sew close to inside edge of hem, remembering to bar tack (go back and forth in the first few stitches) at the beginning and the end to lock in the stitching. I like to use the presser foot as my guide, as pictured.

3. Make the pockets for the dowels (once both side hems are complete) on each short end by turning over a 1/4-inch and pressing in place. Measure the width needed by holding the dowel at the end and folding the fabric over the dowel.

You want enough room to easily slide the dowel in (and out for cleaning, if needed), but not so much that it will fall out on it’s own. I found that a 3/4″ hem was sufficient for the medium sized dowels I used.

Remove the dowel and pin the fold at the measurement before sewing in place close to the inner edge, creating the pocket for the dowel.

4. Measure the placement of the webbing for the strap of the carrier. Start in the middle of the canvas, as shown so that the webbing seam will be on the bottom of the carrier.

This is somewhat arbitrary, but I found that placing the webbing at 6″ in from the sides created the best balance. I then distributed the 3 yards of webbing around the canvas, (pinning as I went) making sure that each handle was the same length and ended by folding 1/4″ of the end over the beginning of the webbing to join the ends.

Leave about 6″ from the top edge to the center of the handle. If you’d like a longer handle, increase the inches.

5. Test that both handles are the same by holding them together to be sure they will carry correctly. I did have to adjust sometimes to make them even.



It should look like this when all the webbing is pinned in place.

6. Sew the webbing by starting at the top of one side of webbing and then sew across the webbing just underneath, or right on top of the top edge seam (to leave pocket free for the dowel). I sewed back and forth a couple of times to reinforce these top edges, as they get a lot of pressure when carrying wood.

Turn the carrier and sew close to the edge of the webbing all the way to the other side, turn again and go across just like the other end (reinforcing a couple of times), and then turn and continue up the other side, again close to the edge.

Repeat for the other side of the webbing.

When you come to where the webbing joins, sew over the joint like normal, but come back when you’re finished and sew across the joining seam to secure.



Now, to help the handles lay better where the webbing meets the tops of the holder, I sew a little bit of the webbing for the handle.

7. Sew this part of the handle by starting about an inch up from where you sewed the handle to the carrier, and fold the webbing in half towards the inside. Pin at the 1-inch mark and the 3-inch mark and sew between these pins, tacking back and forth at the beginning and the end to hold the thread.

There will be a 2-inch part of the webbing sewn together, which helps the handles to lay against the carrier.

On the first carrier I made, I folded the entire handle over but found it made the handle too narrow, making it uncomfortable to carry when loaded with wood. The wider webbing is much easier to hold.

7. The last step is to cut the dowels to the length need to fit inside the rod-pocket without showing on either end. I used a miter saw, but a hand saw and miter box would work as well.

It doesn’t have to be pretty, thank goodness- nobody’s gonna see the ends!

Insert the dowels and you’re done.

See? That really was easy!

Since using ours, we’ve found that it not only makes it easier on our clothes to use the carrier (no wood and dirt stains on our shirts), but it has kept a lot of wood debris off of the rug leading to the stove, too.

What do you think? Is this something you’d like to try?

-Jami

This is linked to Hodgepodge Friday , Everything But The Kitchen Sink, Favorite Things Friday, Weekend Wrap-Up and How-To Tuesday @ The Lettered Cottage.