I finished my sewing machine cover just in the nick of time for the Nature Walk Fabric / Michael Miller challenge.
In my original post I thought I’d make a sewing machine cover… and I stuck to that plan since I really needed an excuse and a deadline to make one! Which is ridiculous, I have to admit, since it didn’t take that long and my poor machine has been suffering for no reason! (the horror!) Well not any more!
I purchased all my Nature Walk and charcoal Cotton Couture fabric from Fat Quarter Shop. There are two equally gorgeous color stories to choose from, by the very talented artist Tamara Kate…
Seriously… how do you choose? I have to say, I was kicking myself for not ordering some of the daydream butterfly fabric!
The detail work in the abc panel is so fun and whimsical, I kept finding tiny drawings I hadn’t seen before as I was sewing… 
I was thinking that if my girls were still little I would totally make valances with the ABC fabric – it’s adorable! But back to the machine cover…
While I was working on my cover I took some pics of how I put it together… Here are some steps (you’ll have to do your own machine measurements):
Measure your machine and decide on size of cover. I’m making my cover for my babylock BLQP. My machine measured 8″ deep, 15″ tall (to top of thread cone) and 20″ wide. I wanted my cover to be BIG ~ I don’t want to be fussing when I put the cover on, I want it to fit over easy and quick. It goes together in three pieces, the body and the two sides…
Sandwich the body, batting and lining, then quilt.
To figure the length for the body of my cover I added the height x 2 + depth and added a couple inches to spare for roominess.
For the sides of my bag I used Pellon foam in the sandwich and it worked like a dream. I quilted it with a couple straight line stitches, rounded the corners and then sewed 1/8″ around the edges to keep the edges in place. If I didn’t plan to do a little hand stitching around my letters on the body I would have used the pellon foam for the body too – it helps your cover stand up quite nicely.
I bound the bottom edge of the two sides and the top and bottom edges of the body. Since my corners were slightly rounded I made bias binding from the green ‘tall grass’ fabric.
I used wonder clips to hold it all in place for stitching. These clips are so much better than pins!
After the binding is stitched in place from the front, turn the binding to the side panels and hand stitch in place. See how nice it curves around the edge with the bias binding?
Done! All snug and happy!
My fabric minus the panel which I had to get elsewhere arrived from Fat Quarter Shop today and that coincided with you posting the picture of your sewing machine cover and I just love it. I may have to take a leaf out of FQS’s t-shirt and put Sew What? on my machine cover, I think my appliqué skills can stretch to making a question mark.
Thanks for the great inspiration and I love how the mouse looks sew interested!
? yes, the little mouse is sew interested! I love your sew what idea! ?
What a gorgeous cover! And the fabrics are devine – I may need some! My machines are all naked. I guess I’d better make them some covers. Thank you for the excellent photos and instructions.
Hehehe… Just say no to naked machines!
I love it! Very inspiring, as all of your projects are!
Hi, great job, love the fabrics. I make covers for my machines as well it gives them a personality, and of course helps to keep them clean. Did mine a different way but got the same result. Your way was easier.
Thanks for you blog I love catching up
Gayle
Thanks for the tutorial. I loved it so much I made a cover for my machine. I love the foam idea which does make the cover stand up so nice! You are always such an inspiration!
What a pretty cover! How did you calculate the size of your end pieces? That seems confusing to me….
Hi Claudia, Mine is the height x depth of the side of my machine (Plus seam allowance.) After you attach it to the body of the cover you can trim away any excess on the body if necessary to make them even.