We are sure all the sewists out there at least once wanted to make a cover for their favorite sewing machine.
How endearing as a wish is that?
There are myriads of DIY guides for sewing machine covers. Here, we have a unique DIY to help you out to fulfill your aspiration with making a cover for your stitching tool.
With the association of our creative idea, it will certainly give you much delight when you will see the cover finally in all its glory.
Supplies & Accessories
To complete this DIY, you will need some specific supplies and accessories. First, you will need a pattern paper because you need to make patterns for the cover we are targeting for. Then you will need a straight ruler, a pencil with an eraser to do the drafting of the patterns.
Next, you will need an all-purpose thread; some straight pins; a bundle o of extra wide double folded bias tape. You will also need fabric scissors and paper scissors to make the patterns for the cover. Also, you need a flexible tape measure.
You will need two different kinds of cotton fabrics to give it a stylish look. You can pick any two cotton fabrics of your preference. Buy a yard of each fabric. Then, one package of fusible fleece, a glue stick, a spray bottle, and finally an iron machine.
Tip: If you are confused about what color or design to pick, select two colors that contrast with each other. This will surely make you a magnificent cover for the sewing machine.
Let’s start with the process.
First Stage: Measuring
Every sewing machine is unique in proportion and size. Thus, you need to start with measuring your machine. Now, take your flexible measuring tape and aim at the widest point of the machine.
Here is an important note; the handwheel always stands outside the actual proportion of the machine. So, when you measure the widest part of the machine, take a few extra inches for the handwheel.
Also, don’t make the mistake of making the cover tight. Take a loose measurement overall to avoid making it too tight. Also, you can’t forget about the seam allowance.
So, whatever proportion your machine has, take an inch or an inch and a half to make the perfect fit. This is the measure for width.
Now, take a measurement length-wise from one side to another. This measure will start from the bottom of the front side, then upward and on the top. Then backward and all the way down to the backside of the machine.
Make sure; when you are taking the measurement, your flexible tape is completely touching the table surface. Or, the cover will look short in length, and you will miss the perfect cover for your machine by a couple of centimeters. You don’t want that, do you?
It is time to note measurements for the sides. Measured by the height and the length of the machine with some wiggle room. For the length measurement, go from the table surface to the top.
Second Stage: Drafting pattern pieces
To make the first pattern, you will mainly draw an enormous rectangle. Remember, just drawing, not cutting at this point. You will have to cut it at the next stage to adjust the patterns. You will have to use the first two measurements from the front of the sewing machine for the front and back of the machine.
The next pattern needs to be made for the sides of the sewing machine. Now, you will be making a small rectangle this time.
Note that you will have to cut the second pattern. At the top side of this pattern, you will have to curve the corners a little to give the cover an angular look. Now shape the pattern the way you have drawn curves in the corner.
Third Stage: Compare and contrast the measurements of the patterns
You have to match the first pattern’s all the four sides with the second pattern’s all the four sides; because the sides of the patterns are going to be sewn together. Feel free to adjust the measurements of both patterns.
As we have directed you in the preceding stage to keep the first pattern only drawn, you can now easily redraw if it necessitates after the comparison of two patterns and cut it finally.
Fourth Stage: Pocket measurement
This is the uniqueness of our target cover. We want your cover to have a pocket. The measurement for the pocket is pretty easy. Take the measurement from the first pattern in width. The only difference is in length, how high you want the pocket on the cover, decide on that.
We suggest you consider the measurement of a little over one-third of the length of the whole cover or maybe 5 to 7 inches in comparison with the length of the machine.
Fifth Stage: Cutting the fabric
From the first pattern, you need to cut 1 piece from fabric 1, 1 piece from fabric 2, and 1 piece from the fusible fleece.
Next, you cut from the second/side pattern that you have got. As there are two sides, cut 2 pieces from fabric 1, 2 pieces from the fabric 2, and 2 side pieces from the fusible fleece.
Finally, for the pocket, you can choose any of the fabrics and cut 1 piece from the measurement of the pocket. Remember, if you want to contrast, you choose the opposite fabric of the body.
Sixth Stage: Attaching the fusible fleece
Now take all the fabric pieces and attach the fusible fleece pieces according to their sizes on the wrong sides.
To attach the fusible fleece pieces, apply glue on one side of the pieces, and place them on the wrong side of the fabric pieces.
To add them together properly, you will need the iron machine now. Heat up the iron machine, and then place another cloth on the top of the attached fusible fleece and fabric piece.
This way, the fusible fleece, and the fabric won’t move from their place, and you get perfect fabric pieces for your sewing machine cover.
To iron them, damp the cloth aiming at the fabric piece, then place the iron carefully. When you hear the sizzling sound, that means the fabric piece and fusible fleece piece is getting attached through the glue.
Leave to iron for about 10-15 seconds and lift the iron up and shift to other places to attach the entire piece of fabric with the fusible fleece piece. Anyway, you need to check if they are attaching well in the process of ironing. If it doesn’t that you need to iron it a bit more.
Seventh Stage: Pining & stitching the first cover
Take the main piece of the cover. In other words, not the side pieces. Now, take one of the sides and place it on the main piece, so the sides match horizontally and vertically and around the curve as well. After that, you need to pin them together. Pin the other sides of the main piece and the side pieces as well now. Now, what you have now is sort of a scratch of the cover.
For stitching, put the cover scratch under the needle. Take out the pin gradually and stitch by keeping a quarter-inch seam allowance through the entire cover.
When you reach a curve while stitching, smooth out the area to avoid wrinkles on the right sides of the cover, stitch by adjusting and readjusting; this way, you should make a cover with no distortion in shape.
Eight Stage: Stitching the pocket
Finally, you need to prepare the pocket piece to stitch it with the cover. Your pocket piece should be twice as big as the pattern piece.
Now, fold the fabric for the pocket in half lengthwise. Next, make a crease on one side by pressing with a hand. Then, you add the bias tape.
Find the very last layer of the double-sided bias tape and pin it on the pocket piece. Then, take it to the sewing machine and stitch on the raw side. Take the other side of the bias tape and stitch that on the other side of the pocket piece. You need to put back stitches as well.
Once the pocket piece is made, now place it on the main piece by matching the edges. Pin their edges together and stitch them. But you don’t need to stitch it from the back.
You can have multiple pockets if you want. Just draw 2 more lines on the pocket and stitch through them.
Night Stage: Making the second cover & stitching both covers
You can make the other cover with fabric 2 the same way you made the first cover. Once it’s made, but the first cover under the second cover and stitch them together. Finally, you stitch the bias tape at the bottom of the cover.
The finished cover will be in your hand by now!
After all these stages, we hope you make the exquisite sewing machine cover that we have aimed for.