Tuesday Threads with Karen Day

Hello Ai Sewing fans!

 It's the July edition of Tuesday Threads... and if you remember last month, I made a quilted mat for my sewing machine to sit on.  This month I have the matching sewing machine cover to share with you!

 I'm using the wonderful Shop Hop fabrics designed by Art Impressions owner/illustrator, Bonnie Krebs - available through Henry Glass Company

 I designed my cover partially based on a few ideas that I found on Pinterest, but I also wanted it to coordinate with the sewing machine mat, and the needle case I'd made a few months ago.  I really love the sewing notion print that I used for the front and back - so I wanted it to be the main focus.  To make it easy to assemble, I designed it with two identical side panels that I sewed up the sides, pivoted and sewed them along the top.  Two small rectangular pieces formed the top opening for the handle.  I fused the backside of all the pieces with a lightweight, fusible tricot interfacing from Therm O Web.

I used my Cricut to cut a heart template that I traced onto the pink floral print, and then I traced it onto Therm O Web's Heat n Bond Lite - a fusible adhesive that I fused onto the back of the heart, peeled off the backing, and then fused it onto the side panel.

 I  made a double pocket on the side panel in a contrasting fabric that can hold a few extra notions to keep my sewing table tidy.  I centered the heart just above the pocket.

 I used some pink embroidery floss to hand sew a blanket stitch around the outside of the heart to finish off the raw edges.

 Here you can see the top of the cover.  Each of the side panels ended with about a 5" gap at the very top.  I added the two side pieces underneath them, leaving a one inch opening for a sewing machine handle to pop through making it easy to carry the machine with the cover on.  I finished up by sewing some blue 1/4" bias binding around the bottom edge.

 Since I created the pattern myself, there was a bit of trial & error with this project!  After assembling it, it quickly became apparent that the interfacing that I'd fused onto all the pieces was not providing enough body to have the cover stand on it's own, or to retain it's shape.  So I took the whole project apart, and Therm O Web came to my rescue!  I used their High Loft Fusible Fleece on the front and back panels, and diagonally quilted them with 2" squares like I did for my sewing mat.  I fused pieces of medium weight non-woven interfacing onto the two side panels, right over top of the tricot I used initially.  The difference was night and day, and I am SO much happier with the end result.  Happy sewing, everyone!

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