Ipad cover - with pattern

This is another of the pre-vacation projects I just got ready to share now. Since I was going to take the Ipad with me on vacation I decided I needed a cover to keep it relatively safe.

I'm sure Apple sells adequate covers for this purpose but I did not want to spend money on it, so I checked my fabric stash and found a piece of of oilcloth (with owls) which seemed perfect to keep poolside humidity away from the Ipad.

I measured the Ipad and quickly drafted a simple pattern (available for download at the bottom of this post).

For the lining I used a thick quilt-like with fabric which helps shock proofing the cover. In case you don't have anything like it and want to make a cover too just use regular fabric and batting. You will have to sew three layers instead of one but the final result is the same. Oh, and oilcloth is not very easy to sew. I got it right on my third try after checking for some advice online, so Google it first if you have never sewn with oilcloth before.

To make your own Ipad cover you will need exterior and lining fabric (or lining + batting). I also 

used a large button to keep the cover closed but a snap or even velcro would work just fine too if you don't want to sew a button hole. 

I did not make a full tutorial this time because the way to sew the Ipad cover is exactly the same as the clutch/messenger bag I posted a while ago, so please check that tutorial and if you still have questions please let me know. 

The cover was sized to fit my Ipad2 exactly but if you have a different model or if you have doubts about the fit, print and set up the pattern and check the size before cutting your fabric.

Here is the pattern.

Enjoy,

My Ipad cover was featured at

Mini Hostess Apron - tutorial & pattern

This weekend I had a special request from my daughter to make her an apron to match her play kitchen. Because I needed something fast (otherwise it wouldn't have been finished during the weekend anyway) I didn't even bother to look for patterns online and this is what I came up with:

It's a reversible hostess apron with two pockets (or rather one large pocket divided in two) and so easy it can be made in well under one hour.

If you want to make one, here is a small tutorial. You will need two different fabrics and some ribbon for the ties.

Download the pattern and then cut one apron body and one pocket from each of the fabrics.

 Fold fabric at the top of one of the pockets and hem.

 Do the same with the other pocket.

Pin each of the pockets onto the contrasting fabric, find the center of the pocket and sew a vertical line. This will divide your pocket in two smaller pockets but will also keep the pocket fabric from sagging (note that the sides of the pockets are still pinned but not sewn).

Pin fabric at the top of the apron body to create two little pleats in the center. This is totally optional but adds a nice flair (the pictures below should be self explanatory but let me know if you have any questions).

Cut the ribbon for the ties and pin it on one of the apron body pieces on the wrong side of the fabric.

Then pull the ribbon onto the right side of the fabric and pin again, to make sure it stays in place.

Put the apron bodies (with the pinned pockets) on top of each other, right sides together, with the ribbon tucked in between and pin again.

Sew around the top, sides and bottom of the apron, but leave a small opening at the bottom. Remove pins and pull the apron inside out through the opening at the bottom.

To stitch all around (make sure you close the bottom opening) and trim any excess ribbon. Now you have one mini hostess apron that can be worn on one side...

... and on the other...

... and that is the perfect addition to any play kitchen...

...for those late summer tea parties.

The pattern was sized to fit my almost 4 year old and set to print on A4 paper, but I have added a measure in centimeters to make it easier in case you print it on a different paper size. It should also not be very difficult to re-size it to fit smaller or bigger children, or even an adult. 

Enjoy,

Clutch or messenger bag - tutorial and pattern

Can you tell I'm into bags lately?

Last weekend I was toying around with the little girl bag pattern and decided to try to make a messenger bag. Halfway through testing the pattern, I realized that without the strap the bag could also be used as a clutch.

So here you have it, my latest experience, which actually came out as a 2-in-one pattern.

If you want to make one, download the pattern here. Note that the back piece of the bag is too big to fit into one page, so you will have to cut along the dotted lines and glue part A to part B after you print the pattern.

Once your pattern is ready you will need to cut one front piece and one back piece from your exterior fabric, from your lining fabric and from batting.

For this type of bag I don't recommend an exterior fabric with a pattern that must be sewn in one particular direction. Since you will be folding the back piece in order to make the bag flap, part of your pattern will always be upside down.

Start with your exterior fabric. Lay one front piece and one back piece right sides together (the back piece is symmetrical, so there's not need to worry about top and bottom), with the the batting on either side.

Sew around the sides and the bottom and turn inside out.

Do the same with your lining (minus the batting) but leave an opening in the bottom. This time I positioned my opening in the corner because I found that it will give you more room to turn the bag inside out once everything is sewn).

Slip the outside part into the lining, right sides together and sew along the top and sides of the back piece and the top of the front piece.

Turn inside out through the hole in the lining, hand sew the opening closed and tuck the lining back into the bag.

Pin along the edges and top stitch (this is not essential, but it will give your bag a more "professional" look).

Sew a snap to keep the bag closed and embellish as you want (this time instead of yo-yos I added fabric flowers and matching beads)

At this point you have a finished clutch.

In this version I did not add an interior pocket, but if you want to have one, please refer to this tutorial and follow the instructions there.

Add a strap and you have a messenger bag.

Note 1: my patterns are drafted in A4 size paper (210 mm large by 297 mm high). If you are printing the pattern in a different paper size you may need to make adjustments. I have added a scale in centimeters in one of the pattern pages to make it easier for you.

Note 2: this time I did not take as many pictures as in the previous tutorial, so if you have any questions either refer to this post or leave me a comment and I will get back to you.

And last but not least, here is the pattern again, in case you missed it above. 

Enjoy,

   

Little girl bag: tutorial and pattern

After making two girl bags using someone else's pattern, I decided to come up with my own pattern.

Mostly, I was looking for a cute way to close the bag. Little girls are always jumping around and a bag that does not close is an invitation for them to spread its contents all over the floor every five minutes.

So I spent a couple of days testing sizes and closing flaps and this is what I came up with.

 

                             

This time, I also made an effort to document the steps it took me to get to the finished product, in order to provide you with a simple (but long, bear with me) tutorial. So, if you want to make a similar bag, download the pattern here.

You with need to cut six bag pieces, two from the outside fabric, two from the lining and two from batting. If your exterior fabric has a pattern, try to cut both pieces in a way that the pattern matches on both sides once you sew the front to the back.

                               

For the flap you will need to cut three pieces, one from batting and two from your exterior fabric. If you decide to add an inside pocket (marked as optional on the pattern), cut two pieces, one from the outside fabric and one from lining. If you're very picky, you will also try to cut the flap pieces in a way that allows you to match the pattern of the fabric once the flap is attached to the bag.

Step one: pocket
If you do not want to add a pocket, skip this step and go directly to step 2. If you decided to make a pocket, that is the first thing you will have to sew. Pin fabrics right sides together and sew around the edges, leaving an opening at the bottom.

                              

Trim excess fabric, clip corners and turn inside out through the bottom opening.

                             

Pin the pocket to one of your lining pieces, making sure it is centered.

                             

Sew around the sides and the bottom, taking care to close the initial opening.

                              

Step two: body of the bag
Start by pinning the two lining pieces right sides together. Sew around the sides and part of the bottom, again leaving and opening. Don't sew the top.

                          

Next, do the same with the exterior fabric. Pin right sides together and then lay the batting on each side. Sew around the sides and bottom. This time you do not need to leave an opening. Again, don't sew the top.

                        

Trim excess fabric and turn inside out.

                      

Insert the outside piece into the lining, matching both fabrics right sides together and sew around the top. Pull the outside piece though the bottom opening of the lining.

                  

Hand sew the bottom opening shut and tuck lining back inside the bag.

                

Step three: flap
Pin flap pieces right sides together, with the batting piece pinned to what will be the outside of your flap (trust me, it does make a difference. If you pin it to the other side, the seams will show through the fabric and your flap will be sporting visible bumps).

               

Sew around the sides and the bottom. Turn inside out and press it flat. Fold each of the top edges and tuck it into the flap. Top stitch.

                           

Step four: finishing the bag
 Pin around the edge of the bag making sure the the lining falls strait on the inside. Pin the flap as well, making sure it is centered.

               

Top stitch around the top.

             

Step five: the strap
In all the bags I made, this has always been the most difficult step. With first one, I sewed the fabrics right sides together and then turned the strap inside out. But since I'm making the bags child-size, the strap is not wide enough to making the turning inside out an easy task. On the second one (this one), I discarded the two initial straps and, in despair, ended up using a matching ribbon. This time I used a different approach - a bias tape maker:

The end result? Not perfect, but not too bad either.

In any case, sew the strap the way you feel most confident about. Let me know if you have any good suggestions, since I will be testing the pattern again as soon as I can find the time. Attach the strap to the sides of the bag.

Step six: the snap
In order to keep the flap closed, sew or attach a snap in place.

At this point, you will have a finished bag. See how the fabric pattern in the flap almost matches the rest of the bag? To be honest, I never thought I could pull this through until the very end...

If you're like me, however, you will take it one step forward and add some sort of embellishment.

                     

I added yo-yos and buttons in front of the flap and on each side (this can be useful if the seams attaching the strap are not very pretty and you need to hide them out).

                    

This is my first pattern and I do have some improvements I want to test, but overall I'm happy with the results. I hope you enjoy it as well.

                   

Now let's see if I can make some matching accessories to go with the bag...

And in case you missed the link to download the pattern in the middle of all the text above, you can find it here.

This project was featured as part of AllFreeSewing's Top 100 sewing projects list for 2017. Yay!

Enjoy,