How To: Make a new ironing board cover

Today I have a really quick post for a really quick make. In fact I did everything from cutting the fabric to the photo shoot all within 2 hours!

I decided it was time my ironing board got a makeover. Whilst visiting Ikea last week I discovered their great fabric range and just had to get some. This was the perfect choice for my ironing board. Look at that print!

 

Do It Yourself

What you will need:

• Fabric (Length needs to be the length of your ironing board + 30 cm, width needs to be the width of your ironing board +30 cm)
• Elastic (length needs to be long enough to fit around your ironing board
• Safety pin
• Matching thread

To make this yourself follow these simple instructions:

1. Trace around the top of your ironing board directly onto the back of the fabric.
2.  Add 15 cm extra all the way around your ironing board and cut out the fabric
3. Turn over 1.5 cm or 5/8 in all the way around the edge making small folds in the curved parts so as they lie flat.
4. Turn the same amount under again, press and pin.
5. Stitch as close as you can to the first fold to create a channel all the way around the edge. Be sure to leave a small gap of about 3 cm along the long edge.
6. Attach a safety pin to the end of a long piece of elastic.
7. Thread the saftey pin through the channel you have created.
8. Place the cover over your ironing board and smooth out the top
9. Pull the elastic tight until the cover wont move on your board.
10. Tie the elastic tight and cut off any excess.

 

It’s such a quick make but can really spruce up your sewing space!

If you enjoyed this make why not try some of my other patterns!

Capri Trousers

I had been really looking forward to making something from the Fashion with Fabric book that came out during the most recent series of the GBSB. It was written by Claire-Louise Hardie of The Thrifty Stitcher and it was there that she did a 30-day challenge to wear something made from the book each day. These trousers were shown on the the first day and I knew that I would have to make some!

I feel that this make was an uphill battle right from the very beginning. My favourite pair of trousers had just given up on me and I really need a replacement. The trousers were a polka dot denim and I loved them! I did not want to replicate them exactly but instead wanted to create something of the same spirit and thought this would be just the pattern. I found some polka dot black cotton on ebay that looked up to the job, and as a bonus it was on sale (buy 2 FQs and get 1 free). When the fabric arrived I dutifully put it in the wash and hung it out to dry. However, when I came to iron it before sewing I noticed a number of thin patches in the fabric. Luckily I had bought plenty so I tried to avoid these as best I could when cutting out the pattern pieces.

Thin patches on fabric

When cutting out the pattern pieces I wanted to make certain the spots were nicely aligned on both legs so I folded the fabric and stuck pins through the dots periodically to check they lined up on each side. I got this idea from a tutorial on sewing with stripes but the principle was just the same for spots. I think it really helped as I am really pleased with how symmetrical the spots are on each leg.

Using pins to match spots on each layer of fabric

Pattern matching of the front of the trousers

The trousers came together really quickly and the instructions in the book were pretty easy to follow. My only issue was in some of the pictures (cartoons, rather than photos) it was sometimes tricky to tell if I was supposed to be looking at the right or wrong side.

The details:

Pattern: Capri trousers from Fashion with Fabrics (GBSB Book)

Fabric: Cotton – Black with white polka dots

Notions: YKK invisible zip in black, Guterman thread in black, lightweight interfacing.

Alterations: Size 12 waste graded to size 10 hips

I really like the trousers…and then I put them on. I had tried them a few times during the making process and I wasnt quite convinced by the fit but I though if I just carried on it would all even out in the end. It didn’t. The fit is so bad I’m not sure I can wear them. they are so tight around my bum and thighs I’m afraid the seams might burst as i walk, yet the waste just gapes open at the back.

I plan to investigate into some common trouser fit issues and report back once I have figured out what might be wrong!

H.

Starry Pajamas

I would like to tell you about my first “proper” sewing project. My starry pajamas!

Starry Pajamas

Last year my mum gave me her old sewing machine, which was rather limited in its capabilities with only 2 stitches in its repertoire. However, it was enough for me to try a few things out. I even made a couple of tote bags although the seams are now coming apart where the machine struggled to cope with anything more than 2 layers of fabric.

So in the January sales I bit the bullet and bought myself a shiny new sewing machine. I decided to start out with something simple so I chose to do the pajamas from Tilly and the buttons book “Love at First Stitch”. First of all I need to tell you how amazing this book is. Everything is explained in a simple manner – no sewing jargon required – with beautiful pictures guiding you all the way.

Following the directions in the book I chose my measurements and cut out the pattern in the correct size from my chosen fabric

Red fabric with white stars

Sewing of the pajamas was pretty simple with straight stitching and then zigzag stitching over the edges to stop any unravelling.

I completed the pajamas with a drawstring mad from a complementary cream ribbon with the text “Handmade with love” printed on.

Ribbon on pajamas

 

Hopefully this will be the first of many sewing projects to come. I feel I was perhaps playing it safe with pajamas as I wont be leaving the house in them! However, the other patterns in the book all look so good that I am sure I will be creating more of them soon!

H.