From Christiane:
My sewing machine is a Brother CS 6000. It comes with a hard cover but it only fits if I am not using the quilting table. I am learning how to quilt and I have been using that table accessory a lot. Like you mentioned in your article, I needed to leave things ready for the next day so I needed a new cover.
Sewing machine cover:
- I measured the machine with the quilting table in place: width, length, depth and height. Then I added about 2" to each side. This way I made sure it was not going to be too tight around it.
- With the help of a quilting mat I drew the pattern for the machine cover on the fabric. Then I had wide rectangles (front and back) and 2 thin ones (sides). I curved the shape of the upper corners of the rectangles. The sides will be shaped similar to a sleeve.
- Cut every rectangle twice (right side and wrong side). Cut the same shape for the batting (one for every side).
- Choose a theme that expresses your personality, or a passion you have, or something that fits the decoration of the whole room. Mine was Brazil. I downloaded the map from the Internet. Then I resized it so it would fit the front and back of the rectangles. Then I printed it.
- Then I drew the first heart around the map. The second heart was drawn 2" outside of the first one.
- Mark the center of the rectangle and then place the printed map underneath the fabric. Make sure it is right in the center of the rectangle. (I suggest using masking tape on the corners of the paper and the fabric. This guarantees they will be kept in place while you draw).
- Using a quilting pen, I copied the map and hearts on the fabric .
- Then I drew crossed lines (horizontal and vertical forming a 90º angle) using the center as a reference. They must start from the outside of the map and never go inside.
- I made 4 more lines in between each quarter of the rectangle.
- Make the sandwich and it is time to quilt. I placed an extra layer of batting where the map is so it would puff up. Using straight stitches I went all around the map.
- Then I raised the top layer of fabric and cut the extra the batting around the map and pined the sandwich again. Now it is time to use decorative stitches to make the lines/rays.
- When the lines were finished I quilted the heart around the map.
- Then I put the rectangles together and finished the cover with a bias tape made with the same green fabric of the basket.