DIY Sewing Machine Cover Tutorial

This machine cover will fit most machines and it would be simple to make it bigger or smaller, according to the size you need.  Please note that you could also make this mini-quilt into a table runner or a wall hanging by leaving the ties off.
This project is good for adventurous beginners and beyond! 

And here is a view of the front, backing and ties:

Here is a supply list for this project:

Enough scraps to cut ninety 3-1/2" tumblers
20" X 29" piece of backing fabric
20 X 29" piece of warm and natural batting
1/4 yard fabric for the ties
1/4 yard fabric for the binding 
Tumbler Template or Accuquilt Go! Cutter and 3-1/2" Tumbler Die

You will also need a rotary mat, cutter and ruler, a sewing machine, thread, and assorted basic sewing supplies.  To complete the quilting by machine, you will need a walking foot or a free motion foot that fits your machine.

 First we will cut our tumblers.  You will need a total of ninety 3-1/2" tumbler pieces.

I used my Accuquilt cutter (follow this instructions on your machine), but you can also use a tumbler template.

To cut using the template, lay out your fabric. I happened to have some 5" squares, but you can use a smaller piece.  You can also just cut from a larger piece.

I laid out 4 layers of fabric on my mat:

I pressed firmly as I cut each side one by one.  Take the time to adjust your template if it slips on the fabric.  A few practice cuts will be a good idea here:

Now just do this 90 times.  :)

Now you will lay out your pieces:  Nine rows of ten tumblers.  Please note the layout that I have here.  You need yours to be laid out in the same way:

You can move your fabrics and colors around to suit your taste.

Now I make piles of the rows.  I start with the first template on the left hand side and I stack it on the second template, and that one on the third template, etc., until you have the whole row stacked.  I had 10 stacks of 9 tumblers each when I was done.  I always use a piece of paper and a safety pin to mark each of my rows:

Now I stack all of the piles on top of each other, row one on top, row ten on the bottom:

Here is how to sew your tumblers together.  You MUST be sure to sew each one on in the correct direction that it is laid out in.  If you flip one upside down you will have to use your seam ripper.  This will be an obvious mistake if you make it.

I will call each template from left to right: 1, 2 and 3.

Lay template 2 on top of template 1, as shown:

For the purpose of showing you where the seam is sewn, I made a dotted line with a fabric marking pen.  You will not need to do this.  Please note that you will sew from notch corner to notch corner:

Sew your seam, using pins if you desire:

Here is the sewn seam:

Open the tumblers:

Now lay tumbler 3 on top of tumbler 2, as shown:

Sew that seam the same as you did the first one:

Here is what you are working towards:

Back view:

Now just continue until each row is sewn (do not remove your safety-pinned numbers yet):

Iron the seams of the rows, alternating directions with each row (row one to the left, row two to the right, row three to the left, etc.):

Matching your seams, sew all of the rows together using the same seam allowance measurement used to sew the tumbler blocks together:

At this point you can remove all of your safety-pinned papers.  Iron your patchwork piece nice and flat.

This is a picture of the finished quilt top: 

You lay your backing piece on the floor or table, wrong side up (right side facing the floor) and then put the batting piece on top of that.  Last you will add the quilt top, facing up.  (Iron the backing and the quilt top well before putting these together).

The layers look like this:

Use safety pins to baste the layers together. I like to use one pin on every other tumbler:

This is the "sandwiched" quilt all ready for quilting:

Feel free to add some inspiration to your quilting time in the form of candy:

For this particular quilt I simply stitch on each side of the seams, like this:

When you get to the point where the seam pivots, simply lower your needle into your fabric, lift the presser foot, and pivot in the direction of your sewing line to follow the shape of the tumbler.  Like this:

Finished quilting:

Now you will cut this piece to fit the sewing machine.  My machine measures  15-1/4" across the front (side to side) and 26" from the bottom of the front, all the way to the bottom of the back (over the top of the machine).   So those are my cutting dimensions.  Measure your machine the same way to decide how big or small you want this piece.

Cut the piece to fit your dimensions:

Cutitng in progress:

Once you cut all four sides, you are done for today.

 We will be adding the ties and binding our quilt.  Please note that if you are making a wallhanging or table runner, as opposed to a sewing machine cover, just eliminate the ties. 

This post has a lot of pictures showing the ties step, but it seemed a better way to show you what to do than trying to use text.

First up, you will be cutting your ties and your binding pieces.  

For ties: Four 10" X 1-1/4" pieces 

For binding:  Three 2-1/2" X 42" strips (simply cut the width of the fabric piece)

For the ties:  Fold over 1/4" on one end of each tie piece:

Now fold in half lengthwise:

Now fold each side in towards the center:

Pin into place:

Sew.  This piece took a little bit of patience to sew since it's so thin:

Now position your tie pieces approximately 4" from the edges with the finished edge towards the center of the quilt top (see next picture for clarification):

All four ties pinned on:

Sew each one into place:

Now, you can access the binding tutorial here.  Be sure to sew the binding on with the ties towards the center of the quilt.  Once the binding is on, fold the ties outward and pin:

Sew them into place:

Guess what?  You are done and ready to dress up your machine!

Now your machine can sit around and wait for you in style, all while keeping the dust away!