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This past week or so I have been kicking around the sewing machine cover thing.  I did purchase one and had it in my christmas stocking…but my mom caught site of it’s cuteness and ran off with it.  {it was a bit big for my machine though…so} anywhosies.

I took a look at some free sewing machine tutorials around the web here and didn’t find quite what I had in mind. So, I of course had to come up with my own idea.

I was at first thinking that I wanted to use a heavier wieght fabric– and that not require a lining…sweet. But, when I sat there spinning in my sewing chair and staring at the shelf full of folded fabric {still new enough in the room it isn’t all messed up yet} I glanced at some kitchen towels.  That’s right.  A kitchen towel.  Guess what?  It is a brilliant substitution for us girls who are a bit on the casual {not lazy} side of sewing.  I mean, I want things done quickly! Who wants to spend all that time hemming and sizing and cutting?  Not me!

click on the photo and blow it up to read the words on the jar– fine, i’ll read them for you:

Idleness Brings Disgrace

Fitting don’t you think? It was destiny to become a cover for the machine!

So, go grab a kitchen towell and you are totally set to have yourself a cover in about 5 minutes.

Materials needed:

kitchen towell 30 X 18 1/2″ with 4 finished/hemmed edges

OR Fabric 31″ X 19 1/2″  Hem all 4 edges

Ribbons 2– 7″ long

Notice that if you have directional fabric– the back will be upside down!  Most tea towells repeat the pattern on both edges, so there isn’t any upside down business.

Step 1:

Fold towell in half and from the top folded edge measure down 7″.

Make a mark on the inside of BOTH sides

Butt both edges up to each other matching up the marks you made. Zig-Zag this edge all the way up to the fold.  Don’t worry about getting it all the way, because you will be sewing a box pleate in the corner.  Plus it’s a pain! So, stop when it gets difficult.

This is what the zig-zag seam will look like on the right sides:

Step 2:

Fold the top edge {see the corner not sewn with zig-zag} so that zig-zag stitching is right in the middle.  Take your ruler and from edge to edge it should measure 4″.  The zig-zag being right in the middle at 2″.  Draw a line.

Sew on this Drawn line.

Turn right sides out and try on machine. If you need it wider, now is the time to adjust! Re-measure to 5″ and resew the line.

Trim off extra corner.

Step 4:

Grab your ribbon– Let’s get the ties on!

Re-fold the towell and from the folded edge measure 8″ and make a mark on the inside of each side.  {Same process as the above steps.}

Lay the ribbon wrong side facing the wrong side of the towell. Sew it down. You want the edge of the ribbon to be just short of the edge.

Fold the ribbon over on the sew spot and sew it again.

Repeat for other side.

Slip onto your sewing machine and try it out.

These are perfect for a quick sewing night with friends…  if your tea towell isn’t that fancy, no worries.  Add an applique to it to fancy it up.