Stretchy Book Cover Tutorial

My eldest daughter needed book covers this year.  According to her teachers, it's a state law to keep textbooks covered.  And my cooler than cool daughter did not want the hideous paper book covers she was forced to put on her books during class.  Oh the horror!!  A couple years ago my ex bought her stretchy book covers that were between $3 and $5 a piece, but they were all too small for her ginormous middle school books this time around.  Apparently, there are these same stretchy book covers that are super sized, but they are even more expensive.  I, being the frugal sewing mama that I am, was hellbent on figuring a way around this. 

I took a look at one of these stretchy book covers and realized I could whip one of these out in a matter of minutes.  And then I realized I have this entire plastic tote FULL of dance lycras from way back when Miss Em was still dancing solos and I was making costumes that would be perfect.  So, she dug through and picked the fabric you see above.  I whipped up the book cover from cut to finish in less than 5 minutes, literally. It is made out of neon orange super soft velvet.  It’s heavenly and plush!  Then I thought, what a great tutorial for the beginning of the school year to share with you guys! 

Stretchy Book Cover Tutorial 

Your time will be cut to bare minimum if you do this with a serger.  However, if you don't have a serger, you can still easily make these using the overlock or zigzag stitch on your sewing machine.  It's literally two rows of sewing and you're done!  Also, one yard of dancewear lycra is 60 inches wide, so you should get approximately 3-6 book covers out of 1 yd, depending on the thickness of the book. 

Guess what?  I already have a new tutorial lined up for next week.  It's an upcycled tutorial.  I can't wait to show it.  I have all the pics, just have to write the tut, which is the easiest part.  Can you tell how proud of myself I am?  I get so mad when I can't finish a project I have planned for weeks or months on end for my blog.

I think I'm actually going to be able to have a tutorial a week from now on while my creative juices are flowing.  I'm so excited!!  I don't know if this is just rewards for being my last semester of college, but my classes are so easy this time around with next to nothing in homework that I'm able to do other things besides read textbooks. 

Shopping Cart Cover / Highchair Cover Tutorial

I finally got the computer away from my husband the flight simulator addict and wrote up the shopping cart cover tutorial.  I had all the pictures done by last weekend, but we all know I had the paper from hell and a test for the same class due this past week.

It's complete, and you don't need a pattern!  Click on this link or click the picture.  It's a PDF document you can save to your computer. It's fairly straightforward with lots of pictures and easy even for a beginner. 

Everyone raise your hand if you hate patterns.  Ah yes...you...and you...and you...  I knew I wasn't the only one. ;)

All I ask is you don't use it for commercial use, and if you want to repost it, please ask my permission first.  Thanks guys!!

Nursing Cover / Apron Tutorial

Here is the big tutorial! You would be surprised how many hits I get for a breastfeeding cover. Hopefully soon I will have modeling pics from my SIL and her baby. Also, I will turn it into a downloadable tutorial over the weekend, but here it is for now. I have a 2-layer version coming very soon.


Nursing Cover/Apron

Materials
1 yd of fabric A
¼ yd of fabric B
½ yd of Rigilene boning
2 D rings


Instructions
1. With fabric A cut:
1 piece 36 x 28 inches
1 strips 2 x 6 inches
1 strips 2 x 20 inches

2. With fabric B cut:
2 strips 2 ¼ x 28 inches - these are strips #1
2 strips 2 ¼ x 37 inches – these are strips #2

3. Press fabric B strips in ½ lengthwise.

4. Line up raw edges of folded strips #1 with raw edges of right side of fabric A large piece. For strips #2, fold in the extra ½ inch on each edge of the 37-inch strips before sewing so there are no raw edges. Then only sew one of strip #2 (this will be the bottom edge).

5. For the second strip #2, fold in and pin the ½ inch at the raw edges. Next, mark the center of the strip and measure out from the center 8 inches and mark these points. Then insert the boning and tack it at the two 8 inch lengths from the center. Then stretch out the strip (because it will want to curl with the boning), and sew right down the middle lengthwise to create a casing for the boning.

6. Now attach this strip #2 to the last raw edge of fabric A.

7. Press all seams toward the inside of the cover, and then topstitch on fabric A all the way around to hold the seams in place.

8. To create the straps – fold the straps lengthwise with right sides together, sew lengthwise and then sew one end closed. Turn straps right side out. If you have a tube turner, use it to flip the straps right side out. If you have a chopstick or a knitting needle, you can do this easily as well.

9. Line raw edge up with seam of the back cover. (It does not matter which side is the shorter one). Pin raw edge of each strip to back of cover at the edges of the boning. Tack at topstitching and at the edge of the cover on both straps.

10. Take short strap and insert it through both D rings, then fold over the edge and tack it.

11. Now insert the larger strap through one D ring and under the second D ring and pull back through the first one (like a belt).

...And you are done!

New tutorial coming tonight - Baby Car Seat Cover

I've got a new tutorial I'm putting up tonight for a baby sewing project. It's a quickie little thing, and it's great for mommies who are due with new little babes in the winter.

I had my little boy was born in the month of January, the day before an ice storm, and blankets were a big PITA to tuck around him and made the handle slick when I carried his car seat. A lot of times I carried him in a sling, but when it was just too freakin' cold, I kept him in his car seat as a new baby until we got inside. So I went to find online to find a pattern to make one of those car seat covers that had a big hole for the head and fit with elastic around the car seat and I couldn't find one, so I made up my own for him, and it worked so great, I've decided to share it.

So I've got to tweak a couple of things and then I'll upload it after dinner tonight.