Come and sit beside me today while we make a quilted iPad cover – this cover is designed to fit a standard 9.7″ Ipad but with some small tweaks to the size you could make it for just about everything. Fully quilted for extra stability and lined with felt to protect the screen it feature a simple button closure and a whole lot of pretty.
This pattern is beginner friendly and a scrap buster too.
Please note: the instructions for this iPad are in inches, seam allowance is 1/4″
What you will need:
– fabric scraps
– wadding pieces
– 6″ (15cm) of elastic cord (I have used a flat style but anything will do)
– large button of your choice
– Wool or polyester felt – 2 pieces measuring 8.5 x 11″ (21.5 x 28cm)
– Clover clips or pins
– Rotary cutter, mat and perspex ruler
– Spray Starch
– Chopstick
Step 1: Cutting
Cut one 3″ square from your fabric scraps and a whole lot of 2″ strips. If your fabric is directional I recommend cutting strips both ways so that you can have options when laying out your fabric. Don’t worry about the lengths of the strips as long as you have some pieces that are at least 12″ long. Any extra strips will be used to piece the back.
Step 2: Piecing the front
For the front we are creating a basic log cabin style block, which is perfect for a scrap buster challenge.
1. Start with your 3″ square and sew a strip to one side of it using a 1/4″ seam. I prefer to use a specialty piecing foot for this but a standard one will do. I set my stitch length to small here (1.8) and don’t lock seams as they will be cut off anyway. A smaller stitch length helps prevent the seams from coming apart while you are sewing.
2. Press the seam open. I prefer this as it means the finished block sits flatter. This is a personal preference though and no one will judge you if you prefer to press to one side. Tip: When I start to sew I set up with my ironing board right beside me so I don’t have to keep getting up for every seam. I find it such a quicker process to have the board dropped down to sitting height and within reach.
3. Trim the strip to match the square. Tip: when i have a particular detail in a strip I like then i align that as a priority. It is easy to trim the bottom and the top of the strip to size.
4. Choose another strip and attach using the same method above. Think of your piecing for a the log cabin as going around in a circle so you keep going round and round your 3″ square.
5. Press open and trim to size.
6. Yes you got it more strips to attach, press open and trim!
7. By the time you have attached 8 strips you should have a square that is wide enough for your cover (at least 8.5″). Now all that is left to do is attach a strip to the top and bottom to get your required length of at least 11″
Step 3: Piecing the back
1. Take all your leftover strips and lay them out in any order you like. They need to a be a minimum of 9″ long for the back. You will need approximately 8-9 to get the correct height.
2. Sew together, pressing seams flat as you go and roughly trim the longest edges down to make it easier to work with.
Step 4 – Quilting the pieces
1. Lightly starch both your front and back pieces. This step is optional however I find it the best way to remove any last creases and ensure everything is sitting nicely for quilting.
2. Lay on your wadding, making sure there is some overlap around each edge. Pin if you prefer. Tip: When you lay the wadding out make sure you have the fluffier side facing up. The fabric will stick better to it and that will hopefully mean you don’t need to use pins.
3. Using your standard foot and a longer stitch length ( I use 3.0) run lines across your quilted pieces. Do not bother with locking stitches here as everything will be trimmed down anyway. Quilt as you prefer. I have used dense straight lines each a presser foot apart to keep the cover nice and stable and add some rigidity. While you are working with small pieces though this is a great time to experiment!
4. Trim both your front and back pieces to 8.5 x 11″.
Step 5: Assembling the outer case
1. Take both your front and back pieces and place right sides together. Sew around all 3 sides leaving the top open (make sure you lock your stitches now!). Trim the seams and corners down to remove bulk and turn right side out. Use a chopstick if necessary to push out the corners and press.
2. Using a tape measure place your button in the middle and approximately 1.5″ down.
3. Secure the button very well.
4. Take your elastic and make sure it can wrap around the button properly with some left over to attach to the seam on other side of bag. Get a bit of a visual idea of how much is hanging out the top there for when you attach it in the next step.
Step 6 – Time to assemble this case!
1. Take your two pieces of felt (measuring 8.5 x 11″) and place together. Sew along the 3 sides leaving the top open and a gap at the bottom for turning. Make sure you lock your stitches. Trim your side seams down and clip corners to remove bulk. DO NOT TURN THE RIGHT WAY OUT. Tip: Sew slowly for this part as felt can stretch and move out of shape easily.
2. Place the felt lining over your iPad case. Line up the side seams first and use clover clips or pins to hold everything in place. Pin your elastic in between the felt and the lining with the ends sticking out (remember that visual picture from step 5?)
3. Sew around the top of the over using a locking stitch. I like to go over where the elastic is a couple of times just to make sure it is lovely and secure. Trim the extra elastic hanging out the top.
4. Carefully pull the cover through the bottom of the felt where you left the gap. Make sure all your corners are nicely pushed out and then sew the gap closed.
Step 7: Finishing off
1. Push the lining down inside the case pushing properly into all the corners with a chopstick, making sure everything is nice and straight. Top stitch around the top to hold everything in place.
2. Admire your handiwork.
3. Make sure the iPad fits well. (I can also get one with a smart cover in here but it just wasn’t pretty for photos)
4. Step back and admire a job well done!
I would love to see finished photos of your work so make sure you tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you have finished! You can also use the hashtag #piccoloipadcover to help me find your work.
x Sarah
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