The final stage - putting on the binding. Once the lining was inside the outer shell of the cover I secured the two layers together with a line of stitching about an eighth of an inch from the edge.
Because the outer shell is a fraction bigger than the lining, I used large hand sewn running stitches to gather in the slight fullness before doing the machine stitching at the edge. Fortunately there was very little discrepancy in size between the two layers - had I needed to I would have done an extra line of machining, as I did with the tea cosy.
After that it was an easy job putting on the binding. The African print had a narrow border, and there was enough for me to use as the binding with only an inch and a half to spare.
Exceedingly jammy.
Here is the completed cover with the Singer 201K treadle hiding underneath. I am actually going to use it on the 15K treadle, but the 201K treadle had to stand in to do the modelling job because the 15K is surrounded by sewing room chaos.
And this photo is of the 15K hand machine hiding underneath - entirely appropriate because this is the machine that did all the work on the cover except for the free motion quilting. Because I used the dimensions of the bentwood cover of this machine for the measurements when cutting the panels, the cover fits snugly around the base.
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Even though it is Wednesday, this post is being linked up to Show and Tell Tuesday - lots more projects to see there...
The lining is now made. I have used a stiff thermal curtain lining, which is fluffy on one side. I cut one large piece, 21 and a half by 24 inches, and two side panels. The side panels started as rectangles measuring 8 and a half by 10 and a quarter inches, and I used the same 8 inch plate for rounding off the top corners.
Here is the completed lining, standing up all by itself and showing the fluffy side. The seam is stitched smooth sides together with a quarter inch seam allowance. This material does not fray, and these raw edges will be hidden between the two layers of the finished cover.
Let's see if I can have the binding on by tomorrow...
Today I have been working on the machine cover, using the free motion pieces that I had made in advance. The cover will be for my Singer 15K treadle. I have used the dimensions of the bentwood cover of the 15K hand machine as a guide.
First I cut a large panel, 21 and three quarters by 25 and a quarter inches. Then I cut the two side panels, 10 and a half by 8 and three quarters. On the photo I have shown the two side panels opposite ways up - the density of the quilting only really shows up on the back.
Next, to get the curve at the top corners of the side panel, I cut around the edge of an 8 inch plate.
Here is one of the side panels with the top corners rounded off.
The side panels were then sewn onto the large panel, using a three eighths of an inch seam allowance. Here is the cover, inside out. Already it can stand up on its own.
To help the cover keep its shape, the seam allowances need to be sewn down by machine - exactly the same method as I used for the tea cosy. I worked from the right side...
... and this is what it looks like on the inside.
Here is the outer shell of the cover completed. It will stand up more firmly once the lining is put in. That is tomorrow's job.
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Linking up to Connie's blog Freemotion by the River for Linky Tuesday - lots of bogs to visit there!
The bright African print which I picked up in a charity shop recently is being put to use already. I have decided to make a cover for the Singer 15K treadle, my wonderful free motion work horse. I use the machine so often that I never put it away, and it could do with a cover to keep the dust off it.
The pattern is so busy and the red so bright that there was no point in doing anything fancy with the quilting. The variegated rusty brown thread blends in well, and the meandering infill is easy enough to do quickly over a relatively large area.
The quilting shows up better on the back, which is going to end up hidden anyway. I didn't even bother agonising over the colour of the thread underneath - I just used bobbins that were already filled, and made sure that it was a dark thread so there was no contrast with the top thread if it showed through. The backing is a lightweight polyester and cotton which I had in the cupboard. Cheap, but very irritating. It doesn't glide across the bed of the machine as smoothly as pure cotton, so I was working against it for much of the time.
Once I have quilted a couple more panels I should be able to assemble the cover fairly quickly...
Welcome to Graham Wilson, the latest follower. Thank you for joining!
Linking up again with Leah Day's blog for Free Motion Friday - plenty of blogs to visit there!
And also with Barbara's blog Cat Patches for the September New FO Linky Party, to see what people have started, but not necessarily finished... And here is a link to my July New FO, which is well and truly finished!
