I Sewed in September

It's been a bit quiet around here during September, but that doesn't mean that life has been quiet, rather quite the opposite, just no blogging.

Happily, I did meet the stitching goals I set myself at the beginning of the month.

Firstly, the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

I already had the purple blocks completed from previous leaders and enders.

Therefore, I had set myself the goal of completing a further three bonus blocks to help make a slightly larger quilt.  I have another three cut out to make the final number of blocks.

Next, my One Monthly Goal was to complete six Splendid Sampler 2 blocks.

 

Job done!  It wasn't even a last minute rush.  I was surprised to find that there were still some relatively simple blocks to complete.  Of course, each month means the more detailed blocks remain.

Each month I also like to have at least one finished project for One Project a Month with Kris.  On Friday it was time to make something.  

A new ironing board cover was very much needed.

Whenever I've been ready for a new ironing board cover I've just found some fabric I like and delivered it to Mum with a request for her to make it for me.  Now that she lives in residential aged care I can't do that.  Time to put on my big girl pants and make my own.

Normally, I buy a drill fabric, but lately I haven't been able to find anything that I like, or the design is directional and would be sideways on the board. I kept looking each time I was in the fabric shop. Then, recently, I spied a fabric in the clearance bin in the home decor fabric section that I liked, and best of all, it was only $3.00 a metre and was 150cm wide.  That meant that I could have the directional print going the correct way.  I bought two metres, as the fabric doesn't look as durable as the drill, so I figured I could make two and it would still be cheaper than the normal fabric, and with less waste.

 I know it sounds silly, but I felt rather intimidated by this make, as I have no pattern to go by.  Time to bight the bullet and cut a pattern off my existing version.  The style works really well as it is fitted around the pointy end of the board, not just elastic all the way around.   I don't know where Mum got the pattern, but I'm guessing she cut it off an ironing board cover that she bought many years ago.

 I wasn't going to unpick the stitching to see how it comes together, so I just cut it off and then added a seam allowance.

This is how it looked when placed on the fold.

So, really all you have to do is cut the end of the fabric at an angle, for the pointy end and round the corners for the other end. Run a zig zag all the way around and then press under about an inch wide casing around the edge starting at the start of the angled cut.  Next, lay it flat with the seam up the middle, like in the photo further up, and draw a curve, which I took off the original cover.  I then stitched on the line a couple of times for strength and cut off the excess leaving half an inch seam allowance.  Thread your elastic and stitch down the ends.  

Too simple.  It really was a quick easy project.  My curve at the pointy end isn't quite right, but it will certainly do the job.  Next time I may cut a pattern for the curve off my actual ironing board.  

Now to put it on the ironing board.

Ta da!  Do you notice something amiss?  Yep, the pattern is upside down!! Duh!!  What a duffer.  However, as you walk into my sewing room it is facing the right way.  It would be perfect for left handed people and also, they say that it is clever to turn your ironing board around the other way to iron yardage or table cloths.  It would be facing the right way for that too.  Oh well, I'm still going to use it as it is.

While I was on a roll, and most importantly, while I had the fabric direction in my head, I made a second version.  This time facing the correct way.  It has now been put away, together with my old one to use as my pattern, for when the current version wears out. 

They certainly look nice and fresh compared to my very stained one. 

I still have some left over fabric, but just  not quite enough for another version.  However, I reckon if I add a bit of something else to the top and bottom, it would be hidden underneath, so we may make another one shortly.

I'm linking up with So Scrappy and Elm Street Quilts.  Pop over and see what the others have made this time.