Ahh, spring is almost here! I do not like winter. Where I live we rarely get snow or ice, but the cold is bad enough. I don't think I could handle somewhere where winter could be described in any way as harsh. Or in any way worse than mild, really. But! Because I don't have to worry about the siren call of sunshine, I can stay inside and sew! (Which is exactly what I do a large portion of my free time.)
So this is what I made!
It is a little case for a tablet. (I think I'm going to add a button closure on the front when I get a chance.)
Now, I have not made many quilts, but every one I've made has followed a pattern. I'm meticulous about following the patterns actually - I just don't trust my own design sense for quilts yet. But when it comes to almost any other type of sewing I'm just like "Eh... LET'S WING IT." I often rethink this policy but so far I've taken no steps to change it. I should, and I keep telling myself that the work it takes to find a pattern I want would be worth it, but I'm just too lazy. It's my curse.
This project, for example, I just kinda took a rudimentary knowledge of bags and such and jumped right in! So here is what I did.
First, notice you have a pack of - I think mini charms? - in some really cute prints. Then lay them out in a design you find appealing. Like so!
Then make sure to measure to be sure that the tablet you want to use this for will fit in it. An important second step here is not caring if it's a little too wide.
Then sew each row together and then join. For extra fun, forget the order you'd originally laid them out in and sew the last two rows together along the wrong edges. Then prepare batting! Don't use backing, just sew whatever you're using right to the patchwork. Make sure to wonder if you're breaking some important rule doing that. Use a bright, cheery yellow thread, and do a loopy free-motion design. The mistakes and uneven stitches add a lot of character.
After quilting cut three similarly sized pieces of gray fabric for the back and lining. Measuring? For the birds! I might have measured for the back piece but for the lining I'm pretty sure I just guesstimated. Then sew the lining together. Realize that you probably want the lining a little smaller than the exterior, so sew with a very generous seam allowance (1/4 inch). I randomly decided to add some semi heavy weight interfacing I had to the back piece. I'm pretty sure that it was fusible on both sides instead of one... Because it stuck to my press cloth a lot...
(The above picture was before pressing. Obviously! The puckers mostly came out though.)
Then sew the front and back together. Turn the lining right side out and pin it inside the front and back piece right sides together. You should probably match up side seams, something I... Think I did? I did not want a flap closure but I had two squares left over so I sewed them together to make a... thing. A strap type thing. It will eventually have a buttonhole probably. Then sew everything together at the top. A nice even seam is you know, the norm, but I wasn't paying attention somewhere and got the right side really wonky and not even. I should have pinned more I think. Then turn right side out, top stitch the bottom of the lining and stuff it down in there. Boom! Done.
Things I Learned:
-the finer points of free motion quilting continue to elude me
-make interfacing decisions before you start and also - WHEN THEY SAY DO A TEST ON A SCRAP DO A TEST
-probably should measure stuff more accurately, though normally I take care to do this
