Quilted Kindle Cover

I'm absolutely no expert when it comes to patchwork quilting.

My experience extends to watching my aunt, many years ago, doing the most amazing tricks with scraps with fabric. The way she would cut up perfectly good fabric and sew it all together, only to slice it up again and repeat the process, made my brain leak out my ears.

Unfortunately, my memory is now fuzzy (thanks to middle age) and I'm having to relearn anything I may have picked up all over again.

Thanks to a dangerous combination of beautiful Pinterest creations and You Tube videos, I have a head brimming with ideas and a determination to drastically improve my sewing skills.

Luckily this quick patchwork quilted Kindle cover is very forgiving when it comes to straight lines.

I've used a crazy patchwork quilt-as-you-go (QAYG) method here but you could quilt the top and bottom together afterwards if you preferred.

I have not added any of the usual crazy patchwork embellishments but feel free to decorate away to your heart's content. That will be step two for me on my quilting journey.

What you need

Scraps of fabric for outside of cover

Fabric at least 10 x 16 inches (25.5cm x 40.5cm) big for inside of cover

Iron-on batting or wadding
Cutting board and rotary cutter

Usual sewing supplies like pins, tape measure, sewing machine

What you need to do

1. Cut the backing fabric and iron-on batting or wadding 10 x 16 inches (25.5cm x 40.5cm) - this will become your base.
2. You will now start to piece together the top (which will be the outside of the cover) by sewing any two scraps together with a straight line directly onto your base. I don't think it makes much difference where you choose to start.
   
3. Open and press.
   
4. Make sure that you have pulled through the thread from the bottom and knotted it off so you don't have any loose bits on the inside of your cover when you're done. It's easier to do this as you piece together the top.
5. Cut a straight edge on your next scrap, and sew to your base with the right side down. Pull through and knot off the loose thread (you'll do this a lot in this project, especially if you are using small scraps)
   
6. Open and press (you'll be doing a lot of pressing so just keep the iron on next to you)
   
7. Select your next scrap, give it a straight edge and sew into position. To keep things interesting, I varied the angles and made sure not to go around systematically as one would for a log cabin design. You can even sew together a couple of scraps as the next piece to join.
    
    
   
    
8. When you have completely covered your base, trim to finished size of about 8.5 x 15 inches (21.5 x 38cm)

   

   Piecing and quilting in one go - what a bonus!


9. Bind one of the shorter ends by sewing a 2.5 inch (6.5cm) wide strip - this will be the inside edge - and finish with either machine stitching or hand stitching. I used a seam allowance of 5/8 inch (1.5cm) on all the bindings. Trim the ends.
   
10. Do the same to the opposite edge. If you are a whizz at binding and producing fancy mitred corners, then skip this step and go straight to step 13.
11. Make a fold at the 5.5 inch (14cm) mark.
    
12. Attach a strip 2.5 inch (6.5cm) wide to the side with the right side down, stitch through all layers. I used a seam allowance of 5/8 inch (1.5cm). Because my mitred corners always look like rejects from a horror movie, I trimmed the side binding about an inch (2.5cm) from the edge, folded over the binding and hand stitched it down along the back and the top section.
13. If you are a whizz at binding and producing fancy mitred corners, then you just do your thing and head on over the top edge and down the other side, like you are binding a quilt.
14. Fasten as you wish with press studs, buttons, velcro or ribbons.
    
    
    
    

Useful Tips

1. Make sure you do not leave gaps in the piecing.
2. Because the piecing is done on the backing and batting or wadding in one go, just trim off any excess fabric with a pair of scissors. It's always covered by the next bit of fabric so I didn't get too hysterical about it.
3. This QAYG method is great because you don't have to quilt afterwards so this is a quick project and a lifesaver for people like me who celebrate when they've stitched a straight line.

I'm sure experienced quilters will shudder at some of my techniques, but I promise, I'll get better. I'm so inspired right now to learn more, and improve my very basic abilities.

I'd love to see your Kindle covers!