Before my daughter was born a few years ago, the hubby and I redesigned our kitchen. However, with the birth of a newborn, there are still a few small things that I had always wanted to do in our kitchen but had never gotten around to doing them. Thus, Kitchen Week was born! Join me this week as I share a few tutorials on sure to spruce up your kitchen space without spending loads of money. Come back again next week to check out Play Kitchen Week for the kiddos.
TOASTer Cover Tutorial
A few quick notes: This tutorial uses several sewing skills- applying piping, making your own pattern from your own measurements, quilting, and embroidery. Use as many or as few as you please. As long as you’ve followed the main steps, the quilting, piping, and embroidery may be skipped, if desired. A note about the fabric: I used pre-quilted fabric for the black, and quilted my own for the gray fabric. If you have purchased unquilted fabric for the top portion of the cover, be sure to quilt it prior to beginning the tutorial. If you have purchased quilted fabric for the bottom half of the cover, then you may skip the steps on quilting the bottom half.
So grab your sewing supplies and hang on for a somewhat lengthy, but totally worth it classy TOASTer Cover Tutorial.
Supplies:
- 1/2 yard pre-quilted fabric
- 1/2 yard coordinating fabric
- 1/2 yard fabric for the lining
- 1/2 yard batting
- 1 package coordinating piping
- Thread
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
- Tape measure
Every toaster is made differently, so you’ll have to use measurements for yours to draw pattern pieces. This is easier to do than it sounds.
To make side pattern pieces: I cheated on this one. I grabbed a piece of large paper and laid my toaster on it’s side. I then traced the outline of the toaster with a sharpie. I added an inch to account for seam allowance and mistakes and cut the pattern out.
To make the middle pattern piece: Measure the middle of the toaster from one end to the other (you’ll be going over the openings for the bread). Write this measurement down. Measure the width of the middle portion. Write this measurement down. Add an inch to both measurements. Cut a rectangle pattern piece using these measurements.
Cutting the lining- Take the pattern pieces and cut one middle pattern lining piece. Cut two side lining pieces. Lay aside.
Cutting fabric- the side pieces– Take the side pattern piece and measure from the bottom 4 inches. Cut the pattern in half lengthwise along this line. Using the top half of the pattern piece, lay it on the upper color fabric (for me it was black) and cut out the pattern (add about 1/2 inch length to the bottom to account for adjoining the fabric pieces together. Now take the bottom half of the side pattern piece and lay it on the coordinating fabric (for me it was gray). Cut out the pattern (add about 1/2 inch length to the top to account for adjoining fabric). Take bottom piece (for me it was gray) and use it to cut a matching amount of batting. Lay aside. Repeat all the steps again for the other side piece.
Cutting fabric- the middle piece– Take the middle pattern piece and measure from the bottom 4 inches on BOTH SHORT ENDS. Cut the pattern ends off along this line. Using the long portion of the pattern piece, lay it on the upper color fabric (for me it was black) and cut out the pattern (add about 1/2 inch length to the both ends to account for adjoining the fabric pieces together. Now take one of the bottom halves of the side pattern pieces and lay it on the coordinating fabric (for me it was gray). Cut out the pattern (add about 1/2 inch length to the top to account for adjoining fabric). Cut another exact piece. Take bottom piece (for me it was gray) and use it to cut TWO matching amounts of batting.
Quilting coordinating fabric– If all of your fabric is quilted, you may skip this step. Otherwise, take each coordinating fabric piece (for me it was gray), and pin it to the matching batting piece. Quilt down the short length of the piece at one inch intervals. Do this with each piece.
Embroidery– At this point, I used my amazing machine to Embroider the word “TOAST” on each of the side pieces on the bottom gray sections.
Assemble the fabric pieces- Now the goal is to assemble the fabric pieces so that they look like the pattern pieces that you initially cut. To do this for the side pieces, place the two fabric sections right sides together. Sew at a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Do the same for the other side section. Now place the end pieces on each end of the middle portion, right sides together. Sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Trim seams and iron the fabric flat.
Piping– Take the piping out of the package. Apply and sew around each of the side pieces. For more information on piping, see {THIS TUTORIAL}.
Assemble the outer cover– Right sides together, pin the long edge of the middle portion around one of the side sections. Try to match the seams as closely as possible. Sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance (be sure to use your zipper foot if you’ve applied piping). Repeat with the opposite side. Turn cover right side out. Trim seams and clip curves. “Try it on” the toaster. Cut off any extra length, leaving 1/2 inch extra for sewing in the lining.
Make the lining- To make the lining, take the pre-cut lining pieces and pin one long edge of the middle lining piece around one side piece (right sides together). Sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Repeat with opposite side. Trim seams and clip curves. ( I shouldn’t be allowed to take photos late at night- I think they got worse as the night went on lol).
Assemble the finished cover– Right sides together, place the lining over the outer cover and pin the edges. Sew around the cover with a 1/2 seam allowance, leaving a 4 inch opening for turning. Trim seams. Turn lining to inside of outer cover. Pin the edges of the cover, making sure that the lining is hidden and the opening is pin closed. Topstitch around the outside of the cover.
Linking to these great parties.
Love it! I’m definitely going to have to work on this! Pinning!
Well, this would definitely solve the problem of our potholders falling into the toaster all the time (how this happens, I still can’t figure out). Great job, Melanie!!
Cute cover for your toaster! I would love to have a machine to do embroidery! One day….
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
Looks great! I would so love a machine that can embroider. I have no idea what I’d embroider, probably everything, but I think it would be so handy for special items like this. Thanks so much for sharing at Etcetorize this week!
Very clear steps. Would have a go for my rice cooker. Thanks for sharing.
Terrie from Hong Kong
Looks great and so nice to have if your toaster sits out. Thanks so much for linking up this week.
pr
I really trust your instructions the most all the other instructions skipped the fact that everyones toaster might measure differently. So your measure first step won me over. I am a beginning sewer so I am carefull not to follow instructions that are not clearly considering all possiblilities. Thank you sooooo much for your post