Lots of Fabric Scraps? Not When We’re Done With Them!

After writing yesterday’s post about making a rag rug with extra fabric, I started thinking… “What about the pieces not big enough for a rug, but are big enough that I don’t want to toss them?”  Well, self, here is the answer!  For scraps at least 6 inches by 4 inches, you can make an iPod cover!  They’re easy, simple, and are a nice way to personalize your mp3 player and keep it from getting dirty or scratched.

ipod covers

These are really easy to make, and you can bust out a ton in an afternoon.  That makes for a good gift to give someone!  You can make these with a sewing machine, set to an 1/8″ edge, or you can do what is called a blanket stitch.  This is the stitch I prefer and have used on my own covers.  For thin fabrics, use only 1 to 2 threads of embroidery yarn.  For thicker fabrics like felt, use the whole thread.  Futuregirl.com has a great tutorial on blanket stitching to get you started.

What you need to do is lay your iPod, mp3 player, or camera down on a piece of scrap.  Using a sewing pencil or a marker, draw an outline at least 1/2 inch away from what you’re making the cover for.  You’ll need two pieces of fabric, so be sure to have two sides.  Place your scraps with what you want to be the outside facing each other and the backs facing out.  From here you can either machine sew, or blanket stitch, them together.  Leave the top open.  If you want to hem the top, a simple way to do it is fold it over, iron it, and then machine sew it around.  For something so small, though, it may be easier to hand stitch.

From there it is easy to customize your cover.  Sew on extra buttons, or use leftover embroidery thread to embroider a design on the front.  The possibilities are only as endless as your creativity!

[Image Credit: Hoekie at Flickr]

18 thoughts on “Lots of Fabric Scraps? Not When We’re Done With Them!”

  1. These are so cute! Great idea.

    I’m confused about something. Your instructions say to sew the layers with the right sides together, but the picture makes it look like you sewed yours with the *wrong* sides together. Is that because you used felt, which doesn’t fray and is really too thick to turn?

  2. These are so cute! Great idea.

    I’m confused about something. Your instructions say to sew the layers with the right sides together, but the picture makes it look like you sewed yours with the *wrong* sides together. Is that because you used felt, which doesn’t fray and is really too thick to turn?

  3. These are so cute! Great idea.

    I’m confused about something. Your instructions say to sew the layers with the right sides together, but the picture makes it look like you sewed yours with the *wrong* sides together. Is that because you used felt, which doesn’t fray and is really too thick to turn?

  4. Lenore MacLeod-Bickley

    Elizabeth, you’re right, it depends on the fabric. Felt you can sew together in whatever way you want, and you don’t need to hem the tops. Regular fabric, however, has a right and wrong side, and it would need to be hemmed. 🙂 I hope that helps.

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  7. Very cute! I made some like this for my mums birthday. I made a matching suglasses case, camera case, and make up bag. All from an old blanket and an old cardigan.

  8. Very cute! I made some like this for my mums birthday. I made a matching suglasses case, camera case, and make up bag. All from an old blanket and an old cardigan.

  9. Very cute! I made some like this for my mums birthday. I made a matching suglasses case, camera case, and make up bag. All from an old blanket and an old cardigan.

  10. Very cute! I made some like this for my mums birthday. I made a matching suglasses case, camera case, and make up bag. All from an old blanket and an old cardigan.

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