Make a Padded Sewing Machine Travel Cover and a GREAT TOOL for Turning Strips

If I can't take my sewing machine I'm not going! Even though my husband and I live full-time in a tiny 19' travel trailer (RV ha!) I always bring my sewing machine - it has come in very handy - from repairing clothes torn on hikes, to sewing a new kayak sail when we almost got washed out to sea.

These are instructions to make a sewing machine cover using heavy craft or packing foam. If you want to use quilt batting, you do it almost the same. I am in the process of writing up those instructions.

This is a fairly easy project, but it's a little fiddly.

You will need about a yard of fabric, and some padding. You need basic knowledge of sewing, but it's not a difficult project. Read on for a full tutorial.

MEASURE YOUR SEWING MACHINE

The first thing you need to do is take a tape measure and run it around your sewing machine to see approximately how much fabric and padding you're going to need. Just use this as an estimate, and add at least three or four inches for overlap and so you have room to work.

Next measure how wide you want it to extend across your machine. I think I made mine a little too narrow, but it was what I had to work with so it is what it is.

This is similar to the sewing machine I covered and I used to make this. It's a very lightweight, inexpensive Brother machine that sews anything I throw at it! I'm very impressed even though the entire machine seems to be made of plastic. Not even sure that the needle is metal LOL I got mine at Sam's Club a few years ago for about $150.

I had a great piece of high density foam that I managed to cut into smaller and smaller pieces trying to make a different kind of holder until I had very little left LOL.

CUT THE MAIN FABRIC

Add 3-4 inches to the length (circumference) measurement

Add 2 inches to the width measurement

Cut this out of your main fabric.

Cut the lining to the same length, but about 1/2" narrower: this will pull the exterior fabric around the edges a little bit so that it looks nicer.

Set the lining fabric aside for now.

SEW ON THE BUTTONS

Sew 3 large buttons on one end of the main fabric. 

I recommend you reinforce the fabric behind the buttons with fabric squares

Set your machine on the fabric and wrap it around so that the ends meet in the front. The buttons should be on the bottom piece. You will make buttonholes in the other side. Move things around until you like the way it looks.

MAKE THE STRAPS

(AND A FANTASTIC TOOL FOR TURNING STRAPS!)

Cut 2 long strips about 4-5" wide x 24-36" long

Sew long sides, right sides together to make straps

I have to share this with you - this is the best tool for turning straps.

Recognize it? It's a mechanic's pick-up tool. It's used for picking up small bolts and things that fall down in tight places

You know what else it is good for? TURNING STRAPS! You can get one for under $10 and you'll never go back to turning straps the old way.

Click here to get one on Amazon

Go ahead - sew some thin straps - you know what a pain they are to turn. And these are out of heavy cotton fabric! 

Slide the pick-up tool into the strap all the way to the end. Use the claw to grab the end. Pull carefully. The good thing is that if you do lose the grip, you just squeeze the end to open the claw back up and grip it again without having to start over.

As long as you're making straps, make 4 more smaller straps - 2 for each end of the case. Put velcro closures.

this tool is great for turning anything!

I took photos of the process, but they are very confusing. I think the sketches are much easier to understand.

ADD THE STRAPS

With a ruler, make a mark 2-4" up from the table. This will be the placement for your straps. Mark the placement for the carrying handles on the front and the back.

Also mark where the two straps on each end will go

Place the fabric on the table and even out the marks for your straps. Sew the straps on.

SEW LINING TO MAIN FABRIC

Lay the Main Fabric right sides up. 

Pin the velcro straps in place as shown below 

Pin the lining fabric over the Main Fabric and the straps, right sides together.

Sew the SIDES ONLY of the main fabric and lining.

You will have to move the fabric over to line up the lining. It is smaller than the main fabric. This will work - just trust me :) Sew with 1/4" to 1/2" seam. (1/4" if you have a serger)

After you have sewn the sides, even them out - the main fabric will fold over to the lining side a little bit on each side. 

Sew shut THE BUTTON END of the tube you have just created. 

Turn the cover right-side-out. 

Cut the padding about as wide as the cover, but narrow enough so you can slip it inside. This is how it will look after you get the padding in, so you know what you're aiming at.

This is how it is going to work - The green is the pieces of padding. The purple is the fabric.

It's basically 3 pieces of padding slid into the cover one at a time, and sewn between them.

Wrap the foam around the sewing machine and align it the way you wish. Mark it. Cut the foam into three pieces. The front piece, the base, and the back which wraps around over the top.

Cut the first piece of padding (the part under the buttons) and slip it into the cover. 

Pin it tightly.

Using a zipper foot, sew as close as you can.

Be careful to have the straps out of the way

Continue and do all 3 sections this way.

MAKE THE BUTTONHOLE FLANGE

When you get to the last section, don't close the end.

Cut a piece of the main or coordinating fabric as about 6" wide and the width of the case + 1"



Fold right sides together and sew the 3" side. (It will be long and skinny)



Turn right side out and make 3 buttonholes that match the buttons you put on.

Insert into open end of the case, fold the raw edges of the case over the raw edge of the buttonhole flange and topstitch it all closed.

Ta Dah! You have just made your padded sewing machine travel case!!

I think I am going to make some modifications to my cover. I think that I could use it to pad the surface as I sew, and the top can hang over the edge and have pockets for scissors, etc. I'll post an update if I ever get around to doing this :)

Now, Go Play Outside

or Sew :D