BAMQG had a gift exchange yesterday for the Winter Extravaganza meeting. I made a tablet cover for Cindy C.
I started it a few months ago, right after the announcement and my giftee assignment.
I found many tablet covers, but finally decided I liked the look of the Sew Mama Sew pattern by Jen Carlton Bailly. In the end I got a tablet cover with which I am pleased and it only took me a day, but, in the end, I didn’t like this pattern.
The tablet cover I needed to make was intended for a modern guild’s swap. I have a lot of the Heather Bailey Pop something fabric – Sugar Pop? Pop Rocks? I don’t remember the name of it. It is modern and so I used it with a Bonnie and Camille Bliss print on the inside.
I searched for a tablet cover pattern, cut the pieces and then let them sit for nearly a month. Bad idea, because I had a hard time finding the pattern on my computer. It was there; I just didn’t remember where I filed it. I also forgot where I was in the making process. Sigh. Not an auspicious start.
I started out making the pocket as the directions said. I was quite proud of my pocket. The corners are a little wonky, but I was proud of the way I lined up the fabric.
This pattern ended up being somewhat problematic and the problems started when I went to sew the pocket to the cover. The directions weren’t specific on where to sew the pocket and from the pictures, it looked like it was sewn to the inside. I sewed it on and went on with making the rest of the cover.
I used Soft & Stable instead of the recommended interfacing, because it is nice and cushy. I wanted the cover to keep the tablet from getting scratched and the Soft & Stable provides a good cushion. It is not fusible so I sewed the pieces into the seam allowances to keep them in place.
Once you get the hang of bagmaking, most bags (and this is essentially a bag) are very similar. I sewed along at a good clip. I slowed down towards the end, because of the strap for the wristlet. I had to translate the webbing directions to using interfacing and fabric directions. I think my wristlet looks ok.
The velcro was also a challenge and I would have put it on before I sewed the lining and the exterior together if I had known how it would fall in the steps. I’d like my velcro to be hidden, which means sew to the lining and the Soft & Stable NOT to the outside. That type of construction is not much more complicated, however you do have to think ahead.
Yes, I read the directions, but without fabric in my hands, it might has well have been gibberish. I’ll do it a different way if I make another one.
As I mentioned above, I sewed the pocket to the inside of the cover. There was no mention of sewing the tablet cover together. Even reading over the steps above and below, I could find no spot that said to sew the cover together so it looked like an envelope, so I did my best when I got to that spot.there were three sections, so it wasn’t difficult and I used monofilament so the stitching wouldn’t show up.
As it turns out, the pocket ended up on the inside. With the opening down.
Since the opening was down so I couldn’t even claim it is a hidden pocket. I am not a good pattern reader, so I went back to be sure and step two does not mention what fabric (outside or lining) I should sew the pocket to. Different fabrics are shown in different pictures. I know it is hard to write tutorials and thankless, as well, but this was not a complete pattern. I am not sure it was tested.
I looked at it and thought about it overnight. I decided to take the whole piece apart and resew it so the pocket would be useful. Unsewing monofilament is no picnic, but I am much happier with how my version of this pattern turned out.
The pocket is nice looking IMO, but it covers the matching of the fabric on the actual cover that worked at. Oh well.
