DIY Free-Motion “Faceted Fabric” Panel iPad or Tablet Cover

Another fabulous fabric-play project from Carol Ann Waugh! Turn a pile of fabric scraps into a shimmering faceted panel evocative of quartz and opal crystals, then use it to make a padded cover for your iPad or tablet. Select fabrics in your favorite colors – cool blues and greens or fiery oranges and yellows – and be sure to add some accent colors to the mix, such as the lime green in the blue cover and primary blue in the orange one.

DIY iPad or Tablet Cover

DIY iPad or Tablet Cover

Supplies

1 fat quarter (18″ x 22″ rectangle) of cotton fabric

Coordinating fabric scraps

1 fat quarter of fabric for backing

Fusible interfacing

Batting

Contrasting and/or coordinating thread

Invisible thread

Hook-and-loop tape (sewable, not sticky)

Rattail cord

Step 1) Prepare the “faceted” fabric panel.

Prepare your focus fabric by selecting some fabric scraps and cutting or ripping them into squares measuring about 1-1/2″  square.

fabric scraps

Cut a  6″ x 12″ rectangle of interfacing. Lay the  interfacing on your ironing board, glue side up. Arrange your squares, overlapping the edges, into a pleasing pattern. Be sure to cover the entire surface of the interfacing so you don’t get any glue on your iron. When finished, fuse the squares to the interfacing.

Set up your machine for free-motion stitching and stitch down all the edges using a coordinating or contrasting thread. I used a simple zig-zag motion but you can use any type of stitching you like.

scrappy fabric

Add some decorative machine stitches to your fabric. I used a complimentary color scheme for mine (orange fabric with blue stitching.

embellished fabric

Trim this fabric to 5″ x 11″.

Step 2) Assemble the front panel.

Cut two 3″ x 11″ strips from coordinating fabric scraps or from a fat quarter and sew one strip to each side of your focus fabric. Press.

fabric strips

Make a quilt sandwich using batting and a backing and free motion machine stitch the layers together.

free-motion sewing

Trim the front to 8″ x 10″ and zig-zag all around the edge with invisible thread.

Add the rattail cord to the top edge using a wide zig-zag stitch.

Tip: Visit my website,  NAME, to see a video demonstration of Carol Ann’s Rattail Binding technique.Click on the Video tab, then scroll down to the video.

rat-tail cord edge

Cut the hook-and-loop tape to 1-1/2″ long and sew one half of the strip to the front of the case, about 1″ from the top edge.

hook-and-loop tape

Step 3) Make the back panel and flap.

Free-motion machine stitch the sandwich layers together. You can use any design; I used a squiggly stitch to match the stitch I used on the front panel.

freemotion squiggles

Trim the back to 8″ x 13-1/2″.

To round the corners, use a cup or circle tool to mark the fabric and then cut the corners with scissors.

rounded corners

Zig-zag around all the edges with invisible thread.

Step 4) Assemble the cover.

Put the front on top of the back, wrong sides together, and sew the bottom together with invisible thread using a wide zigzag stitch and a size 14 needle. Sew the sides the same way.

DIY Faceted Fabric iPad or Tablet Cover

Add rattail cord all the way around the edges.

Turn down the flap and position the second half of the hook-and-loop tape and sew  it in place.

DIY iPad or Tablet Cover

You’re done!

Visit Carol Ann’s blog at CarolAnnWaugh.com, and watch for her classes at Craftsy and lectures and workshops around the USA.

 

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