There's one thing almost every sewist says, "I only iron when I sew." That rings true for me 95% of the time. I'm not a big fan of wrinkles so, I do iron the occasional laundry basket of clothes. However, my ironing board lives in my sewing space. Unless we have people over, it hangs out in sewing land.

There's nothing fun about pressing open seams on a musty crusty ironing board, amiright? I've bought countless pads for my board over the years. They've worked fine enough until they flatten and get ugly. It was time to make my own cover.

After going down the rabbit hole that is Google, I discovered people using felt blankets on their boards or Insul-Bright. You're going to use both for your new cover! No more wimpy covers that leaves board indents on your project or, dare I say, laundry. 

Your new board will be thick and lofty, oh and it'll look cute too. Yay for pretty things. :D 
Are you ready to re-cover your ironing board? Let's do this.

1. 2 yards of pretty cotton fabric, you may end up with some leftover 
2. 2 1/2 yards of elastic, 1/2" wide at least 
3. 1 wool blanket (buy it new, thrifted, from a military surplus store, or an old one in the closet)
4. 2 yards Insul-Bright
5. Thread
6. Sewing Machine
7. Pins or clips
8. Iron and ironing board, of course 

Ironing boards come in all shapes and sizes. 2 yards for the fabrics should be more than enough. Measure your board length to be sure, don't forget you'll need extra for the seam allowances.

This whole project takes about an hour. You'll be pressing those seams open on a pretty new cover in no time. 

Start by removing your old cover and after you've washed it, stuff it inside this floor pillow. ;)
​Use the thin foam piece as a cutting guide for the wool and Insul-Bright layers. If you don't have one, just eyeball it. This is an easy project, and it's all about winging it here.

• Cut 2 layers from your wool blanket
• Cut 1 layer of Insul-Bright batting

I cut the wool and Insul-Bright pieces one inch larger around. Set aside.

Place the 2 wool layers onto the board, then the Insul-Bright layer on top. Iron over the layers to smooth them out. Look at those wrinkles. Yikes!

Drape your cotton fabric over the board. You'll want it to hang 4" all around. Give everything a good press, sliding your iron back and forth over all the layers. 

Cut your fabric, it doesn't have to be perfect but, make sure your edges are smooth and not jagged. I'm speaking from experience. ;) Haha

Take your fabric cover to the machine. You're going to sew with a 1/2" seam allowance. Use a 2.5 or 3mm stitch length. It doesn't have to be perfect, the seam will get covered.

Now, grab your elastic. You're going to sew a zigzag stitch over the seam you just sewed with the elastic on top. 
Pull the elastic taught with one hand while gently pulling the fabric behind the machine with the other hand. Use a zigzag stitch and sew. You want to pull the elastic tight enough so it will make the cover fit nice and snug over your board.

You will have something that looks like mine up above. If not, grab that seam ripper, grab a cup of tea, and start ripping. 


If your fabric doesn't fit snugly enough, clip a piece of elastic and attach it on the underside along a long edge. Clip. Then, pull it toward the other side to get a snug fit. Clip or pin. Take it to the machine and zigzag over both ends. You may have to slide it on and off the board a few times to get a perfect fit.
​
My old cover came with elastic straps that fir like this, except they had a button. That's where I got the idea. I added two elastic strips under the cover. One at the nose and one at the bum. ;)


Yay!! You just made a cute ironing board cover and it will work much better than any store-bought one. 

I've wanted to recover my ironing board for a while, and I'm so happy I finally did it. With the multiple layers, everything presses nicely and quickly too. 

Are you excited to make your ironing board cover? Or is it something you'd rather not make? I'm curious, so tell me in the comments below if it's something you're excited to make.

​
Thanks for hanging out with me today. Now go sew something fun. :D


Happy ironing,
Annette

Have a ton of fabric scraps? Want to use them up? Sew a floor cushion.

New to sewing and want to jump right in? Read this Budget-Friendly sewing post here.

Is your machine not working properly? It might need a quick cleaning session, find out how, here.

Do you love vintage style and want to incorporate it to your everyday wardrobe? Grab this easy free pattern for a vintage headscarf. 

Do you have chickens? Yes! Well, you need an egg apron. Grab the free pattern and tutorial here.

Do you save every fabric scrap you've ever cut in hopes of using them for something? If you're like me, you don't save them all but, you do save pieces big enough to use for a pocket. Because... pockets! Right? I've discovered the best fabric-busting project of all time. It uses all your fabric scraps up. Okay, it doesn't technically "use" them but, it does put them to use. You're going to sew a simple floor cushion and store all your scraps inside! ​

​You'll want to plow through that list of sewing projects so you can cut into fabric and have more scraps to fill the floor cushion. Whew! Trust me, I'm speaking from experience. ;)

The floor cushion itself is not a good scrap buster. You might need to buy fabric to make it. But, it'll free up space in your sewing area, I promise. 

I was lucky enough to have leftover grey chenille from my pop-up trailer makeover, so I used that. You'll want to use an upholstery weight fabric or something similar. This cushion is going to take a beating. 

If you have upholstery thread, you can use it here. If you don't, good ole polyester thread works fine. This whole project takes 2hrs give or take. It's a quick sew and gives a huge reward! 

If you're still on the fence about making one, think ottoman, pet bed, kid's seat, etc.

My cat claims it as his bed when my son isn't using it for his feet. It gets carried from room to room and makes a great coffee table game chair as well. I'm surprised it hasn't been involoved in a pillow fight yet.

• 2.5 yards upholstery fabric or similar weight fabric (you'll have a little bit leftover) 
• Thread
• Clips or pins
• 14" Zipper 
• That huge pile of fabric scraps
• Sewing machine
• Scissors, ruler, marking tool, etc. 

Wash your fabric if you want. I didn't. When I need to wash it in the future, it'll shrink a little and be fine. 

You're going to sew a large cube and fill it with your fabric scraps. Hooray!
​
1. Cut ​2, 21" squares. Cut 4 rectangles measuring 15.5" by 21". Serge or zigzag over the raw edges. Upholstery fabric loves to fray. 

2. Clip or pin the rectangles together along the short sides, right sides together. You're making a loop. Sew up the short sides using 1/2" seam allowances, backstitching at the beginning and ends.

3. Lay one square right side up on your table. Clip one side of the loop you just made from the rectangles, onto the square, RST. It's easiest to clip the corners of the square to the side seams first. Then, ease the side seams in. Your upholstery fabric might have some stretch in it but, you tell it who's boss!
​
​If you don't want to insert a zipper, sew along the edge using 1/2" seam allowance.

4. Here's where you'll insert your zipper if you want one. This is a little different than inserting a zipper into a bag so, bear with me. 

Clip/pin one side of the zipper to a rectangle edge. Sew the zipper with a zipper foot. 
Open the zipper and clip the zipper tape to the square bottom edge. Sew using the zipper foot. You might have to sew one side of the zipper tape facing down which feels awkward but is totally fine.

Switch back to your regular sewing foot to sew around the whole square. Start at one end of the zipper and end at the other end of the zipper. Open and close the zipper to make sure it's lined up, if it isn't smooth, unpick one side and resew it. 

*It's easier to sew with the flat piece down and move the rectangles out of the way as you sew.

To get the seam and zipper area to match up nicely, sew an extra 1/8" inside the zipper seam allowance when you get to the zipper.

​It's a little trick that's used when inserting invisible zippers. 

5. Now that the hardest part is over, it's time to sew the top square on. Clip the top the same way you did with the bottom square. Start with the corners first, then clip the sides. Sew all around using 1/2" seam allowance. 

This might look tricky but, take your time. Go slow and make sure you're only sewing over the 2 layers. 

6. Turn the cushion right side out and pop out the corners. You don't have to worry about trimming the corners unless you want to. I left them alone. Press the seams open as well as you can. 
​
Ta-da! You've made a floor cushion, bean bag, floor pouf, or whatever you want to call it. You made one!

7. Stuff it with all those fabric scraps inside. It's very therapeutic. If it feels empty still, toss some extra yardage inside if you'd like. I had yards of fleece, minky, and faux fur from my baby gift making days and that really helped to fluff it up.

You can even fill it with those random pieces of interfacing you're probably saving.  ;) 

​All that's left to do is use it. Who gets to use it first? The kids, your kitty, or you?

• Use a long enough zipper to get your hand in and out. Originally, I used a tiny 6" zipper thinking I'd never need the scraps again. Haha!! It was quickly ripped out and replaced with a longer 14" one. It's fun and easy to add more scraps. And, if you need a pocket or other scrap sized piece of fabric in the future, you can look through them easily. Dump everything out onto a table and sift through them all.

• This is great for using up fabric that has been sun faded. If your fabric has fading in areas, use that piece for the bottom. Or, use it to stuff your floor pouf. It's a perfect use for what would normally be unusable fabric. Win-win! 

• If you have random pieces of heavy weight fabrics, use them to make the cushion. Use a different piece for each side, top, and bottom. It'll give it an eclectic and lively look. Faux fur would be fun too!
  

         
You can make a set if you have buckets and buckets of scraps laying around. Oh, a set would be great for a kids room or game room as well. 

Now I'm off to tackle that sewing to-do list. I need more scraps!! 

So, are you ready to put all those scraps to use? Well, store them in a fun way at least? If you do, tag me on Instagram @sewingtothemoon so I can see them all.

Happy stuffing!

​Annette

Still, have the sewing bug? Make some easy things for your home below. 

​Fabric Baskets are great for storing things on the counter and inside drawers. Make one here.

Sew the easiest dress ever, here. It's also the coziest dress. Here's another cozy dress. 

​Want to organize your sewing space? Here are pattern organization tips. 

Want an easy Vintage sewing pattern to up your style game? Grab your Downloadable PDF here.

I have found the holy grail of bags and I'm shouting it out from the rooftop!

This bag is the biggest-little bag I've ever laid eyes on. It's a game-changer for sure and everyone needs to have one or two! It's honestly the best travel bag I've come across! You can fill it with everything except the kitchen sink. This day-use crossbody bag is perfect for walking around museums, theme parks, concerts, national parks, etc.
I'm not getting paid for this post, I am just in love! Haha!

I've always carried my regular handbag whenever we ventured out and after a few hours, my shoulder would hurt something fierce. I eventually bought a tiny crossbody bag from a big box store for $5 because it was $5! Oh, and it was in the shape of cherries. Super cute!!

Well, my newest phone is too big for the cherry purse. So, I searched Pinterest high and low for a crossbody sewing pattern and nothing came up. Is it me or is Pinterest extremely lackluster nowadays?

I wanted pockets and the bag shape to be more horizontal than vertical. My next stop was Etsy. Thank you Etsy, for coming through. I found the best pattern and I'm sharing it with you today. Hold on to your teacup because she's a doozy.

This bag has so. many. pockets! It's comfortable to wear (aren't all crossbody bags?) and will hold allllll of your things. I'm not sharing a step-by-step tutorial in this post because the bag creator has Youtube videos and an extremely detailed PDF that comes with the pattern. This post is more of a pattern review. 

I made this one for myself so, it is full of bright colored fabrics. If you know me, I'm the opposite of a neutral person. Ha! 

Grab the downloadable pattern here. 

I want to start off by saying this bag is not great for scrap-busting. It takes a good amount of fabric. You'll also need a couple yards of interfacing because everything needs to be interfaced. Don't skip the interfacings, bags really do need all the pieces to be reinforced. 

After you print and cut out all the PDF pattern pieces, trace and cut the fabric pieces, and interface everything 'til the cows come home, you'll be ready to sew!
Whew! 

Holy moly. This pattern has sooo many pieces. I suggest cutting and interfacing everything one day and saving the sewing for the next day.  Like I said, she's a doozy.

​The bag does come together quickly when you start sewing though. Yay for that! 

I wore the bag all day on a family adventure to an aircraft carrier. It was full of all my things and a few of my kids thing. I walked up and down stairs and spent a lot time standing, reading signs, and listening to the volunteers talk. The weight would usually have hurt my shoulder and back but, I didn't have any pain. I could have worn this bag for 3 more days without batting an eyelash. Winner-winner!

It held everything I needed for the whole day and was comfy to use/wear. 

The following weekend I was invited to go away on a girls trip. I left my regular purse at home and only took the crossbody bag. It was perfect. It held my money, masks, cards, and everything else I needed for a whole weekend. 

I do like a full size handbag for everyday use so, when I got home I emptied everything back into my bigger bag. But, this was perfect for a day out.

Assembling the bag is fairly easy. Follow the PDF directions and/or Youtube videos. There are a few added steps to help with things like zipper installation, which is great for beginners.

You don't need rivets to make this bag. You can sew across the seam easily enough. Heck, you don't even need the swivel hook or D ring. Sew one long purse strap into the bag seams. 

​Okay, here are a few changes I'd make:

1. I wouldn't add the lining pocket. The bag is small and has a whole lot of pockets already. The main body portion is small enough and doesn't need the extra pocket (read: save your fabric).
2. I made the purse strap twice as thick. I always prefer a thicker strap so, if you're the same way, use a 1" swivel hook and double the width of the fabric strap. I still used a .5" D ring and didn't have any issues with the different hardware sizes. 
3. Next time, I want to use vinyl for the back and bottom. I didn't use any this time because it's a cross body bag. I usually don't let my crossbody bags touch the floor, they stay on my body throughout the whole day. But, I might try it in the future. 
4. I would make zipper tabs next time. This will allow the front flap to lie flat and look nicer. Yes, adding zipper tabs adds extra time but, it'll be worth it. 
5. Read through the pattern instructions first. The instructions are extremely detailed. Almost too detailed in my opinion. But, if you're brand new to bag sewing, extra details are a good thing. If you're more familiar with inserting a zipper, snap, etc.) some steps may feel a bit tedious. 
6. I would topstitch the front flap and around the main opening. The instructions don't have you do this. I suggest you do it though. Topstitching holds all the layers in place and gives it extra reinforcement.
   

So what do you think? Are you excited to make a Clarendon Crossbody Wallet? I highly recommend this pattern and bag. I plan on making a few for friends to give as Christmas gifts this year. But, shhh, don't tell them. ;) 

Happy Sewing!
​
XO,
Annette 

Looking for something easy to sew? Make a fun zip pouch. 

Or, make a headband to match your new bag. Wide hair scarf or thin one.

Want to sew something that doesn't take a lot of fabric or pattern pieces? This is the list for you! I've compiled 9 Simple Sewing projects that are easy and great for beginners. These are great scrap busters and some make wonderful gifts, too!

1. Keychain
2. Headband
3. Zipper Bag​
4. Apple Watchband Scrunchie
5. Fabric Basket
6. Pillow
7. Small Purse
8. Advent Calendar
9. Hair Scrunchie
   
   

1. Keychain

We all need keychains for our keys or extra sets of keys. You can increase the length of this to make a wristlet or lanyard as well. 

Supplies:

• Fat Quarter or large strip of fabric
• Lightweight interfacing
• Matching thread
• Metal key ring
• Iron + ironing board
• Sewing machine + notions

1. Cut a rectangle piece of fabric that measures 8" long by 4" wide. You can always cut this shorter if you'd like but, this is a good starting size for a pocket key fob..
2. Apply interfacing according to the manufactures instructions. 
3. Fold the fabric in half, wrong sides together, lengthwise, and press.
4. Fold one long edge into the center crease you've previously made. Press. 
5. Do the same with the other side. Press. Fold the edges in again and you should now have one long strip. Give it a good press once again.
6. Top stitch 1/8" using 3mm-3.5mm stitch length, from the folded edge starting from the top. Repeat on the other side, starting at the top. (This will help with any puckering that may occur).

​Fold one end over the ring about 1/2". 

​









​Sorry for the blurry photos, my camera was mad at me. ;)

Wow! Spring sure arrived quickly. We are still in the middle of fake Spring here- cold for a few days, then delightfully warm for a few days, and so forth. Do you do any Spring cleaning? Organizing your whole house and then you need places for all the random little things? With things starting to open back up, are you having visions of people coming over? I bet you're thinking about all the backyard parties as well. Or not. Either way, everyone could use some easy storage ideas for their home. 

Fabric baskets or bins are the perfect small storage remedy. Keep some hand sanitizer inside a cute basket for your visitors. Make one and fill it with snacks for a new neighbor. Use them in the craft room filled with thread spools or fabric scraps. Or, make some fun decor fabric baskets for your kitchen and keep fruit inside.

I'm starting a sewing project category calledSimple to Sew. I want to give you more simple sewing projects and lessons. These fabric baskets are the first sewing project of many more to come. Next up, zippers!

Now that mask making has slowed, it's time to get some "fun-sewing" in. Not that masks weren't fun but, they were draining. Pick out some fun fabrics that match your personal style or a new style you secretly love. These simple to sew, fabric baskets are 100% customizable. Soon, every room will have a fabric bin. Once you make one, you'll want to make more. I promise! 

Let's get started.

• Sewing Machine
• 1/4 yard (minimum) fabric for outer
• 1/4 yard fabric for lining
• Fusible or sew-in fleece interfacing
• Iron and ironing board
• Matching or contrasting thread
• Pins or clips
• Scissors
  
• All your other sewing notions you love

If you're looking for budget-friendly sewing options, read this post. It's long and has tons of information. If you're brand spankin' new to sewing, start there. It's a great in depth post even if you're a seasoned sewer. 

You want a medium to heavy weight fabric to make fabric bins with. The fabrics listed below are great options but, experiment with what you have on hand too. Make these entirely your own. One fabric I don't recommend is stretch knit. 

• Canvas 
• Denim
• Quilting cotton
• Home decor fabric
• Upholstery fabric
• Linen
• Oilcloth and vinyl (I don't use interfacing for this fabric)

1. Prewash and iron your fabric. *If you are using oilcloth or vinyl, skip this step.
2. Cut 2 rectangles of your outer and 2 of the lining fabrics. Each should measure 10" wide by 8" tall. Of course, you can change up this measurement. Make them longer or shorter, taller or wider. This just gives you a starting point.
3. Interfacings: Cut your interfacing and add to your fabric following the package instructions.

• This is where you can experiment. Use lightweight, heavyweight, or fleece interfacing. 
• When I make a smaller basket with denim or canvas, I tend to not add interfacing. 
• When sewing with quilting cotton, I use fleece or a medium-weight fusible. Find what works best for you.
• Foam interfacing is really nice to use. It costs more but, creates such a nice finish and look.

     4.  Cut squares into your fabric pieces. For the measurement above (10"x8") you'll measure a 2" square. Using a quilting ruler makes this part               easy. If you don't have one, just mark 2" from the bottom and sides. *I like to place all 4 layers together to cut the corners. When I go to pin               the sides and bottoms, I match the corners up. This ensures even corners.

If your basket is smaller, make a 1.5" square. If it's larger, mark a 2.5" or 3", and so forth.

I'm sure there's a science to it but, I don't really do math. LOL
​How am I a sewer, you ask? I don't know. ; -)

Add interfacing to the outer fabric. 

Here's a quick tip on interfacing if you don't have a big enough solid piece.
​
If you're short on interfacing, piece it together like a puzzle. I do this more often than I'd like to admit for my projects. So, shhh, don't tell anyone. You can't tell from the correct side. Thinner pieces should overlap slightly while thicker interfacings should butt up next to each other. 

​After your fabric pieces are cut, interfaced, and corners cut out, you're ready to sew! 

1. Place the two lining pieces RST and pin/clip together.
2. Place the two outer pieces RST and pin/clip together. 
3. Use a 1/4" seam allowance, and sew each side and bottom together, backstitching at the beginning and end. 

     4.  Now, sandwich the corners together to form the boxy bottom. Pinch them in the opposite direction so, the seams you just sewed are on top  of each other. Pin together. It should lie flat if your cutting was exactly a square. Match up the side seams up because you will see them.
     5.  Sew across the small corner area with a 1/2" seam allowance. Backstitch at the beginning and end. Trim your seam allowances.

Do the same thing with the outer fabrics.

    6.  Turn the lining right side out. Place the lining piece inside the outer piece. The right sides should be touching each other. Pin together at the    side seams first, then continue to pin around the whole top of the bin. Leave a 4" gap for turning out. You can do this at the back or along a side seam area. 

    7.  Using a 1/2" seam allowance, sew around the whole top making sure to catch both layers. Backstitch at the beginning and end of the opening. 
      8.  Turn the fabric basket out. Reach inside and gently pull out the lining through the gap you left open. Then, reach inside and grab the outer fabric and pull it out, gently. This is little more difficult because of the thicker interfacing. Just be patient and keep pulling it out through the opening.
  

Poke out the corners using a chopstick or blunt end of a pencil. I love using my chopstick for poking out corners. My dad brought it back for me, from China, when he visited 20 years ago. It's a near and dear to me, sewing notion. :-)

Check your seams. Make sure everything is neat and tidy. No interfacing is sticking out or fabric that wasn't sewn in, accidentally. No puckers either. If anything is happening that you don't love, grab that seam ripper. 


    9.  Push your lining back down into the basket. Press the top edge with your iron to flatten out the seam bulk.
   10.  Last step! Pin the opening closed, and topstitch around the whole top. You can even do a second row of stitching using the edge of your pressure foot as a guide.

That's it. You're done! Go fill it up with whatever fun things you have that need a home.

It looks like a lot of steps but, it's not. Once you make a simple fabric basket, you'll want to make more. They're great for storing all the little things and big things. Just follow the interfacing guide up above and experiment with different fabrics and sizes. You can add handles or loops for hanging too. Make an extra-long loop on a bin to use for a trash bin inside your car. There are endless possibilities for these little baskets of fun. 

Share in the comment section what you plan to use them for. 

Thanks for hanging out and stay tuned for more Simple to Sew sewing projects. Zippers are up next!


Annette


Need something a little more time-consuming so sew? Check out this post on the Charms Pattern Rita Blouse. 

During all the Spring cleaning chaos, have you cleaned your sewing machine lately? Here's a quick 5 minute cleaning tutorial. 


Use #simpletosew on Instagram so we can all see each other's creations. 

Play with sizing. Make them tall. Make them short. If you're unsure if the sizing will work for your needs, use scrap paper to staple the pieces together. These are meant to be customized for your own use. Have fun with them!