Sewing Machine cover too short - Help

[Carol336]

I just spent the better part of today making a sewing machine cover from 5x5 charm squares, and after putting it all together - I discover it is too short. Even when I put the binding on it's still going to be way too short. I know there must be something I can do, but I am such a newbie to sewing, I just don't know what that would be. The pattern called for 24 charms....4 across and 6 down.....and I'm thinking it could have been at least 7 down because it's at least 2 inches short all around. If anyone out there is old enough to remember when we had covers on all our appliances in the kitchen, this is made very much like the toaster cover. I sure would appreciate any suggestions you girls might have.
Carol in MD

[HdWench]

Can you post a picture? Do you have any more matching or coordinating fabric?

What about a border then adding wide lace like a frilly bottom? I made all mine from scraps so kept adding until they covered, sorry I can't help more!

[SuzyQue]

If it is 2 inches too short, how about cutting some charm squares in half and adding them to the bottom as rectangles instead of squares? Or a band of coordinating fabric would work, too. Pictures, please.

[Carol336]

Not sure if I did this right, but hopefully you're seeing the pictures below. Now please don't look too closely at my quilting.....I'm brand new to this!!!!

[SuzyQue]

You are on the right track.....just need to add another row...or at least a partial row to lengthen the whole cover. What bright colors in your fabric.....makes a happy cover!

[Genny]

I would probably put a wide solid color border around the bottom. Something that matches one of the colors in your charm squares.
LOVE your colors!

[K. McEuen]

Okay, the real answer to your question of how to do this is ... you are going to have to add it as a quilt as you go method.

Make a band of batting the width of the additional inches needed. For example I am going to say 2 inches. By band I mean measure the length you need from one side seam, all the way around to the same side seam. zig zag the ends together, not overlapping, but butted up against each other. Now, zig zag this band of batting to the bottom of your cover.
On the outside of your cover place the additional fabric, whether you choose to do more charm squares or a solid band, right sides together with your cover. This fabric should also be in a continuous band. On the inside of your cover place a band of your lining fabric, right sides together. Slide the band of batting you attached over the arm of your sewing machine. Stitch through the additional fabrics and your cover, 1/4" from the edge. Fold down (over the newly attached batting) both the outside and inside bands of fabric. Your cover should now be long enough. Maybe run a couple lines of stitching around the added band and then bind.

Hopefully this makes sense.

[Carol336]

Thanks everyone for all your kind comments and help. And, yes K McEuen your little tutorial does make sense, well sort of - LOL. I'm going to print out your instructions and give it a whirl, probably not for a couple of days now, lots of errands to run, but I'll post pics when finished. Thank you all soooooo much.

C

[PeggyM]

I immediately thought of wide lace, too. Or maybe satin ribbon.

[bubba]

A ruffle would be cute too! I can tell you why it turned out short like that. If the machine were in a cabinet, your cover would not be short at all, it would be tabletop length, as it should be.