Snow Day = Sew Day

Actually, Tuesday was more of an ice day here in Southern Ohio, but that didn't rhyme quite as well. ;)

The January 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living had a great article about log cabin quilting. As a novice to the sewing world, I haven't attempted any quilting yet, but it's something I'm really interested in learning. After reading the article, I was inspired to try a couple of the projects, starting with the iPod case.

I knew by the forecast that I'd likely spend most of the week indoors. So, I decided it would be a good idea to head to the craft store and get the few supplies I needed to work on the projects. Okay, who am I kidding? The only thing I didn't have was batting and I could just as easily have picked that up where I grocery shop. However, it was a good excuse to go to Joann's!

The iPod case in the original article was made of denim, but I decided to make it out of felt (like the eyeglass case in the same article) because I have a TON in my stash from a sale last year.

When I sat down to begin the project, I realized there were great instructions on how to create the log cabin pattern, but no step-by-step directions in the magazine or online for this particular project. The Type A side of me started to freak out a little bit. I've often said that I'm "crafty, but no creative." I like to be told EXACTLY what to do when it comes to most projects. After some deep breathing, I carefully examined the picture and came up with a plan.

Since there were no measurements given, I measured the iPod and then guesstimaed based on the picture. To start, I cut several 1.5" strips of the teal felt. Since the center piece wasn't a square, I started with a 3.5" section and built outward from there. I used 1/4" seam allowances throughout.

Sewing the front and back pieces together was by far the hardest part. I decided to add batting to both the front and back panels for a little extra padding. My machine made it through 4 layers of felt and the batting with only one broken needle. I'm calling that a success.

Then came the true test. Would the iPod fit? Like a glove! Height wise, the end of the iPod lines up exactly with the end of the case.

This was a fun 1st foray into quilting. Although it's not perfect, it helped me build my confidence to try more. I really like the process of the log cabin and I'm eager to create more with this newly-learned technique.
I'm linking up my project to this parties: