I made it!

For some time I have been aware of the absence of a drop cover to go over my sewing machine. My daughter's machines have them supplied, but my machine came with a carry bag, which is brilliant, but doesn't function as a cover you can just stick on when you stop sewing for the moment.

I also have a promise to myself, that at some point I will attempt to become reasonably capable of free motion quilting. I have dabbled for years, but truth to tell, you have to practice, like with other skills, in order to be able to actually produce a half way acceptable result.

With current conditions - coronavirus-I am spending a bit more time at home,so perhaps now is a reasonable time to actually do something about it?

I had spotted a tutorial on Youtube, which was really easy to follow and did the thinking for me. You may not want the thinking done for you, but when I am feeling brainless, it is lovely to have someone tell me what to do. Just some of the time.
Luckily I found suitable fabric in my stash. Would't it be frustrating if you got that urge and there was nothing you wanted to use that way?

So I made my template, made the pieces, put on a couple of sensible pockets, and done!

 This rich dark red, printed in gold, it was picked up at Abakhan some time ago, as being too useful looking to leave behind, And rich and pretty looking. It never occurred to me at the time, I would use it for me!

The kimonos on thie panel are part of a sheet of kimonos. Again, serendipity, I had not realised these fabrics, bought at different times, would work so beautifully together. 

Having attached kimonos to red, I sandwiched with plain white on the back, and cut side panels without the kimonos, and got to the scary bit. FMQ. 

This one was the starter. And boy, does it show. I had no clear idea what I was going to end up with, or where I was going with it. I knew that I would get a smoother result by going a bit more quickly, but how quickly is a bit more ? And you can see my strange meander is just that, strange. But this is warts and all, and everyone has some things that aren't quite, well, quite. 

Having done this I felt a bit more as if I might get somewhere- No way am I ripping it out, no matter how awful, and starting again, so this will be there to remind me how I can get something randomly dreadful, move on!

So then I did side two. I know it is not perfect, but I am a LOT happier with this one. The pattern emerging reminds me of tree bark. It is organic and flows . Yes there are plenty of hiccups, and I realise I need to stop the machine only when I want to change a direction radically, as I will get a jerk whenever I do stop. I think it will not be obvious to the uninitiated that there are loads of jumpy jerks there. I know, you know, but except for the quilt police, no-one else will know. 

So then, the main panel. I wasn't going to do my tree bark over my kimonos, so I just did the lines between the little panels, to keep everything together and left it at that. Tree bark on the rest. 

Don't judge me on the mess on the floor. I still say, he who never makes a mess, never makes anything else either!

A full width pocket on the back. I can slot my standard flat bed in there. 

An elastic topped gathered pocket on the side panel- the one with the grotty quilting- for in case I need it. Overlock everything and bind the bottom edges

 The sides are then bound to the main body. I added a slot in the top to grab the handle by, for if I need to lift it.

 Amn't I posh?

What would I do differently?
I would make the binding for the attachment of the side panels to the main a little wider. Instead of 2" strips, I would try 2.5". This would let me cover the layers at the bottom corners more readily.
I would also make the whole thing about 1" shorter, It is a tad too long. It is not an issue worth taking apart for, but it is unnecessarily tall.

The details for those who like them
Outer fabrics from Abakhan, white lining from Black Sheep, wadding from festival of quilts 2 years ago. It is iron on double sided wadding, which I love. No it does not iron on firmly at all, but just enough to keep it stable, but you can peel it off quite easily. And yes BOTH sides are 'iron-on-able'
Which is now a word. Official. Yes.
Thread used was all Gutermann, apart from the overlocker. The quilting was done with Sulky 02776, weight 30.


I am reasonably happy, but I now need another FMQ project to keep up the practice.
Any ideas?