New Case Cover

I spent Sunday sewing a new case cover for my Singer 99.  What fun!  The sewing machine hums right along (although I'm sure it needs oil).  I had problems with the pedal, until Rob pointed out I was pressing it from the wrong side.  It was still at an uncomfortable angle, but a little block of 2x4 under my heel helps with that.

I also realized that it doesn't have a 1/4" guide for seams.  The right side of the foot is smaller than that.  A piece of masking tape on the plate did the trick, but I'll eventually want a better fix.

Masking tape guide and foot pedal fix

The original cover would have been a red-brown and tan.  From what I could tell, it had been glued and stitched in place around the top of the case.  I wanted to stick with those colors - it would go with the black and wood of the base.  In digging through my stash, I discovered I have more browns and dark orange than I thought.  I know I bought some of these when I made my sister's placemats last year.  The rest were recent random additions.  What luck!

Rather than make a cover in a single piece, I did it in two main pieces.  I figured that would be easiest, since I was coming up with the pattern as I worked.  First I worked on a wrap around the sides, then a piece on top that slipped over the handle.  The top piece was glued and stitched down.

I didn't want the fabric to cling to every bump on the case, especially those ugly corner brackets on the top.  I glued on a layer of flannel over the top of the case, to help pad the lumpy screws.  Then I sewed together the strips for the side and quilted them onto another piece of flannel.  I made the top and bottom row a little wider, to wrap a bit over the top, and to fold into the bottom of the case.  It was a fairly snug fit.  I applied a layer of glue on the sides just to make sure the fabric wouldn't sag.

It was cumbersome work stitching on the top piece, trying to find the holes to stitch through.  I also couldn't stitch all the way around, because the corner brackets blocked some of the holes.  But it was enough to catch the edges of the top as well as the overlap from the sides.  I made sure this new cover is going to outlast the old one.

There was still chunks of the tan paper lining glued to the inside.  It peeled off pretty easily.  I was going to line the inside with more tan, but this blue fabric caught my eye.  I remember it had been super cheap, so I don't mind that no one will see it but me.  I love the way it looks.  Surprise!  I screwed the clip back inside once the glue had dried, although I still don't know what it was used for.

Ta-da!  Doesn't it look great?  I really like how well it goes with the wood bottom when it's all put together.  Looks so much better than it did before.  I am so happy to have a backup machine (for less than $100).  Not that I've needed a portable sewing machine before, but it's nice to know I have that option.  Portable, but not lightweight.  I'm glad those corner brackets are there when I pick up that case by it's handle.

On an unrelated note - it snowed like crazy yesterday.  Looked and felt like the middle of January, not the beginning of April.  This is what I woke up to today (now that the sun is up, it's a lot brighter!).  Still need to face digging out my car.  Ugh.  The good news is, it should all go in a few days.

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