Keep your sewing machine dust-free and looking great with this fun DIY dust cover! In this tutorial, I'll show you how to sew a simple square-in-square quilt block and turn it into a fully lined cover with side panels. It's a great way to use up some of your favourite fabrics and add a personal touch to your sewing space.
For this project, you’ll need eight 10" fabric squares. (It's a great project for layer cake packs!) I’ve used all different prints that I had in my fabric stash, but you can choose whatever suits your style! We will be pairing up the squares so make sure each pair has good contrast — this will help your quilt block design stand out.
The finished size of this dust cover is 9.5 x 20 x 8.5". Measure your sewing machine before you start to make sure that this will fit over the top of your machine. For reference, my machine is a Juki DX7 and measures approx. 11.5 x 17.5 x 8".
Grab your materials and let’s get started!
What you'll need:
Eight 10" squares
1/2 metre of 112cm wide fabric for lining and border
1m x 1/2m of 80/20 wadding
Tools:
Quilting ruler
rotary cutter
marking tool
pins
basting spray (optional)
Sewing instructions:
Pick which two 10" squares you are going to start with. Remember to make sure they are contrasting!
Take one square and cut two 2" strips from one side.
Cut two more 2" strips from the top or bottom.
This will leave you with a 6" square, two 2 x 10" strips and two 2 x6" strips.
Repeat this process with the other square.
Place opposite colour squares with opposite colour strips to create a border around each square.
Sew the shorter strips to either side of the square. Press the seams flat towards the darker fabric.
Sew the longer strips to the top and bottom. These strips will be slightly too long. Press the seams.
Trim the excess fabric. If your squares aren't perfectly square, trim slightly and make sure that they are the same size.
Repeat these steps with the remaining 10" squares.
You should now have 8 square-in-square quilt blocks.
Sew 6 of the blocks together in rows of two.
Cut two strips of fabric measuring the length of this panel by 2".
Sew to either side of the panel and press the seams flat.
Cut two strips of fabric measuring the width of the panel including the side borders by 2".
Sew to the top and bottom and press the seams flat.
Cut a piece of lining fabric to the same size as the panel. Put this to one side for now.
Cut a piece of wadding slightly bigger than the panel. This allows for any movement whilst quilting. It will be trimmed down later.
Pin the wadding to the outer fabric or use a basting spray.
Quilt the panel. I've chosen to 'stitch in the ditch' on each seam. You can quilt however you'd like!
Trim back the wadding once your panel is quilted.
With the two remaining square blocks, sew 2" strips to the bottom of each one.
Cut two lining pieces to the same size as these remaining blocks.
Cut two pieces of wadding slightly larger than these blocks and quilt in the same way as the larger panel.
Find the centre point of one side of the main panel and mark.
Find the centre point of the top of one of the single blocks and mark.
Pin or clip the single block with right sides together to the panel, lining up the two marked points.
Bring the corner of the panel to meet the corner of the single block, matching raw edges, and pin in place. Add extra pins along the edge.
Repeat on the other corner.
Snip a small 1/4" notch into the panel where the corner of the single block meets. This will make it easier to sew the main panel around the corner.
Sew in place, pivoting at the corners.
Repeat on the other side.
Sew the lining pieces together in the same way.
Turn the outer pieces right side out. Place the lining with right sides together inside of the outer. Pin in place and sew, leaving a small gap for turning.
Turn the right side out and give it a good press.
Top stich around the bottom of the cover to finish, sewing the turning gap closed.
You may wish to hand sew a few stitches in the corners so that the lining doesn't fall down.
Happy sewing! Kym x