Nook Cover Tutorial: Ahoy Matey!

Thanks to Pinterest, my list of sewing ideas (and tips) is growing daily. For the most part, I'm drawn to purses and totes. Currently, I'm on a mission to turn this guy into a couple of bags:

Isn't he lovely? He is very thick and heavy. I hope to get at least two bags and a purse out of him. Someday, I'll sell him (and maybe his cousins) on etsy.com or maybe in my very own store.

In the meantime, I need to master my sewing skills. I tend to still bleed and curse alot when I sew. Is that normal?

I recently found this Nook tutorial by Little Birdie Secrets. I certainly can't do it justice. This was officially my first time sewing a) a zipper and b) interfacing. I'm giving myself a C.

Supplies:

Fabric for outer case
Soft fabric or cotton for inner case (I used some left over red I had)
Zipper (at least 9" long...mine was only 7". Oops.)
Iron-on stabilizer/interfacing (I used Pellon's)
Sewing machine and coordinating thread

First, I cut the outer fabric, lining fabric, and stabilizer to 7.5" x 9.5". Then I applied the interfacing to the wrong side of the outer fabric. I might have applied it the wrong way...but, I still tried.

Next, I started was was referred to as a zipper sandwich. Lay down the lining (right side up) and place the zipper at the top. Then, place the outer fabric on top of that (right side down).

Pin in place.

Sew the three pieces together. I definitely need more work at this. I'll be reviewing these zipper tips before my next project!

Top stitch along the outer edge of the fabric. Try to get it a bit straighter than mine. ;-)

Next, I sewed on the other pieces. Lay the other piece of lining fabric right-side up. Then place the side with the zipper already sewn in on top of it, with the lining against the lining piece and the right side of the outer fabric up.

Sew the three pieces as you did above and finish again with a top stitch. Hopefully, your sewing isn't getting worse at this point.

At this point, it is becoming clear to me that my zipper was too small. That's ok. I'll make it work!

Now it's time to sew the rest of it up! Unzip the zipper halfway so you have an opening to turn it right side out. Open up your pieces and fold the outer fabrics together with right-sides touching, and the lining pieces together, right-sides together. Pin around three sides, leaving the short ends of the lining open.Sew around all sides of the outer fabric. Clip corners and and trim sides and zipper so they were flush with the bag.

Turn the bag right side out and sew the lining in and put the lining inside the bag.

There you have it! A snazzy little outfit for your Nook. It helps if your Nook doesn't mind crooked lines or a zipper that is too small. Mine just happens to love that stuff.

Isn't he cute? I think I heard him say "Ahoy, matey!" last night. Or, maybe that was me, pretending to talk like a Nook. I get bored sometimes.

Happy sewing!