How to sew a cape with washing machine pockets from an old shirt
It's a pleasure to be and live in a cozy house or apartment. Everyone knows that creating one requires a considerable amount of money. Vases, baskets, flowers, tablecloths, napkins—the list goes on and on.
Housewives who know how to sew save a lot of money. Every apartment has a whole stack of things that are no longer needed for one reason or another. They're out of stock, have a stain that won't come out, are worn out, or are out of style. So what to do with all this? It's a shame to throw them away, but leaving them unused. There's only one solution: make something useful with your own hands.
General information
In this article, we'll cover how to sew a cape with washing machine pockets from an old shirt. No patterns required.
You can, of course, buy a washing machine cover or cape at a store. There's a wide selection available on the market.
A washing machine is so essential to modern life that no family can do without one. It takes up quite a bit of space. Besides, the bathroom is full of bottles and jars.
A washing machine cover with pockets will save valuable space. The pockets provide convenient storage for laundry and cleaning supplies. Besides its practical function, the cover also serves an aesthetic purpose. By matching the fabric to your bathroom or kitchen décor, the washing machine will blend seamlessly into the overall look of your bathroom or kitchen.
Details
Sewing stages
- Cut out the fabric.
Carefully rip the shirt along all the seams. If you can't rip it, trim the seams with scissors. You should end up with rectangular pieces of fabric without pockets or seams.
The main parts of the cape will be the back and two front panels.
Cut out rectangles of equal length, with the width equal to the depth of the washing machine. For the top of the cover, we need two equal pieces. Ultimately, the cover frame will consist of four equal parts, each paired equal to the other.
Important! Don't forget about seam allowances. Add 2 cm to the width of each rectangle on each side.
- Sewing the cape frame.
Place the two top pieces on top of each other, right sides facing. Sew the rectangle along three sides. Finish the seam edges with an overlock or zigzag stitch. This will prevent fraying. Finish the unsewn side of the pocket with a closed hem. The end result should be a pouch. A cardboard insert, cut from a box, will be inserted into it. This will help the cape stay in the washing machine more securely and prevent it from slipping.
- 3. Processing the sides of the cape
We finish the edges with a hem stitch on both long sides and one short side. The unhemmed side will be sewn to the top of the cape, the pouch. Sew the resulting rectangles to the top of the cape with a straight stitch and finish the edges with an overlocker.
The result should be a piece of fabric - the basis of the cape.
- Sewing pockets.
To sew the pockets, we'll need shirt sleeves. The height, number, and width of the sleeves will depend on your desired final product.
Tip! To ensure a neat finish, iron the edges. Fold the edge back to the seam allowance, wrong side to wrong side, and press with an iron.
We process the edge of the pocket blank that will not be sewn to the base with a hem stitch.
Place the piece against the cape's edges and pin it with sewing pins. If you don't have pins, baste it by hand.
Sew the pocket bases to the cape on three sides with a straight stitch. All that's left to do is decide on the width and number of pockets and stitch the borders on a sewing machine.
Result
The cape is ready. All that's left is to iron it and hang it in the washing machine.
This cover is suitable for both front-loading and top-loading washing machines.
Tip! If you don't want to remove the cover every time you wash, there's a solution. Insert locks around the entire perimeter of the lid into the top. Once you unzip the lid, you can easily open and close the loading door.
If desired, you can decorate the cape with ribbons, lace, and appliqués.
You can, of course, buy a washing machine cover or cape at the store. There's a wide selection. But in my opinion, it's more enjoyable to make it yourself. And the savings on the family budget are obvious.
I hope my article was helpful. Don't be afraid to experiment, and you're sure to succeed.
