So this is the project I was going to make on Saturday before I got distracted by the arrival of cross stitching fabric, threads, Numb3rs, and James Bond. My poor Kitchenaid (Kenneth, he’s big and strong and manly) when not in use lives, shamefully enough, in a reusable bag. Poor Kenneth. So I decided a long while back that I needed to make a cover for it to keep it dust free and clean!

On my afternoon off I had purchased myself some supplies:

I totally couldn’t resist this Watermelon print, it’s so bright and fun! Also, as it turns out it co-ordinates quite well with our black Kitchenaid Espresso machine, Coffee grinder, Food processor…… But this was unintentional! I just didn’t think that far ahead!

My first step was to make a pattern. I used an old newspaper, which happens to be the exact right height for the width of my mixer. It’s as if I had planned it! Then I looped this over my mixer to gauge the length it needed to be:

Then I measured the depth of the machine, and cut a strip of paper this wide. I attached this to the sides of the long length of paper and then with a bit of fiddling, adjusted the curve at the top until I was happy with it:

I thought I would add a pocket to the side, so drew a line across at the height required:

Once I was happy with the size and shape… I then took it apart and separated it into pieces.

I wanted my outer printed layer, a wadding layer, then a lining layer. So, for the side panels I cut two in each, with the longer front/back piece, I cut one in the lining and wadding, then with the printed outer layer it got more complex…. I cut one piece the same size as the lower half of the front/back piece:

Then another piece that was the same size as the upper part of the front/back piece. To line the pocket I cut another of the lower part of the front/back piece but on the fold of the lining material, so that I had a pocket. To sew these bits together, I sewed the upper printed part to the lining piece, then the lower printed part to the lining piece too, but with some black bias binding as a bit of trim:

Altogether it looked like this:

…and on the back, like this:

I used some more black binding as trim when sewing the side panels on (just right sides together, pinned, sewn, trim + clip curves), and to form the lining, I zigzagged the wadding to the lining fabric, then sewed the side panels to the front/back. I then lined the outer and inner pieces up, right sides together, and sewed them together, leaving a gap in the seam of the lining so that I could turn it back the right way round…..

Ta dah!

I also needed somewhere to store my bits and pieces for it, when it’s not in use they can live in the bowl…. when in use however they tend to live on the shelf above my worktop… (along with Dobby – he’s dressed ready for winter)

……………so after seeing some personalised bit bags on Notonthehighstreet.com…. I decided to use some of my fabulous melon fabric to make a simple drawstring bag, which now hangs on the hooks behind the door:

Yeah…. I have a lot of aprons…….