Since we had picked up iPads during our jaunt to San Francisco, any self-respecting quilter knows what’s next: make a cover.  And I knew just what I wanted to do.  Waiting for me when I got home was this sweet little gift of some bird Spoonflower fabric from Betty–we’d done an informal fabric swap (I think I got the better part–thank you Betty!) and these birds were destined to be a part of any cover I’d be making.

But I figure I would start with my husband’s, since I knew he wanted to get his own cover, so whatever I made wouldn’t be a long-term keeper.  No pressure.  But he wasn’t going to get these terrific birds!

I Googled “iPad cover tutorial” on the web, read through about 12 of what was offered (quite a range!), and dived in.  I chose a beige linen for the outside, some blue Minky for the inside, with a top band of blue ikat fabric so the minky wouldn’t show.  I wanted it to be solid, and this had to be quick, as my daughter Barbara (read about her *here*) and her grandchildren were arriving in about an hour.  I sewed on the top bank of fabric to the Minky, layered it up and started quilting narrow parallel lines in gray thread–not necessarily as a design choice, but because that’s what was in the bobbin.

Cover all quilted.  This is the outside.

And this is the inside–showing the band of fabric at the top.

I trimmed it up.  Good thing this is the guinea pig model, as the width across — of nearly 16″– is really too snug.

This is the final shaping before I begin the binding of it.  The flap is on the lower left of the photo.  I’m beginning the binding at the lower left corner proceeding all along the bottom of the shape above, then plan to fold the piece in half, and finish the binding along the joined edges.  We’ll see.

I made the binding out of 1 1/2″ wide bias-cut fabric, using the same linen as I did for the cover, then folded in half, then the raw edges pressed to the inside.

Sewing on the binding, heading around that rounded flap corner.

Here’s the inside, showing the band, plus the soft Minky fabric, which will allow the iPad to be protected from scratches.

I sewed the scratchy part of the Velcro to the cover outside, and the soft part to the flap, finishing just as the doorbell rang and my daughter and her three children arrived!  My oldest grandchild, Keagan, is holding the finished product, with the iPad slightly protruding.  Maddie, the three-year old sister and Riley, the five-year old brother hadn’t made it up the stairs yet.

And here it is closed.  I’m sure my husband is still looking for just the perfect cover, but this will get him through until he finds just what he wants.  I’ll be starting on my cover when all these little people in my life have returned home, and after I finish grading the midterms.  Spring Break ends this week–so sad to see it go, but summer is just a short 9 weeks from now.  I’m already counting down the days.

On another note, here’s a couple of pictures with my other granddaughters in them–having received their doll quilts.  They are both posing with the quilts I made for them when they were born.

Oh, yeah.  I’m one of THOSE grandmas, who’ll whip out her phone to show you pictures of her grandchildren.  Yep, any time.  Any place.

Other projects I’m working on:
Doll quilts for Keagan and her little sister Maddie and a “guy-quilt” for Riley’s Buzz Lightyear figure
Star quilt, which adorns my pin wall and I still love
Hexagon blocks, which are a nice piece of handwork when I sit down to watch a movie (not this week!)

Thanks–no, many thanks!--go to Lee of Freshly Pieced Fabrics, who is hosting this Works In Progress Wednesday.  Return to her blog to see what she, and others are working on.