tv cozy

As the song goes, I hate the tv. Except, you know, when I'm watching it. But when I'm not, I'd rather it just go away. Because it's ugly. Behold:
Thus, my new tv cozy:

I borrowed a few idea from the people who make slipcovers to form fit it to my televison. I started with a few yards of fabric in a heavy weight cotton and 50 or so pins.

To make a custom tv cozy, the general idea is to drape the fabric over the television and then outline where you want your seams using straight pins. To conserve fabric, though, I cut my material into general shapes (front, sides, top, etc) of the approximate size and then pinned myself some seams to follow.

Begin with the top piece:

But do not do like the picture here - make sure you turn your fabric right side down (otherwise your seams will be on the wrong side). Do use some sort of weight to hold the fabric steady and prevent it from slipping off. I used coin rolls here.

I did the front piece next. Again, I just cut an approximate shape and then pinned where I would want to join the top and front.

At this point you may want to pause to deal with the serious anxiety attach your preschooler is beginning to have as they realize you are actually hiding the screen from their view.

Once the child is calmed (and perhaps recovering in front of the computer where you will suddenly remember the Dora and Backyardigan's episodes you have saved there), continue to drape and pin the rest of the television until you have form fitted it.

For the back of the tv, I just put a few pleats in to gather the material into shape. The back bottom was a full wrap around. I will not pretend like this isn't a tedious part - I suggest finding another pair of hands to help hold it all into place.
Once the pinning is finished, pull the cozy off the tv (gently - do not jostle pins) and machine baste the seams. Once seams are basted, fit the cozy on both right side out and inside out to see if you need to make any adjustments. Once everything looks right, sew the seams properly and trim seam allowances.

One more fitting, inside out, to pin the hem.
Sew the hem, turn right side out, and cover tv. Enjoy the significant other's and children's horrified expressions before explaining that the cover actually comes off. Tell them if you give you grief, you will cozy the dvd player too.

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toilet paper cozy

This has turned out to be one of those things I just do not know how I lived without. I first made this when I had cats and a toddler who thought that toilet paper on a roll was the greatest toy ever. Tp confetti parade daily. So, I put the tp in a bureau drawer I have across from the toilet, but then we would have guests stranded in the bathroom because they couldn't find the bog roll, and sometimes poor, poor great grandma, who knew where it was, but just did not have the strength and reach to open the drawer.

This is the solution to cat/toddler tp destruction: the toilet paper cozy.



It's been so popular around here, that several of our friends with felines have asked for one, and even great grandma enjoys her very own tp cozy.

Very simple to make. I made this one when I was just learning to sew about a year and a half ago, and has a few techniques that were useful to know when I began to make book tote bags.

For fabrics, I 've found that the outside should be a heavier fabric in order to keep the holder's shape as the tp gets pulled in and put back in and a lighter colour for the liner so the tp flakies don't show as bad.

I use a 1/2" seam allowance. The measurements here should easily fit a double roll. However, if you use swankier brand then I do that prides itself on thickness, I suggest enlarging the measurement by an inch or so.

To begin, cut:
one 16" x 8.5" of outside fabric
one 16" x 8.5" of lining fabric
one 7" x 5.5" of outside fabric
one 7" x 5.5" of lining fabric

(but don't be like me - iron your fabrics!)

Take the outside fabric and fold the larger piece along the longer side, wrong side out. Stitch sides to make a basic bag shape.

Open up the bottom corners and sew like you would if you were making a tote.
Repeat for lining bag.

Fold over and press top raw edges of the two bags. Use a roll of toliet paper here to measure an appropriate depth.

Machine (or hand) baste the liner bag to the outside bag along folder corners (bottom to bottom) so they won't separate every time you pull out your tp.

Invert the outside bag around the lining and you have your tp cozy part. (Do not top-stitch the bags together yet.)

To sew the loop that attaches to your roll holder (bar?), align wrong sides together of the smaller pieces and stitch along the longer sides of the rectangle (to make a little tube). Turn inside out and press.The raw edges are to be tucked between the lining and outside bags. Pin the loop into place. While you're at it, pin the bags together at edges. Top stitch all around the outside of the bags.

Slide onto your regular tp holder and enjoy the unshreddedness of it all.

****************************************************
This is a free tutorial and I encourage you to use the information in any way you need to (check the disclaimer at the bottom of the page). If it works for you, toss a dollar or two in my paypal to show appreciation and to encourage me to offer up even more quality patterns and tutorials.

Thank you!
Questions about the Donation? FAQ here.