Supplies

A cross-stitch motif on Aida canvas.
Blue Aida canvas, colour DMC 796, (art. DC27).
A piece of fusible fabric measuring 36 cm x 27.5 cm.
A reel of white thread and a reel of blue thread to match the Aida canvas.
A reel of basting thread.
Pins. A needle. A pair of scissors. A sewing machine. A tape measure.
A white zip 30 cm long.
A piece of transparent oilcloth measuring 80 cm x 30 cm.
A special presser foot for sewing on zips.

Size of the finished case: 31 cm x 24 cm

Preparing the different pieces of fabric

Cut a rectangle measuring 36 cm x 27.5 cm out of the blue Aida canvas and overcast round all the edges.
Making sure the motif is well centred, cut a rectangle measuring 36 x 27.5 cm out of the stitched Aida canvas and overcast round B.
Line this piece completely with fusible fabric C, and seal the sticky side to the back of the fabric with an iron. Trim the excess fabric.
Cut two rectangles D-D' measuring 36 cm x 27.5 cm out of the transparent oilcloth.

Placing the zip

Take piece A and make the top hem by folding over 2 cm along the 36 cm width, flatten the pleat with an iron, fold the width in two to locate the centre and mark it with a pin. Take piece B, check that the cross-stitch motif is on the right side, and make the top hem by folding 2 cm of fabric over the back along the 36 cm width, flatten the pleat with an iron and mark the centre with a pin as for A (see diagram).

Placing the zip (cont)

Work on the face.
Close the zip temporarily, and mark the middle of its length
Position the zip in such a way that the marked centres match, pin and baste on each side of the teeth (see diagram).

Sewing the zip

Attach the presser foot to your sewing machine, place the transparent oilcloth D along the pleat of part A so that it covers the entire surface of the fabric and stitch on the face of the first side of the slit, starting from the bottom of the zip and working upwards.
Stop the threads at each end.
Insert the needle on the other side of the slit at the bottom of the zip and make a second seam, placing the oilcloth D' before starting to sew.
Stop the threads at each end.

Assembling the case

Open the zip and then put parts A and B on top of each other and face to face so that the oilcloths are inside. Make sure they are completely flat (see diagram)
First make the side seams, making sure that both sides of the zip face each other perfectly. Start the seam of the top part of the case, working downwards. Stop the threads at each end. Finish with the bottom seam, still leaving the zip open, otherwise you will not be able to turn the case the right side out once the three sides are stitched.
Stop the threads at each end.

Finishing touches

Finish by cutting off oilcloth that sticks out and make zigzag stitches on the three sides you have just sewn.
Hollow out the 4 corners by cutting off the points of the fabric with scissors.
Turn the case the right side out carefully, gradually fitting the oilcloth in place without any creases on the face.