Making Garment Covers 

Protect the cloths in your wardrobe by making garment covers.

Have you infrequently worn expensive clothing collecting dust in your wardrobe? Outfits that usually have cost a lot of money and only worn for special occasions. We often forget about those cloths until we need them again only to realise that they have collected a lot of dust and must be re-washed or dry-cleaned. Do you realise how simple making garment covers is? . . . And this will save you the last minute hassle in the future.

You do not need expensive material for making garment covers. Look in you linen closet for some old sheets you do not use any longer. If you prefer to buy new fabric then look for specials, or for remnants in the special baskets. A cotton fabric is very suitable and is easy to sew.

We have used a pattern that only covers the shoulders of the garment, as this part collects most of the dust. However, if you prefer the whole garment to be covered then you need to measure the length of the garment.

Follow the instructions below for making garment covers:

1. Measure the width of the garment (ours was approx. 62cm). The length we kept at 27 cm. You will need a piece of material that is 60 cm long and that is 90 cm wide. If the material is 140cm wide you would only need 30cm.
2. Take half the width of the measurement. Draw a horizontal and a vertical line on a piece of paper according to the measurements. The vertical line is the centre of the pattern. Draw a curve connecting the top piece to the side. In our measurement (width 62cm and length 27cm) seam allowance is included. Cut out the pattern.
3. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise with the right sides facing each other. Pin the pattern on top of the fabric on the fold of the fabric. Place the centre of the pattern against the fold of the fabric. Pin the pattern to the fabric.
4. Cut the fabric along the edge of the pattern. Remove the pins and pattern from the fabric, and repeat the process for the back piece.
5. Make a 1cm clip 4cm on either side of the top centre of the fabric. This is the opening for the coat hanger. Pin a small hem to the depth of the clip and machine stitch the hem on both piece of fabric.
6. Lay front and back pieces on top of each other with right sides facing and pin the sides together.
7. Sew both sides 3/4cm from the edge from the bottom to the top till the opening for the coat hanger. Zigzag both seams for extra strength and to prevent fraying.
8. Turn the garment cover inside out and press the seams flat with an iron. Then pin a small hem on the bottom, sew hem and press.

A more fancy way of making garment covers is to use bias binding. This will give you a more professional looking finish.

This is how to do it:

Steps 1 to 4 are exactly the same as above then follow the instructions below.

1. Encase lower edge of each front and back in double fold bias binding, having raw edges even. To encase, place narrower edge on outside. Stitch close to inner edge, through all thicknesses.
2. With a marking pen make a little line 4 cm from the top centre on either side of the fabric (front and back pieces). Encase the edges of front and back in double bias binding the same as described in the previous point.
3. Lay front and back pieces on top of each other with wrong sides facing and pin the sides together. Sew both sides 2mm from the edge from the bottom to the top till the opening for the coat hanger. Trim seam if necessary.
4. Encase side seams of garment cover in double fold bias tape, turning in the ends even with finished edge. Stitch close to inner edge through all thicknesses.