Avanzado Acolchado Proyectos

Elegant Quilt Block Laptop Cover: A Stylish In-the-Hoop Creation

  • By Mikael Svensson

Laptop-header image.jpg

Protect your laptop in style with this advanced-level quilt block laptop cover. Designed to be made in the hoop and assembled with your sewing machine, this project blends functionality with artistic flair. Featuring a luxurious silk background and lining paired with dazzling African brocade and gold-printed diamonds, it’s a showstopper that’s as practical as it is beautiful. Prefer a more casual vibe? Opt for quilting cotton instead—this versatile design is sure to impress in any fabric you choose!

Materials needed:
  • Embroidery files, find them here:
  • Fabric for the center squares 1 fat quarter blue batik fabric 
  • Soft cutaway stabilizer or fabric (I used an old bed sheet for this since it will not be visible on the final project.) 
  • Blue background fabric: 44” (1.10m) 
  • Fabric for lining 22x16” (55x40cm) 
  • Thin batting 
  • Zipper by the yard, 38” (95cm) 
Cutting out the fabric for the blocks:
  • If you have a Momento Cutting machine the cut files can be found here 

You also need to cut from background fabric: 

  •  2 strips for the zipper binding 2 ¼x38” (6x95cm) 
  • 1 lining piece 22x16” (55x40cm) 
If you are cutting the pieces with a rotary cutter :
  • From background fabric (in this case blue silk) cut 
  • Cut 28 squares 4x4” (10x10cm). Cut them diagonally once to get 56 triangles 
  • Cut 20 rectangles 5x3” (12x7cm) 
  • 2 strips for the zipper binding 2 ¼x38” (6x95cm) 
  • 1 strip for joining back and front at the spine 2x14½” (5x36cm) 
  • 1 lining piece 22x16” (55x40cm) 
  • For the diamond center squares (in this case blue with gold pattern) cut 
  • 14 squares 3½x3½” (8,5x8,5cm)  
Stitching out the blocks:

Rectangular blocks, Make 10 
Rectangular block.JPG

  1. Hoop soft cutaway stabilizer or use some old fabric like an old bedsheet. 
  2. Stitch out color 1, this will make an outline for placing the batting. 
    02 outline.JPG
  3. Place the batting in the hoop, make sure it extends outside the stitching line on all sides. Stitch out color 2, this will secure the batting in the hoop and stitch guidelines for fabric placement. Cut away excess batting around the stitch line. 
    03 outline batting.JPG
  4. Place the “diamond” fabric in the center. Make sure it extends a little outside the stitched area on all sides. Stitch out the next color (3) this will secure the fabric piece in place. 
    04 center fabric piece in place.JPG
  5. Place one background triangle at the top left corner of the diamond, right sides facing each other. It should extend about ¼" (6mm) outside the stitched line. Stitch out color 4, this will sew the triangle in place. 
    05 sew in place.JPG
  6. Fold out the white fabric piece, stitch out the next color. This will secure it in the hoop. 
    06 first triangle secured.JPG
  7. Place one background triangle on the right side on top of the diamond right side down. Make sure the long side of the triangle overlaps the seam about ¼" (6mm) stitch out next color this will sew the background piece in place.  
    07 next piece placed.JPG
  8. Fold the piece down and stitch out the next color, this will secure the patch. 
    08 second piece in place.JPG
  9. Place the next triangle at the lower right side of the diamond. Stitch out the next color to sew the triangle in place.  
    09 third piece arranged.JPG
  10. Fold the fabric piece down, stitch out the next color. This will secure the patch in the hoop. 
    10 third piece secured.JPG
  11. Place one background triangle on the lower left side of the diamond. The right side should be down. Make sure the long side of the triangle overlaps the seam about ¼" (6mm) stitch out next color. This will sew the background piece in place. 
    11 fourth piece sewn.JPG
  12. Fold out the white fabric piece, stitch out the next color. This will secure it in the hoop.
    12 last piece round1.JPG
  13.  Place one background rectangle on top of the diamond as shown below. Stitch out the next color, this will sew the rectangle in place. 
    13 first rectangle sewn.JPG
  14. Place a background rectangle at the bottom of the diamond, stitch out next color to sew it in place.
    14 lower edge rectangle sewn.JPG
  15. Next color will secure the rectangle in place.
    15 finished block.JPG
  16.  A stitch line (color16) will secure all the edge and then the last color (17) is the quilting. 
    16 finished rectangle.JPG
  17. Unhoop the patchwork block, turn it upside down. Cut out with a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance. Measure the seam allowance from the inner stitch line on the long sides, on the short sides there is only one line to measure from. 

    17 seam allowance.JPG
    Square blocks, make 4 
    Square block.JPG
  18.  Hoop soft cutaway stabilizer or use some old fabric like an old bedsheet. 
  19. Stitch out color 1, this will make an outline for placing the batting. 
    19 first stitch.JPG
  20. Place the batting in the hoop, make sure it extends outside the stitching line on all sides. Stitch out color 2, this will secure the batting in the hoop and stitch guidelines for fabric placement. Cut away excess batting around the stitch line. 
    20 batting.JPG
  21. Place the diamond fabric piece in the center, right side up. Make sure it extends a little outside the stitched area on all sides and at least 3/8” (1cm) on top. Stitch out the next color (3) this will secure the fabric piece in place. 
    21 diamond.JPG
  22. Place one background triangle on the left side on top of the diamond, the right side should be down. Make sure the long side of the triangle overlaps the seam about ¼" (6mm) stitch out next color (4) this will sew the background piece in place. 
    22 sew triangle1.JPG
  23. Fold out the white fabric piece, stitch out the next color. This will secure it in the hoop. 
    23 triangle1 secure.JPG
  24. Place one background triangle on the right side on top of thediamond, right side down. Make sure the long side of the triangle overlaps the seam about ¼" (6mm) stitch out next color this will sew the background piece in place. 
    24 triangle2 sew.JPG
  25. Fold the piece down and stitch out the next color, this will secure the patch. 
    25 second piece.JPG
  26.  Place the next background triangle at the lower right side of the diamond. Stitch in place. 
    26 third piece.JPG
  27. Fold the fabric piece down, stitch out the next color. This will secure the patch in the hoop. 
    27 third piece secure.JPG
  28. Place one background triangle on the left side bottom side of the diamond. The right side should be down. Make sure the long side of the triangle overlaps the seam about ¼" (6mm) stitch out next color (4) this will sew the background piece in place. 
    28 last corner sew.JPG
  29. Fold out the white fabric piece, stitch out the next color. This will secure it in the hoop.  
    29 last corner secured.JPG
  30.  A stitch line (color 14) will secure all the edge and then the last color (15) is the quilting. 
    30 quilted block.JPG
  31. Unhoop the patchwork block, turn it upside down. Cut out with a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance. Measure the seam allowance from the inner stitch line. See image below  
    17 seam allowance.JPG
    Assembly
     
  32. Lay out the blocks as shown in the layout plan below. There should be a front and back piece.
    32 layout laptop cover.JPG
  33. Sew the blocks together in rows and then sew the rows together.   
    33 rows.JPG
  34. When finished it should look like this:  
    34 sewn together.JPG
  35. Time to add the spine of the laptop cover: pin the strip on one long side one of the laptop cover pieces. Sew in place using a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance.  
    35 adding the spine first.JPG
  36. Pin the other laptop cover piece on the strip and sew in place using a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance.
    36 adding second piece.JPG
  37. Now it should look like this on the wrong side: 
    37 cover spine in place.JPG
  38. And like this on the right side.
    38 front view.JPG     
    Adding the backing 
  39. Put the backing piece on the table right side up. Lay the laptop cover on top of the backing right side down. 
    39 backing.JPG
  40. Add ¾" (2cm) on each of the long sides of the laptop cover (not at the top and bottom, see image below for clarity) cut the backing to size.  
    40 add seam allowance.JPG
  41. Right sides together, pin the sides of the backing with added seam allowance to the laptop cover. Sew together with 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance.  
    41 sew sides.JPG
  42. Fold the extra seam allowance into folds at the edges and pin the last two sides together. 
    42 fold edge.JPG
  43. Sew with a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance but leave an opening for turning about 6” (15cm) on one of the sides. 
    43 sew with opening.JPG
  44. Turn right side out. The folds you made will make the backing visible on the long sides of the cover. Turn the seam allowances in the opening inside and press the laptop cover. Topstitch close to the short edges and close the turning opening at the same time. 
    44 close edges.JPG
  45. Quilt the laptop cover between the blocks “in the ditch.” Also make a quilt line in the ditch between the blocks and the spine.
    45 quilting.JPG     
    Making the zipper panel:
  46. Take the zipper and the two binding strips. Sew one of the strips to the back of the zipper using a Zipper foot. 
    46 sew strip on back.JPG
  47. Turn the zipper right side up and fold the strip out: 
    47 fold out.JPG
  48. Turn the raw edge of the strip to the edge of the zipper tape. 
    48 turn raw edge.JPG
  49.  Fold the strip over the edge of the zipper tape.Topstitch in place. 
    49 topstitch.JPG
  50.  Repeat on the other side of the zipper.Now it looks like this: 
    50 finished zipper edge.JPG
  51. Time to Zipper ends: Turn zipper with wrong side up. Place one zipper end on the edge of the zipper. Sew in place with a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance. 
    51 zipper end step1.JPG
  52.  Turn the zipper right side up, fold out the end tab. 
    52 fold out.JPG
  53.  fold the edges in towards the center. 
    53 fold edges in.JPG
  54. Fold the raw edge to the zipper end and fold again. 
    54 final fold.JPG
  55.  Topstitch in place. 
    55 topstitch.JPG
  56. Repeat on the other end of the zipper 
    Final steps 
  57.  tun the back of the laptop cover up, Mark the center of the zipper and the front and back of the laptop cover.
    57 mark center.JPG
  58. pin in place and topstitch close to the edge. The right side of the zipper should be facing up. Stop at the spine at the back, see arrows in the image below. 
    58 pin in place.JPG
  59.  Repeat on the other side of the cover. Make sure the corners align on both sides of the zipper. It is usually easier to do this when the zipper is open. Remember to mark where the corners are on the cower to get them in the right position. 
  60. Fold the remaining zipper in at the ends towards the spine. 
  61. Your laptop cover is now finished! Well done!