One appliance that gets almost daily use in most kitchens is the trusty toaster. With all that hard work, it usually ends up looking a bit worse-for-wear. Maybe it’s banged up around the edges, for sure there are crumbs aplenty, perhaps there’s a small scorched area from the Raisin Bread Affair of 2016. All in all, it probably isn’t the prettiest member of the kitchen appliance family. Keep it accessible yet under wraps with our quilted toaster cover. Our clever cozy features a pretty patchwork accent strip, bright piping all around, and an easy-tie handle so it’s fast to whip off or drop back on. Now you see it… now you don’t!

Our sample four-slice toaster measured 10½” wide x 7½” high x 9½” deep. These dimensions are likely similar to other four-slice models. Measure your own toaster to see if this pattern will be right for you. The cover is designed to be approximately 1″ larger all around than the dimensions of the toaster; you don’t want a super tight fit. You should be able to simply drop the cover into place over the toaster.

We originally used fabric from the Vintage Modern collection by Bonnie & Camille for Moda Fabrics, an older collection that is no longer readily available. However, any collection of standard quilting cottons would work wonderfully and there are so many beautiful options coming out every season.

We cut the squares for our patchwork accent panel on the front of the cozy from Jelly Roll strips, but a less expensive option would be the perfectly-sized 2½” x 2½” Mini Charm Square Packs. Fat Quarter Shop carries a great selection.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Sewing Machine and standard presser foot
• Walking foot or Even Feed foot or engage your system’s built-in fabric feeding system, such as the Janome AcuFeed™ Flex system; if your Walking Foot comes with a quilting guide bar that would also be handy for the straight line quilting
• Piping foot or Beading foot; optional but helpful for speed and accuracy

Fabric and Other Supplies

• 1 yard of 44″+ wide fabric for the exterior
  
• ⅞ yard of 44″+ wide fabric for the lining
  
• 1½ yards of 44″+ wide fabric for the top handle and piping
• SIX coordinating scraps, Mini Charm Squares, or Jelly Roll strips for the patchwork accent panel; you will need six 2½” x 2½” squares
  
• ¾ yard of low loft batting at least 31″ in width; we used Warm & Natural
• 1 yard of jumbo rick rack; we used red
• Scrap or ¼ yard of lightweight fusible interfacing for the handle; you need two 1½” x 11½” strips; we used Pellon Shir-Tailor
• 3 yards of ¼” piping cord
• All purpose thread to match fabrics
• See-through ruler
• Fabric pen or pencil
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Seam gauge
• Seam ripper
• Straight pins
• Hand sewing needle

Getting started

1. From the fabric for the exterior panels, cut the following:
   ONE 12″ wide x 30″ high rectangle for the main side section
   TWO 13″ wide x 10″ high rectangles for the front and back panels
2. From the fabric for the top handle and piping, cut the following:
   TWO 2½” x 12½” strips for the handle
   Multiple 1¼” strips, on the bias for the piping; you’ll need TWO 29″ finished pieces and ONE 48″ finished piece. Cut the strap strips first, then simply cut all the remaining fabric into 1¼” bias strips; you will seam the bias strips together end-to-end to equal the three finished lengths.
   NOTE: If you are new to working with bias strips, take a look at our full Bias Binding Tutorial.
3. From the fabric for the lining, cut the following:
   ONE 11½” wide x 29″ high rectangle for the main side section
   TWO 12½” wide x 9½” high rectangles for the front and back panels
4. From the fabrics for the patchwork accent, cut ONE 2½” x 2½” square from EACH of SIX fabrics; we used jelly roll strips, which are 2½” wide to start with, so we simply fussy cut a square from each strip.
5. From the batting, cut the following:
   ONE 13″ x 30″ rectangle for the main side section
   TWO 13″ x 10″ rectangles for the front and back panels
6. From the fusible interfacing, cut TWO 1½” x 11½” strips
7. Cut the rick rack into two 13″ lengths

Round the corners of the lining panels

1. Place the two 12½” x 9½” front and back lining panel pieces flat on your work surface.
2. Find a small juice glass or other small round object. Place the glass in each of the top corners (one of the 12½” sides) and trace the outside curve.
3. Cut along the drawn line to round each corner. Round only the top two corners of both the front and the back pieces. The bottom two corners of each piece remain square.
   

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

Quilting the exterior panels

1. Match up the front and back exterior panels and the exterior side section panel with the three batting pieces in corresponding sizes.
2. Pin each pair together.
3. Run parallel vertical rows of stitching to quilt each pair together (eg. along the height of each piece). Our rows are 1″ apart. We used a quilting bar with our Walking Foot to keep our rows equidistant. You could also draw in lines to follow. If you go this route, remember you are working on the right side of the fabric; make sure you use a marking tool that will easily wipe away or will vanish with exposure to the air or the heat of an iron.
   
   NOTE: If you are new to straight line quilting, check out our Guest Tutorial from Modern Quilting whiz, Heather Jones.
4. On the front and back units, use a lining piece as a pattern to trim the top corners of each quilted piece to match the rounded corners of the lining.

Create the patchwork accent strip

1. Find the six 2½” x 2½” squares and arrange them in the desired order.
2. Using a ¼” seam, pin and then stitch the squares together in order to create a strip. To do this, place the first two squares right sides together, pin along one 2½” side, then stitch together along that 2½” side. Add the next square to the remaining raw edge of the two-square unit, and stitch in the same manner. Continue to create a complete six-square strip. Press all the seams towards the first square.
3. Place a length of rick rack along both long sides of the strip. The outer waves of the rick rack should be flush with the raw edges of the strip.
   
4. Baste the rick rack in place, making sure your seam line runs down the exact center of the rick rack.
5. Fold back along the seam line, pressing the raw edges to the wrong side. This will make the rick rack “pop up” along the top and bottom of the strip.
   
6. Place the completed strip on the quilted front panel so the bottom edge of the strip is  2″ above the lower raw edge of the panel. Pin in place.
   

Create the handle

1. Following manufacturer’s instructions, fuse one 1½” x 11½” interfacing strip to the wrong side of each 2½” x 12½” handle strip. The interfacing strip should be positioned so it is centered side-to-side and top-to-bottom on the wrong side of the strip.
2. With the interfacing fused in place, fold each strip wrong sides together lengthwise. Trim one end of each strip at an angle.
   
3. Re-fold right sides together and pin in place along the one long edge and the diagonally cut end. Leave the opposite straight end open. Stitch along the long edge and across the diagonal end, using a ¼” seam allowance. Pivot at the corners.
4. Turn both ties right side out through the open end. Use a long, blunt-end tool, like a chopstick, large knitting needle or point turner to push out the corner points so they are nice and crisp. Press both ties well.
5. Find the 13″ x 30″ quilted exterior side section panel. Find the center point along each 30″ side.
6. Place the raw open end of a tie at each center point. Pin in place.
7. Tie the ends together in a loose overhand knot to keep them out of the way during the remaining construction.
   

Construct the lining box

1. Find the two 12½” x 9½” front and back panel lining pieces (with the rounded corners). Fold both panels in half and press a center crease or measure and mark the center point (5¾” from each side) with a pin.
2. Find the 11½” wide x 29″ side section panel of the lining. Fold this piece in half and press a center crease or measure and mark the center point (14½” from the top and bottom) with a pin.
3. With right sides together, match the center marks of the front panel and the side section panel, aligning the raw edges. Pin in place.
   
4. Fold the side section panel down, easing it around the rounded corner of the front panel, and continue pinning the two layers right sides together. The bottom of the side section panel should match up perfectly with the bottom square corner of the front panel.
   
5. Repeat to align and pin the opposite side of the front panel to the side section panel.
   
6. Stitch the layers together, using a ¼” seam allowance.
   
7. Repeat to attach the back panel to the opposite end of the side section panel.
8. As an option, and especially if your fabric is prone to raveling, consider finishing all the seam allowances with a finishing stitch on your sewing machine or a serger.
9. Turn the lining right side out and press well. Set aside.

Piping

1. If this is your first time making piping, read through our piping tutorial prior to starting.
2. Stitch together your 1¼” bias strips as needed to create TWO 29″ finished lengths and ONE 48″ finished length.
3. Cut the ¼” piping cord into matching lengths.
4. Wrap the fabric around the cord, right side facing out. Pin close to the cording to hold it in place.
5. Using a Piping foot or Beading foot (optional), sew close to the cording to create your fabric covered piping.
   
   NOTE: You can also use a Zipper foot to get nice and tight against the cording. If your sewing machine allows, move the needle all the way to the left.
6. Set the 48″ length of piping aside.
7. Find exterior side section piece to which you attached the top handle ties. Pin one 29″ length of piping onto each long side, aligning the raw edges.
8. Baste the piping onto the right side of the exterior piece. Keep your stitching as close to the piping cord as possible.
   
9. Again, if you’re new to attaching piping, check out our tutorial for additional tips. We are still using our handy Janome Beading foot.
10. At both ends along both sides, remove excess cord from the piping by pulling the cord out and trimming about ½” from the end. Let the remaining cord slide back into the fabric sleeve. This will make it easier (thinner) to attach the piping around the bottom.
    

Create the exterior box

1. Switch back to a regular presser foot. Following the same steps you used to create the lining box, create a matching exterior box.
2. Find the remaining 48″ length of piping. Pin it all the way around the bottom of the cover (on the right side as above), aligning the raw edges of the fabric/batting with the raw edges of the piping flange.
   NOTE: It will look neater if you start/stop at a point where the side piping comes down to meet the bottom edge.
3. Switch again to a Piping foot, Beading foot or Zipper foot.
4. Stitch the piping in place all around the bottom edge, keeping your seam line as close to the piping cord as possible.
5. To join, with a seam ripper, peel back the fabric to expose the cording underneath.
6. Trim the end of cording tail so it exactly meets the head of the cording. Fold under the end of the loose fabric to create a clean edge, trimming away the excess fabric as needed. Adjust and wrap this folded end under and around the tail of the piping so it overlaps the sewn-down head of the piping by about ½”.
7. Stitch in place, matching your seam line.
8. One more time in case you dozed off before: if you’re new to attaching piping, check out our tutorial for additional tips on joining and finishing.

Attach the lining

1. Find the completed lining box. It should be RIGHT side out.
2. Find the completed exterior box and turn it WRONG side out.
3. Slip the lining inside the exterior so the two boxes are now right sides together. Match up the lining seams and the exterior seams all around.
4. Pin together the bottom raw edges of the lining and the exterior.
5. Attach a Zipper foot. Using a ¼” seam allowance, stitch all around this bottom edge, leaving a 5-6″ opening for turning.
6. Turn the cover right side out through the opening.
7. Press well, turning in the raw edges of the opening so they are flush with the sewn seam.
8. Hand stitch the opening closed.
9. Re-tie the handle into a secure knot.
   NOTE: Unlike a lined bag where the force of gravity helps keep the lining in place, this lining of this cover will want to drop out when you lift the cover off the toaster. To help hold it in place, hand stitch through all the layers at either end of the handle and at the corners of the piping. You can hide your stitches behind and at the base of the handle at either end as well as right along the edge of the piping. 

Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation and Instructional Outline: Michele Mishler