Back to basics. How to make bowl covers by Jane.

Jane's bowl covers are just beautiful and I have two sets!  They are so useful and they also make really good gifts especially for anyone who is wanting to cut down on the use of plastic or who makes sour dough/bread etc.   Because they are made of cotton they breathe which is just right for yeast.   Sorry about the all over the place numbers in this post, I could not figure out how to remove them.  😊

I am very grateful to you Jane for your help.xxx

How to make Bowl Covers

I made my first set of bowl covers about 15 years ago. We lived in the tropics and often found ourselves cut off by massive storms, flash flooding and the odd cyclone. One time we ran out of plastic wrap and we needed something to cover the food. I had already used up the beeswax wraps. Necessity led to my first covers being made. 

These first covers have been replaced and modified over time. 

If you can trace a circle, know how to measure a little, can cut out better than a 5yr old and can sew a straight line, then these will be an easy make for you.

These are not waterproof or spill proof like plastic wrap. The seal is also not air tight. They do not replace plastic wrap when you need spill proof or a good seal. They are however a great cover for everything else. 

Some of the uses for me

Salad bowls. I have made covers out of dance mesh in the past. You can have the salad on the table, people can see what is in the bowl, and the flies are kept out. No more Aussie wave at the table.

Some of the uses here.

Cut up watermelon. The Littles can reach in grab a piece and go. The cover snaps back into place.

Proofing bread/sourdough

Sourdough starter

Ginger bug

Sauerkraut 

Chokos, zuchinni, cucumbers sitting in salt to draw out moisture before processing

Cut up fruits for processing

What other uses do you have for these versatile, easily washed and reused bowl covers?

How To Make Bowl Covers.

Collect a bowl that you use regularly.

Enough fabric for two circles, 5cm/2” wider than each bowl

Tape measure

Pencil

Scissors

Elastic- I’ve used 6mm/1/4” elastic

Thread of your choice and a sewing machine. We are only using straight stitch on these bowl covers.

1. 
   The first step is optional but I highly recommend it. Iron your fabric. Flat fabric is easier to work with for tracing, cutting and sewing.
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1. Lay your two fabrics, right side together on your cutting surface.
2. 
   

1. Place the bowl upside down on the fabric. 
2. 
   

1. Trace around the bowl. Remember to leave at least 5cm/2” of fabric around the bowl

1. Remove the bowl. 
2. Mark 5cm/2” at intervals around the traced circle

1. Join the marked intervals together. You now have an inner and an outer circle.
2. 
   

1. Pin around the inner circle to hold both pieces together
2. 
   

1. Cut along the outer circle line.

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2. Pin around the outer edge as this will be you first sewing line. Make sure you leave yourself about a 10cm/4” gap for turning. I like to mark the fabric to remind me to stop and leave a gap. 
3. 
   
   
   
   
4. Sew around the circle with a 6mm/1/4” seam. Remember to leave your gap for turning
5. 
   

1. Remove all the pins. Turn the fabric right way out. Press flat. Make sure you fold the turning area under and press both sides together to get and lovely finish.
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5. We are now going to top stitch as close to the outer edge as we can of the cover. We are going to leave a gap for threading elastic. I mark the fabric to remind myself to leave the gap. Sew your top stitching. Hint- slow your machine down if this helps with your accuracy.

1. We are now going to sew the elastic casing. For those of you who are confident with using the guides on your machine, you are going to sew a full inner circle 2cm/6/8’ from the outside edge of your circle. For those of you who are unsure of what this means, use your tape and pencil and mark off 2cm/6/8” intervals round your fabric. Join the intervals up and sew this as a complete circle.
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1. 
   
2. We are now ready for the elastic. My elastic is on a long roll. I just put a safety pin in and thread it through the casing. This is why we left the gap in the outside edge when we top stitched.  Pull the elastic through the casing and then pull it till you have enough gathering and tension on the elastic to slip over the bowl, and to have a good grip. 
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4. To join the elastic you can either sew it together or tie a knot. It is up to you. I like to lay the elastic on top of each other and then use forward and reverse with a zig zag stitch.  Knots work just fine.
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6. Top stitch closed the little opening on the outside circle that we used to thread the elastic through. 

Congratulations you have now made your first bowl cover. I can assure you that once you get used to using  bowl covers you will want to make more. These are a great time saver, and they are a great cost saver, keeping your plastic wrap usage to a minimum.

PS  I have also used this pattern to make shower caps. I used a shower curtain I got from the op shop as the fabric. It worked a treat.

Enjoy your bowl making.

Love Jane.

Thank you so much Jane.   I love having them reversible, they look so pretty.   Also they do not take up a lot of fabric so remnants can be used.   xxx