Fast Batik Clipboard Cover

It's perfectly fine to use notes while presenting a quilt guild program, but it's even better to have those notes on a pretty clipboard. Here's a tutorial for making a fast cover. It took me less than 30 minutes. You can use any size clipboard for this.

SUPPLIES
Non-plastic clipboard
Fat quarter-ish piece of fabric 
1/2 yard Wonder Under or other paper-backed fusible web
Iron
Scissors

PREP the FABRIC 
Lay the clipboard on the fabric. There should be enough to fold the sides over to meet in the center (top to bottom) and an inch extra beyond the top and bottom. Check for direction of print, if you care!

Protect your ironing board with a piece of "release paper"...either parchment paper or paper removed from a previous WonderUnder project.

Iron the fusible to the wrong side of the fabric. I just covered the entire fat quarter, because I will use the small part I trim off in another project. And I cut the Wonder Under by just laying the fabric on it...no numbers for me unless absolutely necessary!

You could use a rotary cutter, but you'll still need scissors later!

Trim any fabric that is not fused and any fusible not on the fabric.

Save this paper and see the bottom of this post for some ways to use it again.

Remove the paper after it has cooled off. Save this paper to use for protecting your ironing board with other projects...and later on for this one! It is treated with silicone so both sides are good to go. It is handy for lots of things, and lasts through several pressings. 


COVER the CLIPBOARD

Wrapping to the front

Lay the clipboard on the fused side of the fabric and wrap the sides to the front.

Fold & slide!

Fold back any extra fabric, slide your scissors in and trim. The edges of the fabric can touch or barely overlap. This side will be covered with papers most of the time, and the print will also "disguise" any wobbles. Please feel free to be as precise as you like for any of this...I'm just getting it done!
Stick your scissors between the front and back layers at each corner and snip up to the board.

Paper is between front and back fabric layers, sticking out at snipped corners

Turn the clipboard over, put a piece of release paper between the layers and fuse the fabric to back of the clipboard.

Trim the sides even with the ends

Flip it over to the front again, and with the sides opened flat, trim out a piece at each corner to make the sides even with the top and bottom.
Fuse the fronts down BUT not all the way up to the clip!
Cut the bottom corners at a slight angle, then turn that edge up and fuse it in place.

Don't worry about this...trim it off!

Trim anything that sticks out. My clipboard has curved corners, so it won't make a sharp angle.

Snip and fold as best you can

The tricky bit: Snip and fold to work the fabric around the clip. I snipped down at each side of the metal, then held the clip open and trimmed across the bottom. I could have used a helper to hold the clip open, but sometimes you just gotta do it on your own!
Put the release paper on top of the back fabric, hold the clip open, and finish fusing under and around the clip. 

Trim the back first

Angle trim the corners of the back layer like you did at the bottom, and trim out the fabric behind the back clip part that sticks up (if you have a board like this).
Turn the back fabric to the front and fuse in place. You are done!

Nobody is perfect!

OK, full disclosure...my trimming was not perfect! So I took a little piece of trimmed off fabric and just fused it right over this spot. If you feel the need to cover up any board parts that show through you could also fill them in with a permanent pen. The fused fabric just tends to blend in....especially if you do not point out where you did it!

TA-DAH!

Well, my friends, I now have two lovely covered clipboards and you have a tutorial! (the original one is on my Facebook page).
There is iron-on vinyl that could be used for a nice finish, or one of the fabric protection sprays. I probably won't bother with those, but you may want to keep the clipboard looking really nice if it will be used often.
Or just cover it again if it gets dirty!

I am doing a lot with fusible web right now. If you'd like some more tutorials and ideas for no-or-low sewing projects, check out Laura Wasilowsi at Artfabrik or Frieda Anderson's website.  You can see them on YouTube...just type a name in the search box. Melodie Johnson's blog also has some good tutorials listed in the side bar.

Have fun and let me know what you've been making lately!