How would I go about making this?

[SewMeSome]

Hi all - I want to make a water-bottle cover from off-cuts of Harris Tweed fabric.
However, they are all quite small (about 5"x5" or slightly bigger) and none have hems.

Being a novice sewer (and I generally only make back-packs and the occasional hat), I really don't know how to do it.

Would anybody give me a simple guide on how to approach this task please?

Thanks

[b15erk]

I've never made a hot water bottle cover, but if I did, I would just make a kind of draw string bag. 

Failing that, Google Free Hot water bottle covers, and I'm sure there will be lots.

Good luck!

Jessie

[Ohsewsimple]

I thought it was a hot water bottle cover @b15erk but I’m now thinking it’s a drinking bottle??    Did wonder about using Harris tweed.  :thinking:

I’d look for a pattern online alternatively draw round said object depending on what it is exactly.  If it’s a round drinking bottle you’d need to measure round and then the height.  It all depends on the sort you want.  As for the small pieces of fabric, piece them together first to make a larger fabric and then you can treat it like any other fabric.

[toileandtrouble]

Tweed frays like anything, so zigzag or overlock each piece before you start. I would line it with a smooth fabric too.

[Acorn]

Just an empty post... take no notice... 

[Lowena]

I assumed it was a drinking water bottle....

[Acorn]

Haha - yes, I think you're right @Lowena 

Just ignore me folks, nothing to see here.

[WildAtlanticWay]

I’d make it like a very simple bag.

Assuming you want something like a rectangle that folds around the bottle, I’d cut the tweedy bits into equal size pieces and sew the pieces together with a quarter inch seam like any other patchwork piece to make one overall bigger piece.

After measuring the bottle, I’d cut the new piece into the correct size plus a 1/4 inch seam allowance and cut a separate piece of thin cotton (old sheet or pillowcase will do) the same size.

Wrap the tweed fabric into a cylinder shape around the bottle to check for size.

Join the two long ends together on the wrong side. Do the same with the thin cotton, so that you have two cylinders. Put the tweed fabric inside the cotton cylinder (right sides facing each other) and sew all around one end. Do the same at the other end but leave a few centimetres gap for turning.

Turn it inside out again so that the tweed is outside and sew up the gap.

Does it need a bottom and/or handles?

[Lachica]

@WildAtlanticWay has given brilliant detailed instructions for construction. I'd be wary of using Harris Tweed as it frays like mad so I think you'd need much bigger seam allowances and either overlock the edges or a short zigzag close to the seam stitching (not at the edges as they'll fray). Tweed will shrink if it gets wet I think,? I may be wrong on that though as people wear it while tramping through wet Highlands so maybe it's pre-shrunk before sale.

[SewMeSome]

Thank you all - yes, I did mean a hot water bottle (as in for bed)

I think I'm ok for the shape, I really meant how to deal with the fabric, and seams and such like. If I had a large piece of fabric , then id be confident - it's just the small chunks of none hemmed material leave me a bit in the dark.

But, I think the answer is above.@WildAtlanticWay thanks.

[Tamnymore]

Rather than having seams between the tweed pieces (which may be difficult to flatten nicely) I would zig zag near the edge of each piece to stop it fraying - possibly using a contrasting colour. I think that would give a nicer finish than overlocking if the raw edge is to be on the right side. Then I would overlap the pieces and sew. Alternatively don't finish the edges in advance, instead overlap two pieces and then zig zag them together. This would join the pieces and finish the edges.
I'm making a patchwork Harris tweed jacket and will be joining the pieces by overlapping them and zigzagging them together. (Pearl Red Moon Zambesi jacket). Many of my tweed pieces are quite small.

I have put raw edged Harris tweed patches on a coat before now. The only finishing of the edges was the  machine stiches I used to attach patch to coat. The odd thread has come off the Harris tweed but it hasn't frayed.

[Lowena]

Shows what I know @Acorn 

[SewMeSome]

Rather than having seams between the tweed pieces (which may be difficult to flatten nicely) I would zig zag near the edge of each piece to stop it fraying - possibly using a contrasting colour. I think that would give a nicer finish than overlocking if the raw edge is to be on the right side. Then I would overlap the pieces and sew. Alternatively don't finish the edges in advance, instead overlap two pieces and then zig zag them together. This would join the pieces and finish the edges.
I'm making a patchwork Harris tweed jacket and will be joining the pieces by overlapping them and zigzagging them together. (Pearl Red Moon Zambesi jacket). Many of my tweed pieces are quite small.

I have put raw edged Harris tweed patches on a coat before now. The only finishing of the edges was the  machine stiches I used to attach patch to coat. The odd thread has come off the Harris tweed but it hasn't frayed.

Absolutely grateful for this detailed advice - much appreciated, thank you @Tamnymore.

[Lachica]

Ah. I assumed a water bottle was for drinking!! A tweed hot water bottle cover makes more sense!

[BrendaP]

I agree with joining the pieces together to make a larger piece of fabric and go from there.  Because tweed frays so easily I think you definitely need to use seam allowances wider than 1/4 inch and unless you plan to line the cover those seam allowances need to be overlocked or zig-zagged.

Another option would be to join the pieces, press the seam allowances open and then iron on a good interfacing onto the back - or use bondaweb to fuse a lightweight backing fabric to the back of the tweed.