On a recent visit to my sisters she asked me to bring my sewing machine with me. I always like the little projects she sets for me. In the past they have been turning up curtains, covering ottomans or making cushions. These days they are often little projects for my wonderful new nephew. I was keen to see what this project entailed. My sis had purchased some oilcloth online and was hoping I could use it to make a new cover for a changing mat.

Oilcloth is a fabric treated on one side with oil to make it waterproof. I had purchased some oilcloth recently for a tablecloth but it didn’t require any work, so this would be the first time using oilcloth on my machine.

Before making a start I read this article to give me an idea of what to expect. I was a bit nervous to start with, but I told myself it all went terribly wrong I would just buy my nephew a new mat!

I used a standard foot but changed my needle to a 90. This might have been too thick but the stitches looked OK. I cut the fabric so it folded with the fabric facing inwards. I sewed along the longest part first then turned it the right way before sewing up the top. I wasn’t sure what to expect, as this is the thickest and heaviest material I have ever used, but the oilcloth went through the machine smoothly requiring no extra effort from me.

This really was a simple project but I wanted to share my experience as the oilcloth was a great surprise and really easy to work with. I am excited to use it again on a more ambitious project. Maybe a nice lunch bag?