Patchwork Steering Wheel Cover

 

Steering wheel covers are hardly optional in Arizona.  For those of you who have seen photos of people driving with potholders on their hands, I can assure you the struggle is real.  I have the luxury of parking mostly under a roof, but I still wanted to keep my hands from melting on the vinyl of a steering wheel. I originally wrote this tutorial for Straddling the Gap, but I was recently contacted by a young woman who was looking for a custom patchwork steering wheel cover.  These colors match some adorable car coasters she purchased on Etsy from Willow Ink Studio.  

Here's what you need to make your own steering wheel cover:

12 5" x 5" squares of cotton fabric 

Batting measuring 48" x 5"

   2 pieces of elastic (3/8" or 1/2" width) about 14" LESS than the length (circumference) of the sewed pieces.  

2 pieces of scrap fabric 1" x 3" and two small pieces of Velcro (for optional straps)

To begin, sew each of the squares side by side in the order you want them leaving only a 1/4" seam allowance. Press all of the seams in the same direction.

Place the strip of sewed pieces on top of the backing, right sides facing.  Lay the batting on top of the wrong side of sewed squares.  Sew down the edges of both long sides with a 1/4" seam. The pictures show each of the "wrong" sides of the fabric sandwich.

  

Turn right side out.  Iron seams. Sew a parallel 1/2" seam on the long edges.  This will form the channels for the elastic.

For each piece of elastic, pin one end at the opening of one side of a tube.  Attach a pin to the other end of the elastic and thread it through the tube, pinning it on the other end so it doesn't fall back into the tube (it will be tight).

Now for the fun part.  Take your cover out to the car and wrap it around the steering wheel.  Tighten the elastic so it is snug enough and pin the elastic in place.  Mark where you want to gather the ends to form the circle. Sew the ends in the marked location, right sides of patchwork side facing each other.  You will probably need to trim the seam allowance because there will likely be extra fabric.  You won't see it when the cover is on the steering wheel.  

If you want to make sure your cover does not slide around the wheel, make the optional straps.  Fold each strap, right sides together and sew up the long side.  Turn inside out.  Then mark a spot on the inside of the wheel cover where you can sew an end of each strap and attach the other end on the opposite side of the inner cover with Velcro.  You will want those straps to be just under the part of the steering wheel that crosses the center.  Here are the straps already sewn on so you can see the placement. (It's another cover I made.)

And that's it!  

cindy