When you live on a dirt road, dust gets everywhere, including in closets. It often settles across the shoulders of hanging clothing. Oftentimes, I can just brush it off. But when it settles on clothes I don't wear much, rather than brushing it off, I have to actually wash the clothing because the dust/dirt has settled into the fibers.
I searched the net to find a pattern for dust covers, and in so doing, discovered another item called a "clothing safe." It is a clothes hanger covered in fabric in which there is a pocket to hide valuables. You hang your clothes OVER the fabric, thus hiding your goodies. It didn't suit my purpose - I wanted to hang my clothes UNDER the fabric, to protect from dust.
However, a lightbulb went off in my head. (Stop laughing). Why not combine the two, and make a dust cover AND a clothing safe, or even better, use the pocket for accessories? How many of us have belts, or a brooch, or a scarf, or special jewelry that only goes with one outfit? And how many of us can lay our hands on all those accessories at a moment's notice? And what about packing? Wouldn't it be great to simply take an article of clothing along with it's accessories and pack it all at once?
I figured someone had already made a dust cover with an accessories pouch, so I searched to the ends of the Internet (well, it seemed like it) for a pattern. Nothing. Nothing at all. Apparently, if someone else has thought of it, they've not acted on the impulse. So I had to think on it for a few days and figure out a pattern all by myself (which can be a daunting task!). And by the way, one of the main reasons I hate sewing clothes is because I can never put a zipper in right! So, I had to consider putting a zipper on the pouch (because you don't want anything falling out), too. I decided I was up to the task. I wouldn't let a teensy bit of 18 inch cloth and teeth stop me!
So after I spent a few days thinking on how to do it, I set to work. Amazingly, I finished it within an hour! Even the zipper part!
I will be making these as Christmas presents for a few people who travel extensively. They can not only protect their clothing at home in the closet, but can pack their accessories with the garments they take!
So here it is - my dust cover with a zippered accessories pouch.
The dust cover, embellished with a little lace.
A scarf hanging out of the zippered pouch.
Dust cover doing it's job on one of my outfits, and another scarf, hanging out of the zippered pouch.
StashBusting:
1/2 yard of leftover fabric
18 inches of leftover lace
