Hot presents

Last hot water bottle.
Not the best one... it's a number's game.

Pattern for a hot water bottle cover:

1. Take a big sheet of paper and trace a line around the hot water bottle (piece # 1 of the pattern).
2. Copy # & twice to create #2 & #3.
3. On #2, cut the bottom 1/3 (side opposite from the water spout).
4. On #3, cut the upper 1/3. You've just create the opening to slot your hot water bottle in! 
5. Pick up a fabric for the outside (mine is black to help with the embroidery) and a fabric for the inside (I've used lining left-over). You can replace the outside fabric with  matelassé fabric and not use any wadding.
6. Each piece must be cut in the inside and outside fabric and wadding. You'll finish with 9 pieces of fabric/wadding, 3 bits per pattern piece. Add 3 cm all around when cutting, or 1.5 cm if you're using matelassé fabric. 
7. Now is the time to embellish the outside front fabric (#1) with different coloured stiches, paint... Do remember it has to be machine washeable. I would avoid stitching any beads. 
8. Stitch together the pieces (all the #1 together, all the #2 together...). I've used my overlock machine?  Do take care to place the wadding in between the two layers of fabric and be careful if your fabric has a different outside and inside. 
9. Once all your pieces are stitched together, fold in 1 cm of the bottom edge of #2 to finish the edge. 
10. Place all the pieces together, aligning their edges : #2 on #1 (oustide over outside) and #3 on #2 (outside over inside), pin them all together. 
11. Stitch all the way around. Make sure all your edges overlap each other, the wadding is thick and it can be tricky. 
12. Turn it inside-out.

Note: If the cover is too small once finished, use a smaller hot water bottle.