When you aren't watching ESPN you can enjoy a piece of beautiful modern art and keep your flat screen tv dust free and safe. This is an easy project that amounts to turning a piece of art into a fitted sheet to attach to your tv. The tv is the focal point of so many living rooms; why not make it beautiful?

I'm entering this in the Sew Useful contest because it's useful not only to beautify your tv but also to promote marital harmony. I think a husband (or wife) considering getting a flat screen against the wishes of their spouse should consider investing in this TV cover. After all, what's $30 when you're spending thousands on a tv?

The tv cover pictured fits a 40 inch Sony Bravia and is for sale at my etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6393753 .

Enjoy!
Melissa
http://underconstructionblog.typepad.com
http://www.haworth.etsy.com

Step 1: Gather Materials

Materials
Flat screen tv (wall mounted works great)
A piece of canvas or duck cloth (something sturdy) as large as your tv
Heavyweight fusible interfacing--large enough piece to cover the front of your tv (optional)
Fabric scraps to make your design
Fusible webbing (different from interfacing, this is "sticky" on both sides when ironed--Heat'n'Bond is an excellent brand for this project)
Approximately 1 yard of cotton fabric for edges (depends on the size of your tv)
Enough 1/4 inch elastic to wrap around the perimeter of your tv

Tools
Sewing machine
Iron
Pins
Scissors
Ruler

Step 2: Measure and Cut

Measure your tv carefully and add 1/2 inch to each dimension for seam allowance. (if your tv is 20 inches by 30 inches, your final measurement would be 20.5 inches by 30.5 inches)

Carefully cut your piece of duck cloth to this dimension making certain it is square.

If desired to add stiffness, iron the heavyweight fusible interfacing to the back piecing as needed to make a single thickness layer.

Step 3: Create Your Modern Art

If you haven't already, sketch some design ideas, simple graphic shapes will make your life easier. Alternatively you could choose a fabric with a large, graphic element and cut out the fabric pattern as your design (ie large flowers on a decorator fabric). If you need design ideas, search "modern art" on etsy.com and be inspired by the prints created by talented etsy artists. I particularly love this one http://www.modernarteveryday.etsy.com.

Once you're chosen a design, sketch it onto the paper side of your fusible webbing and iron your fusible webbing to the back of the appropriate fabric.

You'll need to separate out different parts of the design so you can fuse them onto the appropriate fabric but don't cut out your designs yet. For good fusing, leave a border around your design on the fusible web.

You waste some fabric and fusible webbing doing it this way but it's the only good way to get perfect edges. Trust me on this.

Once the fusible webbing is ironed to the fabric, cut out your design following the pattern you've drawn and peel off the paper backing.

Arrange your fabric design on the canvas and iron it on using the fusible web instructions.

Step 4: Attach the Borders

Now that your art is complete, it's time to add the borders so your art will attach to the tv.

Cut strips from your border fabric that are 6 inches wide (approximately. Scale this for the size of your tv) and as long as the edges of your piece of canvas plus 1/2 inch. To continue the example, if your tv is 20x30 inches, your canvas is 20.5x30.5 inches so you will need two strips that are 31x6 inches and two strips that are 21x6 inches.

Sew the strips together end to end and right sides together to make a frame that will to around your canvas. Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Pin the fabric frame to your canvas art with right sides together. Fold corners carefully and pin.

Stitch around entire perimeter using a generous 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Step 5: Add Elastic

I'm sure there is a more elegant way to do this but this technique was quick, easy and worked for me. Unfortunately I didn't take very many photos so I will try to describe. You basically want to create a fitted sheet out of your art so you are attaching elastic to your fabric frame.

Fold in 1/4 inch along the edge of your border fabric. You can iron this but I didn't bother.

Lay the 1/4 inch elastic along the inside of the border, covering the raw edge that is folded over. Start at the end of the elastic in the center bottom of your frame and take a few stitches to secure the elastic to the edge.

Now is the tricky part--don't bother pinning. Using your left hand, hold the elastic and fabric securely behind the needle. Using your right hand, stretch the elastic as much as it will go and hold it to the frame fabric. You'll need to go a few inches at a time with this. Stitch the stretched elastic into place along the folded edge of the frame.

Keep stretching and stitching around the entire border. The part you've already sewn should bunch up the fabric.

Step 6: All Done!

Congrats! Your tv is now a piece of art. To keep it looking nice, roll your art when not in use, folding it could eventually make the art fall off the canvas :(