Here is a really simple way to hide those ugly cords around the house. Our daughter has been bugging us to hang the TV in her room on the wall for months. We finally gave in and the cords running up the wall to the TV look so tacky! I found a solution when I was in one of those fancy lighting stores picking up a light bulb, on one of their chandelier displays they had a satin cover over the chain that is normally bare - the perfect solution!

To say I'm a novice using a sewing machine is giving me to much credit. If I was able to whip one of these covers out anyone should be able to! Even if you don't have a sewing machine you can still make this project using iron-on adhesive hem tape which isn't that expensive. This is a beginners sewing project all the way!

Step 1: The Pattern

Ok, so there isn't some complicated pattern for this project that needs to be deciphered. It's one of those simple and easy patterns that we can envision in our heads. Measure the length of the cords you want to hide and we are going to make the cover twice as long. Making the cover twice as long gives it a "scrunchie" effect and a bit more decorative, it also hides any of our sewing imperfections. The cords I wanted to cover were 40" long so I needed to make my cover around 80".

We went to the fabric store and the fabric that was picked out (not my choice, but she has a black and white theme going in her room) was 44" wide, all I had to do was join two widths together and 88" would work great. I purchased a 1/2 yard of fabric for $2 and we were on our way.

One other thing to keep in mind is the size of the ends on your cords that you are covering. Now is the time to take a look at what you will need to pull through the cover so you make it wide enough. In my case I figured 2" wide would be enough so I doubled it and then added 3/4" for sewing coming up with 4-3/4" wide strips of fabric that were 44" long. So I started by cutting two strips 4-3/4" wide.

I put the two strips pattern side together and sewed across them. This is the middle joint, I opened the fabric up and I had my 88" long x 4-3/4" strip of fabric. So far so good, nothing to complicated yet.

Step 2: A Little More Sewing

To give the ends a finished look I folded over about 1" on each end and sewed it down.

Now that we have the correct length and have finished the ends it's time to sew our cover together to make a "tube". Fold the strip in half (wrong side out) and sew the edge together. And just that quick you are done with all the sewing!

The most time consuming part of this project was turning the cover right side out after I was done sewing it. I used a small piece of pipe to help me turn the cover right side out. A dowel or handle would also work to help you with this step. Had I made the cover any smaller than 2" wide this step would have been a lot more difficult - something to keep in mind when making your cover.

Step 3: All Finished

To string the cords through the cover I actually used the piece of pipe again. I used masking tape to attached the cords to the pipe then pulled them through the cover. Even though I wasn't thrilled with the choice of fabrics, it did turn out looking nice in her room. The cover solve the tacky looking cords problem.

Now that I completed my first cord cover I'm off to the fabric store for some more fabric (my choice of colors this time). I've got a desk lamp cord that will look a lot nicer with a cover, there are also those cords along the living room wall that need covering, and the cord going to the wall clock is getting a cover too!

Want to make a cover but your cords need to "exit" at different points along the cover? Not a problem, just remember you are making the cover twice as long so it scrunches up. So if a cord needs to exit 18" from the end leave a spot for it 36" (18" x 2) from the end as you are sewing the cover together. I make a 1-1/2" opening and mark it with masking tape along the edge where it needs to be. When I sew up to the masking tape I stop and then start sewing again past the tape.