As winter draws in, cosy up with this vibrant hot water bottle cover

What you need...

• Fabric: Amy Butler, Lark Heirloom in Jade, 40cm; spotty, pink
  Hot water bottle
  Lining, 40cm
  Wadding, 40cm
  Thread: green, pink
  Ribbon, pink, 30cm
  Adhesive, spray
  Tape, double-sided
  Sewing machine

instructions

1. Lay floral fabric the wrong side up. Place the hot water bottle on top and draw around it, adding an extra 3cm all the way around. Repeat with wadding and lining so you have three identical back pieces.

2. The front of the cover is made up of two pieces. Using the hot water bottle as a template, cut out the top and bottom sections from floral fabric, making sure they overlap by at least 5cm in the middle. Ensure they also have an extra 3cm margin all around the edge. Cut wadding and lining to match both parts.

3. For all three sections, pin together the fabric, wadding and lining in a ‘sandwich’. Use a ruler and sharp pencil to faintly draw a 3cm diamond grid onto the floral fabric. Sew over all the lines with a sewing machine to create a quilted effect.

4. To add a trim to the edges of the two front sections, cut two identical rectangles of pink spotty fabric, 5cm x 25cm. On each, fold in both long edges by 1cm. Turn in half again and press. Pin to the straight edge of each front piece and stitch into place with pink thread.

5. Lay the back section right side up. Place the two front pieces on top with right sides down, matching the edges. Pin all three pieces together. Sew around the outside, through all the layers of fabric, with a 0.5cm seam allowance. Trim the edges and turn the cover right way out. Make a small bow from pink velvet ribbon and stitch it to the centre of the front trim.