Easy quilted hatch cover tutorial

The hatch cover can be a deceptively tricky thing to fit.  Frequently owners resort to snaps and other fasteners in the hatch or the deck but that introduces its own set of problems.  Here's a simple quilted hatch cover that looks good, uses a minimum of materials, and secures with shock cord.  The shock cord should probably be replaced yearly but that's easy to do.  A heavy home machine could probably handle this but it would be tough as you have to sew through five layers of canvas plus a layer of batting.

The pattern is traced directly off the hatch and then a half inch seam allowance is measured and drawn around that. Cut to the outside line and use this one pattern for everything else. Remember to measure the height of the hatch and mark that as well.

Two pieces are cut out to the pattern and the four side pieces are cut as well. To determine the size of the side pieces measure the height of the hatch and then add 1 1/2" for seam allowances. The width will be the straight portion of your pattern plus 1" for seams.

A half inch is turned over on the short sides and a full inch is turned over along one of the long sides. This are both sewn down and 1/8" from the edge.

Lay one of your big pieces down face up. Place all four side pieces in place face down (outside to outside) and baste the back one down with a 1/2" seam. We've sewn a label in place here with care instructions for the sunbrella. It's primarily there to help identify the back.

Place the top piece face down and stitch around using a 1/2" seam. Note the large gap at the bottom. This is the back of the hatch in this picture and that is left to allow you to turn it inside out.

Polyester batting is basted in place. Don't inadvertently sew up the gap in the back just yet. Clip the corners and turn everything rightside out.

Here everything is turned rightside out and sewn down with a topstitch 1/8" from the edge.

Sew straight lines all the way across athwartships to bind everything together. On this one we spaced them 2" apart. String 1/8" shockcord all the way around as pictured. Pull some tension on this and then tie it in a square knot. Clip the ends short and then work the cord around until the knot is in one of the pockets.