How to Make a Reusable Elastic Can & Jar Cover

Up your leftover game. These reusable covers are the perfect size to go over open cans, drinks and other small containers that don’t have lids. They can also be used as decorative jar toppers for gifts. Just stick one on top of a jar of home-canned goodness, to instantly turn one gift into two.

This is an quick and easy sewing project. Let’s make some!

Reusable Can/Jar Cover Tutorial

What You’ll Need:

Cotton fabric for the outside of your can cover
Cotton or ProSoft FoodSAFE® waterproof PUL fabric for the lining
1/4″ elastic
A ruler
Scissors
Sewing clips
Thread
A sewing machine (This is the machine that I have)
A safety pin

Optional (but nice to have):

An air or water-soluble marker
A bodkin (makes it easier to install the elastic)

I wanted my can covers to have a food-safe lining, so I used ProSoft FoodSAFE® waterproof PUL fabric, but you could just as easily use a second piece of cotton for the lining. It’s just a matter of personal preference.

What You Do:

Draw a 7-inch circle on your fabric. I used a circle cutter to create a template that I could trace.

If you don’t own a circle cutter, just place a wide-mouth canning jar upside down on your fabric. Then, go around the jar, making marks two inches out from the lid. Connect the dots to create your circle. Then, cut it out. Don’t worry, if your circle isn’t perfect. It won’t affect the final product at all.

Use your template, or the circle that you just cut out, to trace and cut a circle out of your lining fabric.

Then, pin or clip the pieces together, with right-sides facing. If you’re using ProSoft PUL, treat the laminated side as the right side.

Pro Tip:Use sewing clips, if you’re using PUL or another laminated fabric, so you don’t put permanent holes in the laminate. Binder clips or paper clips, will also work in a pinch.

Sew a 1/4-inch seam around the outside edge of your can cover.

Then, use pinking shears, or scissors to trim the excess fabric from the edge.

Flip your cover right-side out. Then, fold in the unfinished edge.

Now topstitch a 1/2-inch seam around the edge of the can cover, to create the channel for the elastic.

Feed a piece of elastic through the channel. You can do this by attaching a safety pin to the end of the elastic, and feeding it through, or with a bodkin.

When the elastic comes out the other side, hold both ends firmly, while you test fit the cover on the wide-mouth canning jar. Adjust the gathers. Then, pull both ends of the elastic tight, to remove any extra elastic.

Overlap the two pieces of elastic, and use a zig zag stitch to join the two pieces. I usually go back and forth over the elastic at least five times to ensure it’s secure. Trim the ends. Then, sew the open seam, and your first can cover is done!