Father's Day for the Forgetful Sewing Enthuisiast
Let me get this out of the way: I am a less than stellar daughter. I love my dad so much, but I am a scatterbrained woman, and I often forget important dates ... including Father's Day.
If you're like me, and you're scrambling to come up with a gift for your dad at the last minute, look no further than you fabric stash! If you've got a couple of 16" x 10.5" scraps, you can whip up an iPad sleeve your dad will treasure.
For your lining fabric, something ultra soft with a nap is best. Think velvet, velveteen and minky. For your exterior fabric, anything that fits your dad's personality is perfect. I went with a striped suiting remnant.
All seam allowances on this project are 1/4".
Once you've cut your rectangles, stitch your lining and your exterior fabric along the top long edge. To orient your napped fabric, lay it out in front of you so brushing downward is a smooth motion, with the fabric's fibers laying flat. With this orientation, the top edge of your fabric is the one you will join to your exterior fabric. This way, the iPad will slide into the sleeve easily, and the nap of the fabric will naturally remove any dust or debris from the screen when you pull it out.
I like to understitch the seam allowance to the lining fabric at this stage.
Next, fold your fabric into a long tube as shown below. You'll be stitching along the long edge, and then across the exterior fabric to the fold.
This is a good time to turn your project right side out and test for fit. Remember, iPads have buttons along the outside edges, so if your sleeve is too tight, it can end up depressing buttons and adjust settings like the volume when the unit is inserted into the sleeve. You want the sleeve snug enough to hold the iPad without it sliding around, but with enough ease that it's not a struggle to slide the iPad in or out. Because the thickness of napped fabrics varied greatly, you may need to make adjustments.
Once you've got your fit squared away, close up the bottom of your lining fabric. You can machine stitch it like I did, or use a whip stitch to close it by hand.
If you have a sewing machine that does simple lettering stitches, you can further customize your project by adding a special message or sentiment. You can also embellish with patches or other trim to perfectly match your gift to your dad's personality!
If you're like me, and you're scrambling to come up with a gift for your dad at the last minute, look no further than you fabric stash! If you've got a couple of 16" x 10.5" scraps, you can whip up an iPad sleeve your dad will treasure.
For your lining fabric, something ultra soft with a nap is best. Think velvet, velveteen and minky. For your exterior fabric, anything that fits your dad's personality is perfect. I went with a striped suiting remnant.
All seam allowances on this project are 1/4".
Once you've cut your rectangles, stitch your lining and your exterior fabric along the top long edge. To orient your napped fabric, lay it out in front of you so brushing downward is a smooth motion, with the fabric's fibers laying flat. With this orientation, the top edge of your fabric is the one you will join to your exterior fabric. This way, the iPad will slide into the sleeve easily, and the nap of the fabric will naturally remove any dust or debris from the screen when you pull it out.
I like to understitch the seam allowance to the lining fabric at this stage. Next, fold your fabric into a long tube as shown below. You'll be stitching along the long edge, and then across the exterior fabric to the fold.This is a good time to turn your project right side out and test for fit. Remember, iPads have buttons along the outside edges, so if your sleeve is too tight, it can end up depressing buttons and adjust settings like the volume when the unit is inserted into the sleeve. You want the sleeve snug enough to hold the iPad without it sliding around, but with enough ease that it's not a struggle to slide the iPad in or out. Because the thickness of napped fabrics varied greatly, you may need to make adjustments.
Once you've got your fit squared away, close up the bottom of your lining fabric. You can machine stitch it like I did, or use a whip stitch to close it by hand.
Next, I top stitched around the opening edge of the sleeve (right over the understitching I did earlier).
Your iPad sleeve is ready for prime time! And this project can of course be easily adapted for any other brand of tablet. Just measure the unit's dimensions and add about 1" -1.5" to those measurements to determine your cutting dimensions.
Your iPad sleeve is ready for prime time! And this project can of course be easily adapted for any other brand of tablet. Just measure the unit's dimensions and add about 1" -1.5" to those measurements to determine your cutting dimensions.
If you have a sewing machine that does simple lettering stitches, you can further customize your project by adding a special message or sentiment. You can also embellish with patches or other trim to perfectly match your gift to your dad's personality!
Happy Father's Day to my incredibly awesome dad, and special thanks to my best friend Dawn, who gave me the idea for this project and made the original prototype!
Categories
Accessories , Crafting , Sewing , Staff Tips & Tricks , Tutorials1 Comments
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This is very cool - what a great idea ... and not only good for Father's Day!
I love it, because it has such an unforgettable touch to it!
~Anja~