charmed Liebling
  • home
  • pattern shop
    • wallet patterns
    • bag patterns
    • laptop and messenger bag pattern
  • items for sale
    • custom orders
  • free tutorials
  • contact
  • about

FREE sewing tutorial: how to make an iPad case

1/17/2014

14 Comments

 
charmed Liebling iPad case
charmed Liebling iPad case
Hi everyone!
We are already past mid January, I truly apologize for having been absent for so long but I honestly don't know where time went... The only good thing about it is it brought us 2 weeks closer to spring :)
Anyways, I have come up with a easy and relatively short tutorial on how to make an iPad case! My birthday was on December 20 and as many of you know I spent it in Germany with my family. This iPad mini was a gift from my husband, and thoughtful as he is he gave it to me before I left the US, so that I could already use it on my long flight and while I was home!
Of course I needed to make a stylish case for it and I thought I'd share with you. I hope you like this tutorial. This pattern will fit all iPad models, regardless the size.

This tutorial is free but if you would rather prefer to download this complete tutorial as a pdf file you may purchase it here for only $2.
Happy sewing!

Please read all instructions before you begin.

All cutting measurements given are height x width.
All seam allowances are 1/2” unless stated otherwise.

You need:

- Exterior fabric for outer main body: 1 fat quarter (18” x 22”)
- Lining fabric for inner main body: 1 fat quarter (18” x 22”)
- Heavy fusible stabilizer e. g. Pellon Peltex #71F: no more than a 12” x 22” piece (depends on iPad size)
- Fusible interfacing e. g. Pellon 906F Fusible Sheerweight: 1/3 yd
- 1 piece of hook and loop tape (sew-on): 2”
- Elastic: approx. 1/2 yd (I used ruffle elastic for a more decorative look)

  Below I give the exact measurements for an iPad mini case and the formula to calculate the measurements should you want to make a case for different iPad models.

Cut the following fabric pieces:

A) Outer main body (use exterior fabric) – cut this 1x:

For iPad MINI:
9 1/2" x 12 1/4”

For other iPad models use the following formula to determine the size of the fabric piece:
- Take the height of your iPad and add 1 1/2”: this is the height of your fabric piece.
- Take the width of your iPad and double it. Add the depth of your iPad. Add 1 1/2": this is the width of your fabric piece.

(e. g. if your iPad is 9 1/2” high, your fabric piece will have a height of 11”
          if your iPad is 6 1/2” wide and 1/4" deep your fabric piece will have a width of 14 3/4” )

B) Inner main body (use lining fabric) – cut this 2x:

For iPad MINI:
9 1/2" x 6 5/8”

For other iPad models use the following formula to determine the size of the fabric pieces:
- The height of your fabric pieces will be the same as for the main body outer part.
- Take the width of your main body outer part as measured above. Divide by 2. Add 1/2”: this is the width of your fabric piece.

(e. g. your fabric pieces will be the have the same height as the main body exterior fabric, in this case 11”
If your main body inner fabric was 14 3/4” as measured above your inner main body fabric pieces will have a width of 7 7/8”

C) Heavy fusible stabilizer – cut this 1x

For iPad MINI:
Measurements as given in A). Subtract 1/2" from each of the four edges.

For other iPad models:
Measurements as given in formula under A). Subtract 1/2" from each of the four edges.

D) Fusible interfacing – cut this 2x

For iPad MINI:
Measurements as given in B).

For other iPad models:
Measurements as given in formula under B).

The following parts have the same size regardless of iPad type:

E) Closure tab:

From exterior fabric – cut this 1x:
4 1/2” x 5 1/2”

From heavy fusible stabilizer – cut this 1x:
3 1/2 ” x 4 1/2”


Instructions:

- Fuse interfacing onto the wrong side of the inner main body fabric pieces.
- Fuse heavy stabilizer to the wrong side of the tab closure fabric piece. Make sure to place it centered onto the fabric piece so that there will be no stabilizer on the seam allowance.

1.) Make the inner main body
- Place one of your inner main body fabric pieces right side up and put your iPad centered onto it.
- Place your elastic onto one corner so that it covers the corner of your iPad. It should be positioned loosely, don’t tighten it just yet. Make sure to position the elastic in an angle so that it would cover enough of your iPad to hold it in place but at the same time won’t cover too much of your screen. If you are satisfied with your positioning pin the elastic down on both fabric edges.
- Cut off your elastic and repeat the previous step on the three other corners.
Bild
- After pinning down the elastic remove your iPad. Smooth the elastic out to make sure it lies flat on the fabric. You may have to remove some of the pins again and pin it down again.
- Stitch the elastic onto the fabric using a 3/16” seam allowance.
Bild
- Place the second inner main body part onto the inner main body part with the elastic attached, right sides together. Make sure that all edges are aligned. Pin in place and sew along the left-hand long edge. Iron the seam open and set aside.
Bild
2.) Make the outer main body
- Make the tab closure:
Fold the tab closure fabric piece in half vertically, right sides together. This means that your fabric piece will be 4 1/2” x 2 3/4” after folding. Iron or handpress to make sure you will see the center crease. Unfold again and place the closure tab fabric piece right side up.

- Place the soft part of your hook and loop tape onto your closure tab fabric piece: it should be positioned approx. 1/2" left from the center crease and centered between the top and the bottom edge of the fabric piece. Pin in place and sew the hook and loop tape to the fabric piece using a 1/8” seam allowance.
Bild
- Fold your fabric piece in half along the center crease again, right sides together. Pin in place and stitch along both short edges. Turn it right side out.
Bild
- Place your closure tab (with the hook and loop tape facing up) onto the outer main body fabric piece. It should be positioned centered on the left-hand side edge of the outer main body fabric piece. The raw edges of both the tab closure piece and the main body piece should be aligned. Pin in place and stitch along the raw edge using a 1/4" seam allowance.
Bild
3.) Assemble the iPad case:
- Place the outer main body piece (with the closure tab attached) onto the inner main body piece right sides together. Make sure that the side with the closure tab touches the side with the elastic. Make sure that all edges are aligned and pin in place.
Bild
- Sew around all edges but leave an opening of approx. 7” at the side that does not have the closure tab or elastic attached. Trim down the seam allowance and clip the corners. Turn right side out. Fold the seam allowance at the opening down to the inside and iron.
Bild
- Find the right spot for the second part of your hook and loop tape:
Take your iPad and put it inside your case. Fold the case in half as if closing it. Take a fabric marker and mark the spot where the hook and loop tape of the closure tab touches the exterior main body.
Bild
Bild
- Sew the hook and loop tape onto the exterior main body at the spot you marked using a 1/8” seam allowance. You may have to remove the arm of your sewing machine for this step.
Bild
- Insert the heavy stabilizer into the casing: Slide it through the opening, match all corners and flatten it out. Make sure it sits nicely inside the case (you will be fusing the stabilizer to the fabric in the very last step when ironing your iPad case).

- Make sure that the seam allowance of the opening is still folded to the inside. Pin in place and topstitch the opening close.

- Finish up your case by ironing it thoroughly. At the same time your stabilizer will be fused to the fabric.
Bild
And it's done! Enjoy your new iPad case!
I hope you liked this tutorial. If you have any questions or remarks feel free to leave me a comment. I'd be happy to know what you think!!
If you would rather prefer to download this complete tutorial as a pdf file you may purchase it here for only $2.
Bild
14 Comments
Corrie
1/27/2014 04:05:20 am

I think that is the best idea I've seen in a long time. Good work and Good luck.

Reply
Corrie
1/27/2014 04:08:54 am

PS I think it would be easier to see the components if you used a solid material. The print used obscures the details and makes it hard to see how you placed the closure tab.

Reply
Anna
1/27/2014 04:50:41 am

Thanks Corrie, I appreciate your comment! You are right, the closure tab is a bit hard to see. I might take another picture, using solid fabric, thanks for the tip! Happy sewing :-)

Reply
Pam @Threading My Way link
3/15/2014 09:40:19 am

Pretty and practical...

Reply
Anna
3/15/2014 11:41:33 am

Thanks Pam. Just the way I intended, yay!! :-)

Reply
Pam @Threading My Way link
4/12/2014 11:56:44 am

Hi Anna, I've featured this tutorial, and two others, in a roundup yesterday...
http://www.threadingmyway.com/2014/04/ten-electronic-gadget-cover-tutorials.html

Penny
8/30/2014 02:46:44 am

Thank you so much. I've just made a Star Wars cover for my husband's new iPad & he's thrilled! :)
(I used some flexible plastic inserted before the final hand sewn closure just to add a little more stability.)

Reply
Anna
9/5/2014 03:34:55 am

Thanks Penny, glad you like my tutorial.
Using flexible plastic is a great idea!

Reply
Kodilyn
12/4/2014 02:17:08 am

I love the this pattern. do you think that you could do a phone case like this, I am making Christmas gifts, and not all of my friends have a tablet. If you don't want to make one for a phone, can you at least let me know how you found the measurements for your fabric.

Reply
Anna
12/4/2014 11:55:23 am

Hi Kodilyn,
Thanks for your question, if you want to make a case for your phone you can basically follow the instructions/measurement above. The case will just be smaller overall.
I am not too sure if it will work for a phone case since it will be fairly small and the elastic would probably cover a lot of the phone up.
Good luck with your project!

Reply
Susan Fowler
2/7/2018 09:38:11 am

I use an old Lanyard from a convention for my phone. It's black and hard to find in my purse. I think I will make one out of bright fabric now.

Reply
Karen
8/23/2015 01:42:06 am

I made this and am very happy with the results! Thank you for the easy instructions.

Reply
Suzan link
1/9/2016 11:10:58 am

Love the use of the ruffled elastic. I have made covers before and used fabric covered elastic so the holders would be prettier than regular flat elastic. This is such a great idea!

Reply
Tracey M link
11/21/2020 07:27:18 am

Very nice blog yyou have here

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    Follow on Bloglovin

    RSS Feed

    Anna

    anna's blog -

    Welcome to my blog! I am an accountant who once started out her "career" in the US by designing bag and wallet sewing  patterns! My patterns are available on Etsy and occasionally I will share some of my sewing projects that I work on in my spare free time on my website.  Happy sewing :)

    Categories

    All
    Bags
    Bargains
    Dresses
    Fabric
    Fashion
    Germany
    Giveaway
    Home Dec
    Interfacing
    Review
    Sale
    Seasonal
    Sewing Patterns
    Sewing Tips
    Smartphone Cases
    Special Occasions
    Treasury
    Trips
    Tutorial
    Vacation Projects
    Wallets

    Threading My Way_Featured
    Pattern Spot dot com
    This page contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
    Online Sewing Class
    Craftsy

    Archives

    December 2021
    May 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.