Jan 29
2011

Custom e-reader case

OK, so who didn’t get a Kindle for Christmas? I think pretty much everyone I know did. Unfortunately, you can’t just toss it in your bag and go, or the screen will get all banged up. I admit, I ran out and bought a case, and then I thought, “FOOL! You can sew. You have an obligation to make your own.” And so I did. And you can, too!

I added a pleated front pocket to hold your charging cord. This was an important feature to me because it’s nice to always have the power cord handy in case your battery dies. And the pleats allow the pocket to expand to accommodate the cord and plug.

Supplies

(Click fabrics for direct links for purchase at Warehouse Fabrics Inc.)

OD Flower Power Navy - ODFLRNAY

OD Fanfare Navy - ODFAENAY

Zippers

I was originally going to do something else with these fabrics and started off with half a yard of the flower fabric and 1/3 of a yard of the other. I had more than enough for this project.

You’ll need two 9″ zippers. The one for the top of the case will be 9 inches. The one for the pocket will be more like 5, but I just cut the excess off after sewing it on since there aren’t zippers that small.

I didn’t use batting in mine because I didn’t want to deal with the bulk. I knew that for my purposes, I just really wanted to protect my Kindle from scratches, but could live without the padding. You are welcome to add batting to yours. Just cut two of the main pieces and sew as one piece with the outer cover pieces.

You can change the size of this case depending on your e-reader. See below.

1/2″ seam allowances.

The pattern

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I made this project up as I went, and it did fit my Kindle, but it was rather snug, so I added an extra 1/4″ to the measurements below. I also was determined to find a way to attach the lining by machine, but after a brutal battle of woman vs. machine, I gave up and grabbed the seam ripper. I took the lining out and finished it by hand, as shown in the pics below. I just couldn’t figure out a way to do the lining with a curved zipper and my machine and get a nice result. If anyone has an idea, please let me know!

This is for a 6th gen Kindle, measuring 5″x7.5″. If you’d like to make a cover for a different e-reader, measure the width and height, and add 1″ seam allowance and 1/2″ “ease” to each measurement. Your pleats are going to take a little more math. I recommend making your inside pleats 3″ wide (including 1/2″ seam allowance) plus the desired height of your pocket. Then your outside pleats should total the width of your Side pieces, plus add 1/2″ seam allowances on either side. For instance, I made my sides 5″ wide, so I have five outer pleat pieces each measuring 1″ wide after sewing, but 2″ wide before sewing to account for seam allowances.

Cut out the following pieces:
Fabric 1 (main fabric):
Sides – cut 2 – 6.5″x9″
Outside pleat – cut 3 – 2″x7.5″
Outside pleat – cut 2 – 2.25″x7.5″

Fabric 2 (lining fabric):
Sides – cut 2 – 6.5″x9″
Inside pleats – cut 4 – 3″x7.5″

Feel free to round off the upper corners where the curve of the zipper will be. I didn’t, but if you feel more comfortable doing it that way, please do!

The process

	For the pocket zipper, close the top of the tape with a few stitches.
	With 1/2″ seam allowances, sew the pleated pocket together as shown, alternating fabric pieces. The floral pieces will be the “outer” pleats and the leaves will be the “inner” pleats. In my example, all of the floral pieces are the same size, but in the instructions, I had you cut two that are just slightly wider. Put these on either end. This will give you just a tiny bit of extra width (like I said, mine ended up being just a wee bit snug). In the end, after the pleats are closed up, this piece should be the width of your Side pieces, so if you need to shave a sliver off either side, that’s fine.
	Now you want to close your pleats, effectively “hiding” the inner pleats. Take the edge where each outer pleat and inner pleat meet and bring it to the center of the inner pleat. Please see where the arrows are and compare to the picture above.
	Repeat on other side of pleat. Pin in place as you go on both top and bottom.
	Eventually, it will look like this. At this point, it should measure the width of your Side pieces.
	Baste along the top and bottom to secure the pleats, but to do this close to the edge and within the seam allowance.
	Place your zipper face-down on the top of your pocket. Using a zipper foot, sew. Leave the excess zipper alone for now. Your zipper pull should be at the left with the zipper closed.
	Now we need to attach it to the Side piece. I have pinned the other side of the zipper tape, face-down, to the Side piece. The pocket is flipped up. Once the zipper is sewn on here and the pocket is flipped back down, the bottom edge of the pocket should be flush with the bottom edge of the Side piece. You may want to pin and play around a bit till you feel it’s right. I am sure I wrote down this measurement somewhere, but all I see is chicken scratch all over my pattern pieces.
	I have sewn my zipper to the Side piece and flipped my pocket down.
	I also top-stitched along the zipper on the pocket piece. Baste the pocket piece to the Side piece along the edges and bottom, carefully starting just above the zipper on the right side. You might want to just use the hand crank as you go over the zipper. Then cut off the zipper tail.
	Pin your other zipper, centered, along the top of the side piece with the right side of the zipper and right side of the fabric facing. Like I said, having a curved corner here might make it easier for you. I just kept my pointy corners. I’m not sure why.
	Curve it around the corner and down the side. Mine came out just exactly right so that the top zipper and pocket zipper met up but didn’t interfere with each other. Phew! Using your zipper foot, sew along the zipper.
	Placing the other Side piece right-side together with the first, pin the top to the other side of the zipper tape and sew the same way. You may need to start and stop and adjust the zipper pull to get it out of your way.
	Here’s another view.
	Ta-da! Now your zipper is in place on the outer part of the case, but the sides and bottom remain open.
	Back view.
	With the case inside out, sew from zipper end to zipper end along the sides and bottom. Make sure your zipper is open so you can turn it back around! Go ahead and turn it right-side out.
	Now for your lining. My zipper on the outer case ended about 2-1/4 inches from the top of the case, so I started sewing my lining pieces (right-sides together) from that point, down along the sides and across the bottom. The top remains open.
	I kind of pressed my seam allowance over along the top and sides.
	Insert inside your outer case pieces and turn under the seam allowance of the lining along the zipper. Pin and slip stitch by hand. Yep, that’s what I was trying to avoid, but I really had too hard of a time doing it by machine. I have made a lot of bags, and my rule is no raw seams inside and no hand sewing, but I just couldn’t work this one out.

Other views

(Click for bigger views)

Tags: e-reader case, kindle case, sewing, sewing tutorial

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 29th, 2011 at 8:32 pm and is filed under Accessories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.