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Laptop Love

Now that Christmas is over, I can show you the sweet little laptop sleeve I made for my mom. It’s the perfect (and most fashionable) way to protect your new electronics from dust and scratches. 

To make this one, I used fabrics from Moda’s Ruby collection by Bonnie & Camille. It features a simple velcro flap closure and sweet button embellishment. 

I was extremely tempted to use soft materials like fleece and flannel but changed my mind when I realized that many of those soft materials conduct static electricity. I guess that would sort of defeat the purpose of a protective sleeve, huh?!

My recommended list of materials

  •  1/2 yard cotton fabric for the laptop exterior
  • 1/2 yard cotton fabric for the laptop lining
  • 3″ Velcro (non-sticky) strips  
    • Button or other (optional) decorative embellishment

    The first step is to measure the device and calculate the  panel size for the exterior and lining pieces. In this case, my mom’s laptop measures 9 1/4″ width x 13″ length x 7/8″ height.

    Find your panel dimensions using a simple equation: 

    (W + H + 1 ½“) x (L + H + 1 ½“)

    Plugged into the equation, I find that my panel dimensions need to be 11 5/8 x 15 3/8″.  The next step is to cut two panels from each 1/2 yard of fabric for the exteriors and linings.

    For the flap, cut two 4 x 6″ rectangles from the exterior fabric.  (If you want the flap to be wider, I would recommend two 6″ squares instead.)

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    Take one flap and both exterior panels and iron them to the Fusi-Boo batting using a wool setting with lots of steam. Trim away the excess batting.  For an even thicker laptop sleeve, repeat this step to add another layer of batting!

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    It’s totally optional, but if you’d like to add a quilting embellishment, do so at this point to the exterior panels.  I used my freehand machine quilting method to create a swirl design.

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    Next, we need our non-sticky velcro and Therm O Web’s Super Stik. (Don’t be tempted to buy sticky velcro thinking it will save you a step…it will ruin your sewing machine needle.) The reason I love using Therm O Web’s Super Stik is that the glue won’t gunk up your needle and washes out. Genius. 

    Here I’ve applied it to the back of the scratchy-half of the velcro strip.

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    I stick the velcro strip onto the batting-fused flap, about 1″ down from the top, centering it in from the sides. Then, I stitched it in place using a zigzag stitch around the perimeter.

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    If you’d like to add a button or other embellishment (and hide its stitching), go ahead and sew it onto the other flap 1.5″ down from the top, centered in from the sides. (I didn’t decide to add mine until afterwards so there is no picture of this.)

    Place both flaps right sides together.  (If you’ve added an embellishment, make sure both flap “top” ends are together.) Make sure all outside edges line up.

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    Sew around the perimeter using 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving the bottom-side open (the opposite end of velcro/embellishment). Clip the corners and turn it right-side out.  Iron it flat.

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    Center the flap onto one of the short sides of an exterior panel (the unfinished bottom-end should line up with the raw edge and the velcro will face up).

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    Either pin the flap or stitch it in place using a zigzag stitch right along the edge. The important thing is that the flap is securely in place.

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    On the other exterior panel, glue and center the other piece of the velcro strip about 2 1/2″ away from the (short-side) edge, centered in from the sides. Stitch the velcro in place using a zigzag stitch.

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    Lay the exterior panels right sides together making sure the flap and velcro (“top” ends) are together.  Pin in place and sew along the long sides using 1/2″ seam allowance.

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    Press open the seam allowances and turn right-side out.

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    Face the lining panels right sides together and sew along the long sides using a 5/8″ seam allowance. Press open those seams as well.

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    Carefully put the exterior inside of the lining, right sides together.

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    Line up both sets of seams and pin in place; then pin the rest of the lining to the exterior around the top-edge.

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    Sew the lining to the exterior using 1/2″ seam allowance.

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    Turn right-side out through the bottom.  Iron and then stitch around the opening using 3/8″ seam allowance.

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    Turn it back inside-out and sew the bottom closed using 1/2″ seam allowance.

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    Turn it right-side out again and iron.  And there you have it!  I liked my mom’s so much that I made one for me and made the wider (6″ square) flap. I must say that I was really excited to show it off to airport security, ha ha!

    This protective sleeve would be great for all sorts of electronics!  Most of my family members got Kindles for Christmas so I guess I know what to make people for their birthdays..

    13 Comments

    1. Unknown

      January 9, 2012 at 1:43 pm

      i love the Ruby fabric you used! so cute! Great job! I am sure your mom loved it:)

    2. Jenniffier

      January 9, 2012 at 7:18 pm

      Very similar to one I made earlier this year for my mother in law. Now I just need to make another for me 🙂 Yours looks great. I love the fabric choices

    3. Vanessa Goertzen

      January 9, 2012 at 7:27 pm

      Jenniffier!!! You should definitely make one for yourself. I would love to see it!

    4. Tatkis

      January 10, 2012 at 4:56 pm

      Absolutely charming laptop case! Thank you very much for the tutorial!

      Hugs,
      Tatyana

    5. Miriam Gourley Rawson

      January 10, 2012 at 6:50 pm

      Yup! Her mom DOES love her sleeve!!!!

    6. LuLu

      January 13, 2012 at 10:21 am

      So so so cute Vanessa! I love the fabrics you chose too 🙂
      p.s. Where in Utah do you live? I'm in Provo. It would be fun to meet up for lunch or something!

    7. Unknown

      December 29, 2012 at 12:45 pm

      Thank you for posting this pattern. I used it to make my daughter a sleeve from Little Black Dress fabric.

    8. Unknown

      August 30, 2014 at 5:06 pm

      Thanks for this great tutorial! I made a laptop sleeve today!

    9. Ned Polian

      February 5, 2015 at 1:12 am

      Many thanks for this brilliant post! Many points have extremely useful. Hopefully you'll continue sharing your knowledge around. what laptop should I buy

    10. Unknown

      May 16, 2016 at 12:09 am

      Brilliant work, looking awesome, We use laptops everyday but hardly care for cleaning the dirt on it. Laptop skins do not let darts stick on the laptop surface. These are easy to be cleaned. There are many laptops with a smooth surface which may cause the laptop slipping out of hand during mobility. The easy-grip of the laptop skins does not let the laptops slip out. Moreover, you can change the skins with the changing trends whenever you wish.

    11. rainbowfizz

      November 27, 2017 at 6:05 am

      Just made one for my husband's e-reader. Thanks for a brilliant tutorial!

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