Lella boutique

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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