learning to breathe........
Reflection........
This last year I learned so much about myself, and it allows me to forge on to have a healthy life, and to make progress in my design career. I am simply continuing that journey. I have learned to be grateful for all that I have in my life, and to never take anything for granted.
That being said, onward to a new tech cover free pattern new/tutorial that I have for all to enjoy....Happy New Year!!I posted this picture on Face book last night....
I saw this cool ipad/tablet tech cover on Antropologie, and I love it. If you love it that much, you could use this tutorial and go find an old canvas painting or 2, cut it/them off the frame and make one just like the Antro one!!
Lets make a check list of what you need first:
Materials:
*1/3 yard of fabric for the exterior...can Pendleton wool like I have here, home dec fabric, upholstery fabric, canvas/denim.
*****If using the thick Pendelton wool like I am here, omit the stabilizer.
*1/3 yard of fabric for the lining....use a cotton woven of any sort, print, plaid, solid, etc.
*5/8 yard of muslin for interfacing...muslin or recycle an old sheet, etc.
*1/3 yard of In-R-Form for the stabilizer....new product by Bosal!! You could use headliner too, but the In-R-Foam is thinner and easier to use then headliner.
*3" x 15" pleather/vinyl piece (or a 1/8 yard)....for the front strap & backing for the 2 clasp pieces
*1 magnetic 2 part closure.....for the front closure
*thread to match to provide a high contrast..... imagine orange florescent thread sewn on black fabric, that is high contrast
Special Tools:
*Regular foot..... to sew the fabric
*80 or 90 regular sewing needles.... to sew the fabrics
*Teflon/coated/roller foot..... to sew on the pleather with
*100 or 110 Topstitch needles by Schmeltz...I love Schmeltz
Time to cut the pieces:
For the external and lining pieces: pay attention to the fabric design direction. If your fabric is directional (meaning it goes only one way OR that the fabric can have only one top so as not to be upside down), you will need to cut the case piece in three pieces, and here are those dimensions...
two pieces at 11"h x 9" w, & one piece at 8.5"h x 9" w. then sew the two pieces at 11"h x 9" w at the bottom (the 9" part), with the right sides together, then attach the 8.5"h x 9"w at the top of either side (at the 9"side) ( this will be the flap, so for it to be right side up, it will be sewn upside down, so that when the flap is closed, the design will read right side up)
*If your fabric is not direction, then cut a 9" strip, and then cut a 29" long piece so that your piece is 9" x 29".
*Repeat last step for the lining.
*Cut the flap shape.....Lay the exterior piece (& layers), and the lining (& muslin)on the cutting board. Make sure that the top of the cover is at the half inch mark. There will be 2 pieces cut from the top to form the flap. Measure along the top edge of the flap 3", and down the side 7.5", and use the ruler to match these two measurements on the angle, then cut, and repeat for the other side.
*Cut two 9" strips from the muslin ......for the interfacing.
*Cut one 9" strip from the In-R-Foam OR headliner.....for stabilizer
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| The In-R-Foam is fabulous, as it is thinner then headliner, and the foam is sandwiched for a smoother look! |
*Lay the lining piece on the other muslin strip, and cut the pieces to the size of the exterior & lining pieces. Repeat and cut the muslin to match the lining, and pin the pieces on the edges so that the layers act as one piece.
*Cut the pleather/vinyl.....cut one piece 2.25" x 9.5", and two square pieces 1.5" x 1.5". On the 1.5" squares, use a pinking shears to trim the four sides of each square....then it looks pretty.
Deal with the pleather/vinyl first:
To make the strap, first draw a line the along the 9.5" length, 3/4" from one edge, this is 1/3 of the width of the strap. Then follow my tutorial to sew the strap. Please remember that you can also use the roller foot to sew the pleather/vinyl (p/v) also. The 2.25" width will be send down to a 3/4" strap.
Once the strap is finished, then place it 2" down from the top of one edge of what will be the front of the bag, tack in place with a 1/4" sa.
Hint: I do not pin the p/v, this really is not possible with how thick the strap is. So to save you frustration, and bent pins I have a hint..... I put a pin where I should sew in place and then line up the pin with the needle, then place the strap where it needs to be, put the pressure foot down on it, then sew the strap into place.
Measure on the other side, mark with a pin, and for this second side of the strap, it needs to be a bit smaller then the front or it will "pop" out from the front. So this means instead of making the strap flush with the front of the case, you need to make it a smidge smaller then the case (8.75" long), so it will hold the strap close.
We could also smile and say I am really over engineering this...but I just want it to be as awesome as it can be.
Placement of the closures (each step is started in bold letters):
The pleather squares are a lovely backing for the closures. These closures must be put in place before the cover is constructed.
The p/v also gives a bit of weight & thickness for the closure to grab onto. Each piece of the 2 part closures have a metal backing. the backing has a round center opening, and 2 side openings. Each closure part had 2 prongs that go through the material, then the backing is put into place with the prongs through the 2 side openings, and to hold it all in place, the prongs are bent outward away from the center.
The backing with its openings is also a template so that you can mark where to cut the fabric for the prongs to go through, as you can see in the picture here, the p/v piece has 2 pen markings for the prongs. The steps are....
Find the center of the pleather vinyl piece with the closure backing, and mark the prong openings with an ink pen.
Find the 1st placement of the p/v backing on the cover, which is 2" down from the strap, then centered through the 9" width at 4.5". I have opened the prong openings on the p/v with a seam ripper (hint: best way to slice the pleather gently and straight), then I pin the pleather in place through the prong openings.
2nd Placement of the p/v is to be 3" from the flap edge. At 3" down from the flap edge, the width of the flap at 3" down is 6", so the middle would be at 3". Repeat steps to sew the p/v backing down, and to attach the closure
Time to put it together:
The exterior cover and the lining will be sewn at the sides separately, then they will be sewn together and topstitched to finish the construction.
Trim a bit off the bottom corners 1/8" from the seam, then turn the exterior case right side out. Leave the lining wrong side out, and slip it into the exterior case, with right sides together.
Pin along the flap, and about an inch onto the front of the case top on either side, make sure to open the seams so that the bulk around the seams is lessened.
Sew with a 1/2" seam allowance, back stitching at the beginning and end. Clip at the corners of the flap edges, and at the corners of where the case body meets the flap, so that when turned the fabric will move easily.
Now pull the exterior to the right side through the opening in the front, and tuck the lining back into the case.
Your tech case is finished!!
Happy New Year from Paradiso Designs!
xoxo, Cheryl
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