Inspired by a recent trip to India, I saw a beautiful handmade book sleeve that I could easily adapt to be a new home for my iPad. I found some gorgeous fabric whilst travelling there and thought it would be a fitting fabric to use on this quilted iPad sleeve.
What you need
Card to make your template
External Fabric (preferabley patterned) 1 x 30x27cm and 1 x 21x27cm
Internal fabric (plain) 1 x 30x27cm and 1 x 21x27cm
Wadding Fabric to create quilted look
Sewing Machine
Trim Fabric
2 x Buttons
What to do
1) Measure out the templates based on measurements of the iPad itself. I measured mine as above. You should have 2 templates, one of the base of the sleeve (which is longer and will fold over to form the flap) and a second template for upper part of the sleeve (on which the buttons will be sewn onto). Allow 1 cm around the edge of the template to allow for where your trim fabric will be sewn.
2) Mark onto the fabric the outline of your template and cut 4 pieces total. 2 x from the external fabric and 2 x from the internal fabric. As noted above this should give you a smaller and larger piece from each type of fabric.
3) Use your templates to also cut out the wadding for the quilting.
4) Pin the wadding in between the external and internal fabric in each size. Using masking tape, mark out on the fabric how and where you would like your quilting to run. I stitched mine diagonally and then horizontally using the pattern in the fabric as markers. Make sure when stitching the quilting (which I did on my machine, but you can do by hand) that the stitch lines are as straight as you can get them and evenly spaced.
5) Once each section has been quilted, you will need to add trim to smaller piece where the entrance to the sleeve will be. For the trim fabric I used a run of cotton that measured 4cm in width and then the length of the full outline of the sleeve plus the little bit of trim needed for the entrance. I ironed the trim down the middle allowing 2cm each side and then folded the fabric in on itself again to create a 1cm binding on each side.
6) Sew the 2 pieces together to form the sleeve as pictured.
7)You then need to add the trim. This is the tricky part as you need to ensure that your stitch line is not only clean, but the trim is easily 1cm on both sides of the sleeve. It’s best to pin this in place. Take your time doing this bit as patience really pays off.
8 ) Once you have sewn the trim fabric all the way round the sleeve, neatly finish it off.
9) I used the remaining trim fabric to make button loops that I sewed by hand on the flap of the sleeve. I used these to help place my buttons, of which I also hand stitched onto the smaller section of the sleeve (as pictured).
10) A quick press with the iron and sleeve is ready for it’s new life…as a home for my iPad.
