How to Design Your Own Laptop Sleeve

Whether you need padding for frequent travel or want to impress the kids in the student union and keep Dorito dust off your Mac, a laptop sleeve can offer you a fun new way to express yourself. You can buy all kinds of laptop sleeves, but it's easy to make a custom one.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Needle and thread or sewing machine
• Fabric glue
• Fabric paint
• Rhinestone and stud setter
• Padding material (available at hobby supply or sewing centers)

1. 

   Determine the size. Laptops aren't all the same size, so measure your laptop and add an inch to each dimension to add some wiggle room and room for sewing and error. Then cut out a paper template of your laptop lid (basically, a rectangle that shows the size of your laptop) to make it easy for you to choose scrap fabrics to use. Place the template over the scrap fabric and add another inch for the height of your closed laptop.

2. Laptop sleeves made out of T-shirts

   Determine the materials. Do you want your laptop sleeve simply to protect the casing of your laptop, or are you likely to drop or bump your laptop often? If you're looking for something to spice up your book bag or look cool at the coffee shop, any fabric will do. If you need to provide protection for your electronics, use a heavier fabric and dense padding. Allow for extra fabric to cover the additional dimensions of the padded laptop sleeve.

3. Knit and felted laptop sleeve

   Sew it up. You don't have to be great at sewing to accomplish this. Reverse your fabric and sew a simple seam along three edges of the material. You can also use fabric glue if you're afraid of the needle. If you're using padding, tack your padding (which means sew a few stitches to make it stay) onto the top and bottom pieces of your sleeve to keep them in place, then turn your fabric back to the right side to finish the basic sleeve.

4. 

   Adorn it. Sew on beads or rhinestones to the outside of your sleeve (remember to line the inside so rhinestone settings don't scratch your laptop) or create a fabric collage using all different types of scrap patterned fabric, different textures and fabric ties and cording.

5. 

   Consider extras. Attach an easy pocket to your laptop sleeve to hold memory sticks or pencils. Take another rectangle of fabric and attach three sides to your sleeve to create a pocket. Be sure the pocket is open to the open end of the sleeve so that you don't spill the contents of the pocket when you pick up your laptop.

6. 

   Express yourself. Think about the things you love the most and be sure to incorporate that into your laptop sleeve. If you're a flower child, attach blooming silk flowers to your sleeve. If you're a fine arts lover, perhaps make a plain canvas sleeve and use fabric paints to create your own version of your favorite Monet or Picasso.

7. Use unique trim. Whether you decide on a zipper, Velcro or no closure for your sleeve, you can still have fun with trim on your sleeve. Sew or glue on decorative cording, or attach an old leather belt or ribbon for a fun way to tie up or fasten your sleeve together.

Tips & Warnings

• Use an old pair of pants, jeans or corduroys and slide your laptop into the leg. If it fits, which many do, simply slide it in all the way, cut the leg off the pants at the end of the laptop and then sew or fabric glue a seam along the bottom. You have an instant laptop sleeve.

• Be aware that not all laptop sleeves are fully enclosed via zipper or Velcro, so be sure to pick up your laptop from the closed end so that your laptop doesn't fall out of its sleeve.

Resources

• builtny.com laptop sleeves
• smashingmagazine laptop sleeves and stickers