how to sew a nook or kindle case {tutorial}

I sent this Nook case (and the crocheted one for my dad) off for Valentine's, so I can finally show you how I sewed this cute zipper case for my mom's Nook (my mom reads this blog, but I'm pretty sure my dad doesn't, so I wasn't too worried about ruining the surprise). Now my mom can throw her Nook in her purse without worrying about it getting scratched!

I used Stacy's brilliant tutorial for how to make a wet bag (you know, for wet swimming suits, dirty cloth diapers, etc.) and modified the materials a little. If you haven't already, you should try that project, too. I use it all the time to make travel toiletry bags for gifts and snack bags for the kids! They're a great way to use up the fat quarters you've been collecting. . .


Nook or Kindle Soft Zipper Case Tutorial


Supplies:
*Cotton fabric for outer case (I found this Heidi Grace fabric on sale at JoAnn!)
*Soft fabric or cotton for inner case (I used minky)
*Zipper (at least 9" long)
*Iron-on stabilizer/interfacing (I used Pellon's Val-U-Fus)
*Sewing machine and coordinating thread
*Buttons or extra fabric for embellishments

1. Cut your outer fabric, lining fabric, and stabilizer to 7.5" x 9.5".


2. Iron interfacing to back of outer fabric, following the manufacturer's instructions.


3. Time to sew in the zipper. Lay one piece of the lining fabric down, right-side up. Then layer your zipper on top of one short edges.


4. Next lay your outer fabric on top of the zipper, right-side down. Pin. It's a zipper sandwich!


5. Sew the three pieces together along the top edge, using a 1/4" seam allowance. Resist the temptation to sew close to the zipper--your lining fabric will get caught in it when you try to zip and unzip it later (yes, I'm talking from experience--grrr).

6. Flip the outer fabric over so it is wrong-sides together with the lining. Your zipper will be in the middle now. Top-stitch along the edge of the outer fabric close to the edge.



7. Now to sew on the other piece. Lay your other piece of lining fabric right-side up. Then place the side with the zipper already sewn in on top of it, with the lining against the lining piece and the right side of the outer fabric up.


Then layer the other outer piece on top of that, right-side down. You just made another sandwich.


Sew across the top as you did in step 5, using a 1/4" seam allowance, then flip outer fabric over zipper and top-stitch this side as well.


8. Now it's time to make the bag. First,unzip the zipper halfway. If you don't, you won't be able to get it open to turn it!



Open up your pieces and fold the outer fabrics together with right-sides touching, and the lining pieces together, right-sides together. Pin around three sides, leaving the short ends of the lining open.


9. Sew around all three sides using a 1/4" seam allowance.



10. Clip corners of outer fabric,


and trim both sides of the zipper flush with the bag.


11. Turn your bag right-side out through hole in the lining, pushing out corners of outer pieces with a pencil.


Fold ends of lining in about 1/2" and pin.



12. Sew end of lining together with 1/4" seam allowance.


Push your lining back inside the bag and you're done!




Unless you want to embellish. (Of course I do.) I originally planned on using that cute coordinating polka dot fabric from the supplies picture above to make a rosette, but it just didn't look quite right when I tried it. Too much the same as the outer fabric. So instead I opted to add a little pop of red by sewing random buttons on in a few flower centers. I sewed through the outer and lining fabrics with black thread so you couldn't see the stitching on the inside, and voila--my case is now pretty!



Your Nook or Kindle will be all cozy, warm, and safe in it's new little home. The finished dimensions were about 8.5" x 7" (I measured it before I sent it, but now I can't find my note, so that's approximate). It needs to be slightly wider than you'd think so the device can slip past the zipper.


You could easily modify this for an iPad or netbook computer, iPod, cell phone, or just an easy bag to store anything in! Just measure the contents and add 2 inches in width and a two inches in length to your cut pieces. Lots of possibilities!