Continued Adventures in Quilting: Laptop Case
30 Jul 2013
Blast the trumpets: I finally finished this quilted laptop case! And I love it! Quilting this little case was one of my June goals, but I say better late than never. We travel a fair bit, and I was filled with zeal to create something not only beautiful, but useful.
This is the third installment in my quilting adventures (I started with cards and coasters), and I am so happy with how comfortable I’m getting with it. Sewing in a straight line has never been my forte, but I am slowly beginning to develop the ability to watch my seam lines. Huzzah!
I also had the hardest time picking out fabric for this project. I wandered and wandered and wandered some more through the fabric store, and I finally alighted upon these jewel tones with metallic dots. Bright and shiny. Just how I like it.
I wouldn’t presume to give a tutorial here because I’m still such a beginner, but I can wholeheartedly recommend Denyse Schmidt’s fabulous book
Next, the quilt sandwich is made: quilt top, batting, backing (or, in this case, inner lining). I chose this bright yellow striped fabric for a little play on texture. Finally, I sewed the two sandwiches together to form a case. Almost done!
Finally, I carefully stitched the top edging closed and painstakingly stitched the velcro on. That last part was honestly the slowest! I realize it looks a little Bride of Chucky, but I don’t mind one bit. Yellow thread would have been more invisible, but I like the homemade touch.
And that’s it! Finishing this project has been a huge confidence booster for me. It has tiny little mistakes here and there, but mostly it looks totally legit! It’s a little wide on the side, but that leaves room for my little travel charger. A bonus.
In any case, this is a huge improvement over what I have been using as a laptop case for the past handful of years: an old heating pad cover! The funny thing is that the tutorial in my quilting book is for…a heating pad cover. But I used it to make a laptop case. I believe I have now officially come full circle.
And now, a little speculation about my next project. I think I am ready to move on to a full-blown quilt. Dare I try to make one for our bed? Reader, I am already envisioning it. I have been thinking about color schemes and patterns for the past few days, but I love these three fabrics so much that I’m totally tempted to just use them again. I will see if anything else speaks to me at the fabric store…but these are solid contenders, for sure. Feel free to weigh in in the comments! And thank you all so very much, you sweet people, for your kind comments about the new blog design and about all my crazy projects. Thank you for being here and for putting a smile on my face every single day. I think the words that say it best are probably echoing around a lot of sweet southern towns: I appreciate the heck out of you. I really do.
Jul 30, 2013 @ 04:21:37
I love it! The colors are perfect together. I think that would make a great quilt for your bed and when you lounged on your bed with your computer, they would be color coordinated.
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:04:09
So true! And thank you! Probably it’s all this quilting and fabric flights of fancy that are making me want to come home and work on this stuff with with mom so much. Hopefully a bit later in the year we can make it happen!
Jul 30, 2013 @ 04:32:13
Congrats! Perfect protector case. Definitely make one for the bed!
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:04:46
Thank you! It is super gratifying to make something you can actually use (I also make plenty of things I can’t use…). Quilt definitely forthcoming!
Jul 30, 2013 @ 05:41:31
Yes! make one for the bed, it is just a very very large laptop cover 🙂 Lovely work and congrats 🙂
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:05:30
Thank you so much, Karen! Now I can have all this fun looking through different types of quilt blocks. Hurray!
Jul 30, 2013 @ 07:48:15
If you make the quilt out of the same fabric, how will you ever find your laptop case when you toss it on the bed? d:>)
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:05:51
So true! The ultimate camouflage!
Jul 30, 2013 @ 09:10:17
Heyyyy that looks familiar 🙂 I love it!! It would be so awesome to see a full blown quilt! I love her quilts.
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:06:27
Thank you so much! Me too! And updates on the Sonia quilt? I know it will be awesome. I don’t even have kids yet, but I’m totally planning to do that too;)
Jul 30, 2013 @ 13:06:31
I love it! I need one..
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:08:01
Thank you! I am so excited to actually be able to use it in a few weeks (or sooner, if I try to go out somewhere with my computer. But I have never been too big on that–too scared someone will spill coffee all over it! Also, what will I do with it when I have to go to the bathroom? Girl problems.)
Jul 30, 2013 @ 17:25:55
Do you remember that “quilted” bag I made for you in high school? Maybe your next project could be to fix it. Nah, just scrap it. That thing has seen way better days; it was falling apart before I gave it to you. xoxo
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:09:16
Yes! I still have it and use it for my knitting needles! I was and still am so impressed that you actually put a liner in it. How did you do that?! We were like 16! I still don’t think I could do a liner. And you did it all by hand! You are majestic, and the best friend ever;)
Jul 31, 2013 @ 06:40:23
Look at that cute little thing! before you travel with it should you spray it with scotchguard or something? Yeees, we can discuss a quilt for your bed. Will it be white? Various shades of white, cream, ecru,? You will just need a larger craft table so the quilt will have something to lay on while you sew. I can’t wait!
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:14:10
Oh, I don’t even know! What is Scotchguard, or, more properly, what is its purpose? A girl needs her mom to tell her these things. Thanks for the tip! No, the quilt will definitely be in bright colors! That’s the whole fun of quilting, isn’t it, to make a rainbow explosion? I wouldn’t dream of using creams and ecrus! I wonder if I can just move my sewing machine to our kitchen table for quilting? I am in need of your consultation! Love you!
Jul 31, 2013 @ 06:41:30
P.S. What will you do with your heating pad cover now? Make a belt? A shopping bag? A casserole cover?
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:14:54
HAHAHA! Best comment ever! No, I will probably consign it to the trash bin of history. So long!
August 2013 Goals
Aug 01, 2013 @ 03:01:54
[…] also recycling my zipper goal because I spent most of July quilting my laptop case. Now that I’ve had some more practice at sewing in straight lines, I’m even more ready […]