We don’t know about you guys, but we never leave the house without throwing our laptops or tablets in our bags. We are our most productive after treating ourselves to a latte, and we want to make the most of that productivity by writing up posts or responding to emails, so it’s useful to carry some sort of tech around at all times. But all that time spent bumping around in the bottom of our bags can do some serious damage to a device. To avoid key scratches and biro marks, you need a super cute cover that you can whip up in 10 minutes to protect any inner bag mishaps.
Materials:
— 1 piece of solid fabric (9 inch x 9.5 inch)
— 2 pieces of patterned fabric (9.5 inch x 9.5 inch)
— iron-on hemming tape (4 inch x 9.5 inch and 2 inch x 11.5 inch)
Tools:
— scissors
Instructions:
1. Place the solid fabric right side up and lay a 9.5-inch hemming strip along the top edge. Place one piece of your patterned fabric face down over the top of the hemming strip and line up the edges of the two pieces of fabric. Go over the fabrics and hemming tape with a warm iron.
2. Once the fabrics are fused, fold back the top fabric to the spot where the hemming tape has fused the two pieces together and press flat with the iron again.
3. Turn the fused pieces of fabric over. Create a hem at the top of the patterned fabric by folding the top edge down over another 9.5-inch hemming strip and going over the hem with the iron.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 at the other end of the plain fabric. You should be left with one long piece of fabric.
5. Fold your one long piece of fabric in half so the two opposite patterned fabric are together, right sides facing. Put the 11.5-inch strips of hemming tape between the fabric layers along the longest lengths.
6. Press the hemming tape with the iron until the fabric is fused. Turn the whole piece inside out and press flat.
7. Use your scissors to make holes for your snaps. Place the snap fasteners 2 inches, 4 inches and 6 inches in from one side of the cover along the hemmed edge and 1/2 inch from the top using the snap pliers.
This tutorial works for any device you want to protect, be it a laptop, tablet or phone. When measuring your fabric over your device, make sure you give yourself enough wiggle room for hemming and fabric overlap.
Rather than using a sewing machine, you’ll bind everything together with hemming tape.
Fabric combos are limitless with this tutorial. So head to your nearest fabric store and start putting things together.
If you want to make sure your snaps are evenly placed, it’s a good idea to get out the ruler and do some math to ensure perfection.
And really, isn’t opening and closing snaps as satisfying as popping bubble wrap?
And just like that, your iPad is protected and infinitely more stylish.
And to think you never even had to thread a single bobbin to make it happen.
Have you made a no-sew iPad cover before? Share your pics in the comments below!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.