Make Your Own Leather iPad Case

I've been shopping for a case for my iPad mini for the past couple of weeks.  There are a ton of great cases on Etsy, so I was just planning to buy from a handmade artist.  As I've been making, making, making things for work purposes (I'm working on an ecourse, starting ornament season, etc), I decided I needed to make a craft for myself.  I visited our super duper leather store here in town, Springfield Leather Co, and found the perfect scraps to make my own iPad case.


To get started, I first measured my iPad.  There's no point in making a case if your electronics won't fit inside, amiright?  I decided to make mine 8"x10".


Next, I used my rotary cutter and straight edge ruler to cut one 8"x10" rectangle from my leather.  I never knew love until I met my rotary cutter.  It seriously makes cutting so much simpler and cleaner.


After I cut out the first rectangle, I used it as a template for the next one.  I knew I wanted to use the natural edge of the leather scrap for the flap, so I traced around the rectangle and continued my line upward, so the natural edge was incorporated.


Next, I chose the lining fabric and cut it out.  I pressed the edges with my iron, keeping in mind that the lining needed to fit just inside the leather pieces.  After the lining was pressed, I used Tacky Glue on the corners to keep the fabric in place while stitching.


After the glue was dry, I set all the pieces together and ran them through my sewing machine.  I have to be honest, it was a little tricky getting all these pieces through the machine, but with a little extra guiding, I was able to get them through.  I used glue to secure the top edges of the lining in place and once that was dry, I was all done!


My little case is perfectly imperfect and I love it.  Sometimes you just have to make a little something for yourself-- it's good for the creative soul!

Happy Friday, friends!  xo.