DIY PENDLETON AND LEATHER LAPTOP AND TABLET SLEEVES

Oh yes, these beauties are absolutely delicious, every last square inch. Pendleton paired with suede and leather make for a soft, durable and dreamy pair. No need to line these with quilt batting, a simple sleeve is all you need to keep your devices scratch-free and sleek!

I made a bunch of these for Festivus presents, so the pictures below are a culmination of all that I made, not just one sleeve, or one size.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Sewing machine
Iron and scrap fabric for ironing
Leather and fabric scissors, or rotary cutter
Pendleton (any other kind of wool or felt will do too) – at least 2 yards, you should make a couple at the same time and give one as a gift!
Leather and/or suede (again not necessary, but this is what I used!)
Measuring tape and/or clear sewing ruler
Straight pins
Coordinating thread and binding (I used a mix of metallic threads and binding and natural toned threads and binding depending on the sleeve I was making)
Leather or wool needle for your machine (I used a ‘denim’ needle and things worked out just fine)

STEP ONE:
Place your device over the wool and measure, using straight pins to mark your cut, leaving a 1.5 inch seam allowance around all edges. (If you’re making a couple of the same size, fold over to double up or choose another fabric and layer the two together so you cut out two pieces of fabric at the same time!) ***Note: when working with Pendleton, you may want to follow a design in the pattern, so be aware of where you’re cutting!

STEP TWO:
Lay the cut pieces of wool over your suede/leather and pin to mark where you are going to cut using leather and suede shears. You want to replicate the wool piece quite precisely here.

STEP THREE:
Flip your fabrics for sewing and pin your coordinating binding to both the wool and the leather edges of your sleeve, (this will be the opening.) This can be tricky, you want to be precise so things look clean and even. Then pin the bottom and the sides, leaving a 2/4 inch gap at the top of the side to give yourself some working room as you’ll be sewing the binding first and then the sides.

STEP FOUR:
Thread your machine with a coordinating thread colour for your project and begin by sewing your binding. This can be a pain in the ass if your don’t use a guide, so hopefully your machine has one. Use it! It will ensure that your sewing line is straight and clean and that you won’t start to sew off the binding. I learned this the hard way. Binding is NOT my favourite, but really finishes the sleeves off nicely, so. After you’re done with the bitchy binding, sew up the bottom and the sides and de-pin everything!

STEP FIVE:
Now you can take the insides out and clap with glee. FABRIC BLISS. Using some scrap fabric (to protect), over your sleeve, iron all the edges down on your iron’s hottest setting. Use some steaming action, this is wool and leather. My friends? That’s it you are done. Enjoy for yourself or gift to a friend, lover, nemesis, whatever.