How To: Make your Own Kindle Cover

This Christmas I happened to snag an Amazon Kindle... a purchase that I've been pondering for quite some time now, but hadn't quite committed to. I was thrilled with it once it was in hand, however, and decided that protecting my new toy was a must (I've seen the fate of electronics that go in and out of my purse without protective covering, after all). After looking online, however, I realized that I don't want to shell out $30 for a cover... and what a great crafting project to take on! I looked throughout the mighty interwebz, and pulled together a Pinterest board of DIY Kindle cases and sleeves, and crafted one inspired by a few of the ones I saw. The directions I'm going to give you are far from precise, but will get you where you need to go if you have even the slightest bit of sewing knowledge. I don't really, you know, measure things... so it can be a little haphazard, but as you can see the results were good! :) Enjoy!

I used 3 different types of fabric for my cover, and they were all scraps that I had laying around. The solid brown is a pair of khaki pants that I cut off to make shorts (sustainable options hello!), and the polka dotted fabric was leftover from a prior project. The third fabric was a quarter I bought to use on my dish towels... that I never used on my dish towels.

You basically start by cutting two pieces, that will serve as the inside and outside of the cover. It should be an appropriate length to wrap around your Kindle, roughly about 3 times the width of it. Your fabric should be slightly taller than the Kindle itself.

Once you have the main pieces cut, you can create the ruffles and the holding pieces out of the third type of fabric. I created the ruffles myself, and cut them two different sizes to stack on one another. To Create a ruffle, cut a strip of fabric, fold it in half and iron it, then fold the ends under and iron them like shown below:

Once you have it all ironed out, then sew down the side with the tucked in flaps to seal it. I also sewed down the other side to make it uniform (mostly because I used darker thread that was really visible). Once both sides are sewn, use a long stitch length and do one strip directly down the middle, then pull on one piece of the thread on one end and bunch it up to make the ruffle. Do that for both strips.

Once you have your ruffles made, stack them and pin them on the outward facing fabric, on the right side. As you can see in the photo, I had my Kindle inside to get a good idea of where I wanted it to sit inside the case, and where the ruffles should be situated. This is pretty much how I operate with these sorts of things (who actually measures stuff??)... After it's pinned, sew one strip overlapping the middle line and cut off the edges of the ruffle so they only extend about a half an inch past the main fabric.

Be sure to practice proper pet safety in all this... Maeby really likes to try and "help" while I'm sewing. By that I mean she lays right where I'm trying to work. But any time my needle is actually going, I make sure she's not jumping up on the table.

The holding pieces are also not precise at all. I folded a piece of fabric in half and cut it a bit wider than the Kindle. I folded the edges under to make it almost exactly the width of the Kindle. Then I pinned it into place at about the right places so it didn't cover the screen. After that I sewed the sides so that it could slide in and out, but the bottom isn't sewn.

Once the ruffles and holding pieces are sewn on, put the two main fabric pieces together wrong sides together and pin, leaving the end near the ruffles open. Sew the 3 sides together and turn inside out, then iron the edges to make them look a bit crisper.

At this point your case will look as follows:

I got kind of lazy about taking photos at this point, but the rest of the work is pretty simple. I didn't have any batting, but wanted to put a little padding inside the case, so I took an old towel and cut it just smaller than the case itself- leaving it just an inch or so short. I put it inside the case and got it situated and smooth, then sewed in a few different places to secure the towel and make sure it doesn't shift around inside the sleeve. If you look in the photo below, you can see where I put some of that stitching. The only thing you need to do after securing that piece is close off the end. I folded the end back to expose the inside fabric, and folded a ribbon into it that stuck out on either end (which will wrap to the back to tie closed). Make sure the ribbon is secure and you are good to go!

This is what the back looks like when everything is said and done:

There you have it! An incredibly easy, terribly inexpensive (or free) cover for your beloved Kindle. I liked this particular way of designing it because I can just fold the sides behind the Kindle and therefore don't have to take it out of the cover to use it. It definitely has that "DIY" look on the inside, but I'm sure with a bit more planning I could have made it look a bit less messy (that random stitching on the side, for instance, was a failed attempt at adding a piece of elastic to utilize buttons... the ribbon was easier and I think a better choice in the long run).

Either way, I hope you all enjoyed the pseudo-tutorial, and I hope to have more crafting projects to show for myself in 2012. Everyone have a safe and enjoyable New Year!

Cute Tee Shirt Refashioning

So I apologize, sweet world of the internets. I’ve had an incredibly busy last month, and as a result I’ve been playing a hideous game of catch-up as far as my work is concerned. Where have I been, you ask? Well, I’ve been off doing things like fighting terrorism (read: annual two week training for the National Guard), playing music (in public!), and failing to see the sunshine (or the cool breeze of air conditioning… because I don’t have any). Now that I am relatively caught up, I’m updating this blog. Tonight I planned to spend some time watching movies and doing work, and that is still in the cards. I did take a couple of hours, however, to work on a little project I’ve been planning—because I haven’t had time to do so many crafty things as of late, and I love a fab green clothing project… but mostly because I wanted something to wear tomorrow when I go out with the girls.

Here it is:

I of course failed to take a “before” photo, but rest assured that it started out as a men’s plain, size small Aeropostale tee shirt. Solid, no frills. I snagged it at a Goodwill months ago and it’s been waiting a good ole refashioning. I absolutely love the fabric. So comfortable! I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, but after several hours on the glorious timesuck that is Pinterest, I found some inspiration and got to work. I really enjoyed playing with the fun, feminine rosettes—as it was my first time ever making or working with them. This shirt was incredibly easy to make and took me all of an hour and a half.

[a closeup of the detailing]

Here are the easy steps that you use to make it. I don’t have step-by-step photos, but I assure you it is not that serious. I didn’t bother measuring a thing.

1. Cut sleeves off of tee shirt.
2. Cut across the top in a straight line, roughly two inches from the bottom of the collar of the tee shirt.
3. I put pleats on the front, mostly because I thought it would give the shirt a bit more form and I thought, “What the hell? Why not?” I don’t think it’s 100% necessary, but if you want to, now is the time to do so.
4. Sew a tube on the top of both sides, so that you can string through.
5. I used a few strips from the top portion we cut off, near the collar, to make my straps. I cut three strips, sewed them together, and pulled so that the tee shirt material kind of buckles on itself and forms a tube/strip.
6. String through both sides.
7. Tie in a bow.
8. I created the rosettes with the hem of the sleeves, because it provided a nice finish.
9. I cut out three little leaves to add a bit more jazz.
10. Sew that crap on in a way that you think looks nice.
11. Voila! Cute tank top from a tee shirt.

The great thing about tee shirt fabric is that it doesn’t really unravel… so I kind of skip the hemming process altogether. Mostly because I’m lazy. Sometimes lazy fashion can be good fashion.

Either way, I hope you all have had a wonderful month, and I will leave you with a fantastic photo of me doing my Army thing—because it’s pretty rad. That’s right, this girl can sew and work on helicopters.

Thinking About Eco-Friendly Wardrobe Choices

It’s time for spring cleaning, and you know what that means: a nice wrestle with your closet. Everyone is pulling out their “summer clothes” as the whopping 50-degree temperatures make us NEOhioans feel like we’re in a tropical paradise. We’re purging our closets of cardigans that have hung untouched on the hanger for months, tee shirts that we’re not 100% sure about the origins of, and (in my case) eliminating anything from my wardrobe that looks like a 14 year old would be comfortable wearing.

I realized last week, when a close friend offered to let me go through her two enormous garbage bags before dropping them off at Goodwill, that this purging is incredibly good for the environment. I mean, someone (in this case me) gets clothes for free and Goodwill benefits from whatever isn’t taken—no clothing in the landfills is fantastic. When we start getting the itch to replace those pieces with something new, however, many will run to the mall and get whatever trendy thing is hanging on the racks.

I admit, I took a (fantastic) trip to Columbus this week to do some shopping with the girls, and hit stores like Forever 21 and H&M. It’s pretty ridiculous to assume that we’re going to stop frequenting the stores we love. There are ways, however, that we can make choices concerning where and how we shop that can make our wardrobes much better for the environment. Here are a few:

Think Thrifty

Goodwill (and in our area the Village Discount Outlet) is not just for dropping clothes off. I’ve been surprised on a number of occasions that I’ve found quality, name-brand clothes at a really great price at the thrift store. Further, great clothes don’t necessarily need a known brand. You can find incredibly unique items that can work into your wardrobe flawlessly—you just have to look.

Consignment Shops

These are my personal favorites. I live literally two minutes from Plato’s Closet, and just found an adorable pair of Candie’s flip flops for $5. I’ve purchased a number of items in there at amazing prices—a BCBG Max Ariza dress for $18, tops from Old Navy, Wet Seal, and Express between $2-6. Another great consignment shop is located in Green (south of Akron), and is called Jerry’s Closet. Jerry is a wonderful person, and so very helpful! I’ve purchased American Eagle jeans for $12. Talk about a steal.

[I got both of these pairs of shoes at Plato's Closet for under $5.]

Clothing Swaps

Though I’ve never organized one of these, I’m pretty certain I’m going to have to really soon. This time of year is perfect for it. In essence, a party is hosted that involves everyone cleaning their closet and bringing their “unwanted” articles of clothing. This way everyone has a chance to swap, and it can be done very cleverly—setting the party up like a boutique. I personally think it would just be fun to try on all of the clothes together, serve martinis, and use it as an excuse to get dressed up before heading out for the night!

Repurpose

If you’ve got an old piece of clothing that you’ve held onto forever despite the fact that you never wear it, maybe it just needs to be repurposed. Perhaps the fabric is incredibly comfortable, or you love the print. If you’re crafty with a sewing machine, that fabric could find new life in a different article of clothing. Recently, I cut the sleeves from a shirt of mine, sewed it to a skirt I bought at Goodwill, and added a belt for a cute summer dress. Similar projects can be done—both with clothing you own, and great finds at the thrift store.

[The shirt (top left) had sat unworn in my closet for over a year, and the skirt (top right) was a $3 buy at Goodwill. I lopped off the sleeves of the shirt and made it into a tank, and now am in the process of attaching it to the skirt (you can see the pins in the photo still). The belt will be added to complete the look, and was also purchased at Goodwill-- for only $1!]

Only Buy What You Really Love

One rule that I’ve come to live by recently is to only buy what you really, really love. If you purchase thinking you may wear it, it’s likely that piece of clothing may only be worn once, if at all. Fall in love with your clothing. The more use it gets, the less wasteful the purchase is. Sure, you may donate that unworn piece of clothing—but your demand for that product increases the number of them that are produced to begin with! The economics of retail is a funny thing, but certainly is important when it comes to the amount of energy, water, and materials that are put into making clothing. Further, purchasing a handful of really great, quality pieces is much more eco-friendly than purchasing a closet full of clothes that will sit never worn.

Rethink Your Jean

Speaking of water used in production, our jeans consume a ton of it! Though those of us in NEO see fresh water as an abundant resource (thank you, Great Lakes), the reality is that it is quite scarce in many parts of the country and the world. One of these days, it will be even more so. There are a few companies these days that are producing jeans that use less water in the production process. This includes Levi's new Water Less Jeans. However, the greenest way to buy jeans is to purchase ones that have already been worn. Consignment shops are a great way to go.

Recycled and Fair Trade Clothing

There are plenty of companies out there that design and produce clothing made from recycled materials. Everything from shoes to tops can be found recycled from pieces or fabric from used pieces of clothing, plastic, or other materials. Another important factor to take into consideration is quality of work environment and value world-wide. Fair Trade products are created under fair working conditions, and purchased at a fair rate. Supporting these companies is a great way to increase the demand and value of these eco-friendly practices and pressure the larger companies to take a look at their own practices. If you're in or near Akron, check out The Market Path for adorable Fair Trade goodies and accessories.

There are obviously countless ways you can make your wardrobe a bit more eco-friendly, but the first step is just being conscious of the fact that what you wear does make a difference. Whatever you do, live and look fabulous!