I Made My Own Laptop Case!

Once upon a time, I had the same laptop for 5 1/2 years.  I bought it a few months before I moved to LA, and it was a very good computer for about 4 1/2, 5 years.  And then it realized how old it was, I guess, and started to act its age.  Wouldn't turn on unless it was plugged in, didn't like to connect to the internet, ran reeeeaally slow and pretty much didn't run at all when more than 2 programs were running.  It was awesome.

So after a few months of trying to deal with that mess, I decided to use my tax return this year to get a shiny new computer.  I picked a refurbished 11-inch MacBook Air with the extra memory and hard drive. It's super cute, works great.

But after I ordered it, I started looking around on the internets for a case for it.  The options were bleak.  Not a lot out the for such a small computer, mostly ugly/plain neoprene cases.  There are some really cute sleeves on Etsy, but a little pricier and never quite what I wanted.

And then I came up with the perfect solution: make it myself!  I own a sewing machine, and an ability to follow instructions.  So after a few minutes of Googling, I found what I needed to make the perfect case.  I combined this pattern and this one, using the felt-and-flannel materials from the first one and the pattern from the second one.

I don't know if I've mentioned before, but green is my favorite color, so of course I used green flannel as the inner lining and green thread for the blanket stitching detail.  I wanted a flap for the case, instead of a button closure, so it was easy enough to cut a longer section of fabric.

And, ok, full disclosure here - I'm sometimes not great with the sewing machine.  I know how to use it and everything, but I sometimes jump the gun with the sewing, and forget to set down the little foot thingie.  Which results in a rather crooked stitch, until I realize my mistake.  So, maybe that's what happened when I sewed the first side of the case.

But! The great thing about that blanket stitch, is that it covers the sew line (is that the right term for it? Eh, you guys know what I mean), so you can't even see the crookedness!

So now, I have a very pretty green and grey laptop case, exactly like I wanted, and for a fraction of the Etsy prices!