Fact #2: My children are notorious for spilling all sorts of liquids onto my technologies.
And those two facts are what has brought me to today's tutorial. Check it out!
A few weeks ago Kelley of Casa Crafty asked me if I would make a sewing project to share with you all if she sent me a fat quarter of Echino laminate fabric from her shop.Now prior to this I have never sewn with laminate before so it scared the poop out of me, but like you all I am a sucker for free fabric and a new tutorial, so I faced my fears!
While sewing with laminates has is own set of challenges, like not using pins (I used scotch tape) and you can't press it long at all even with a pressing cloth (yes, I pressed if for two seconds too long), it really isn't that bad at all. In fact, it's really fun. Seriously. I'd rather sew with laminates than sew with knits. Any day of the week.
I made this adorable little envelope clutch to store my Nexus 7 tablet in. My children have a sixth sense about technologies and beverages. I've had a laptop smell like gingerbreak latte, another that took a Punkin Dogfish Head beer...you see the pattern. I really like my Nexus so I use this opportunity to see if I couldn't make it live a bit longer before it gets inevitably bathes in coffee or beer.
Laminate Tablet Clutch (or really, carry what ever you'd like in it):
Finished measurements: 9.5" wide x 6" tall
Materials:
One (1) fat quarter of laminate
One (1) fat quarter of quilting fabric for lining
One (1) fat quarter of Pellon Wonder-Under
10" length of elastic
Step 1: Fussy cut a rectangle from your laminate that is 10" wide and 18" tall. Also cut 10" x 18" rectangles from your lining fabric and Wonder-Under. Use the Wonder-Under to fuse the laminate with the lining fabric wrong sides together. Do not press the laminate with your bare iron surface. You will curse yourself, if you do this. I laid my laminate face down on my ironing board, fused the Wonder-Under to the back of it, then put the lining fabric on top and pressed it to fuse it all together. Make sure you have fused all the edges well. Trim your rectangle to 9.5" x 17.5".
Step 2: Lay your laminate sandwich face down. If you have a directional fabric, make the pattern upside down, too. (As it is laying face down, if you folded up the bottom two corners, your print should look right side up.) From the bottom of your rectangle, mark a line 6" up on your lining fabric. This is where you will fold it up to make the clutch body.
Step 3: On the top edge of your sandwich, make a mark 2" away from the right corner. From the top, mark 4.5" down from the corner on both the left and right sides. Use a ruler and draw a straight line from each of these marks up to the mark on the top that is 2" from the right corner. Use a rotary cutter or sharp scissors to cut off the excess triangles to create your asymmetrical envelope flap.
Step 4: Fold your laminate sandwich up along the 6" line to make the clutch body of the bag. Use scotch tape or clothes pins to hold the bag edges in place. You can use a pressing cloth and an iron on medium heat to press the fold in the bag, but do not press it for very long or the laminate will melt to your pressing cloth. Tape or pin your elastic across the width of the clutch 3" up from the folded edge. starting at the bottom right corner, stitch up the side of the clutch body with a scant 1/4" seam allowance. Continue up around the envelope flap edges and back down the left side of the bag. Make sure to catch the elastic edges as well. Make sure your elastic is ever so slightly taut. Trim your elastic to the edges of the clutch. Use a lighter to seal the edges of the elastics. Use your pressing cloth and iron to press the envelope flap down just above the edge of the bag body.
Step 5: Put tablet into your new laminate clutch. Tuck flap under elastic and go!
Need some laminate fabric? Please visit the Casa Crafty shop. I used Echino Nico laminate scooters for my Tablet Clutch. Kelley has a great selection of laminate fabrics and at $15 a half yard, you can make at least two, if not three Tablet Clutches out of it. Way cheaper than buying yourself a new tablet once your kids dunk it in coffee and milk. Am I right? Also, if you have any questions about sewing with laminate, do not hesitate to contact Kelley. She is the queen of sewing with odd fabrics and knows every trick in the book!
Extra added bonus deal! Kelley has made use a coupon code to use for 25% off until the end of November. Woot! That's huge! Thank you, Kelley. Use code MOXIE25 at the check out.
Just for the fun of it, I tested my Laminate Tablet Clutch and poured an entire class of water over it. It wiped up easily with a towel and only the elastic strap was wet. Winning!
Disclosure: I received a fat quarter of the laminate fabric for free from the Casa Crafty shop in exchange for my making something to share with you all. All opinions and ideas my own. End of story.
