Kindle Covers

One of the gifts I saw my family members get for themselves earlier this fall was in fact the newest of the Kindle Fires. My mother purchased the standard Fire because she wanted to get a book on a midnight release. My brother purchased it because he wanted a tablet to take with him on his daily bus rides. When they bought their Kindles, they made sure to also buy hard covers.

I know from experience with my Kindle (1st generation) that those hard covers are nice but occasionally, I just want to be able to slip it into an extra padded layer - especially for traveling. Earlier this year I had sewn one by hand and really loved it (and still do). So for Christmas I made both my mom and my brother their own Kindle Covers. All the materials I used are washing machine safe.

*This post is picture heavy. That does not mean this project is complicated. I was just very good about documenting the endeavor.

This particular cover is for my older brother. He loves green like Miss Piggy loves Kermit the Frog. 

I picked up two different colors fabric quarters from the fabric store. The white fabric is quilt batting that I found in the bolt fabric section

The first thing I did was to measure the fabric so it would fit the Kindle Fire HD that my brother owns. I added about a 1/2 inch seem allowance on all sides. Make the quilt batting smaller than the other two pieces on all sides. I pinned all the pieces together using straightening pins.

Please note, it is vital that you pin the quilt batting on top, then pin the wrong sides (the stuff you want on the outside) together.

On the two long sides, I sewed (by machine) the two green pieces together. On one of the short sides I sewed all three layers together. I then flipped the cover inside out.

The quilt batting should be the center layer, the two colored sides out correctly.

I then used the seem allowance on the non-sewed edge and flipped it under.

To allow for the sleeve to close, I added some cloth ribbon to act as straps. You will see how this closes in a minute.

I sewed the final edge with the ribbons, and the non-sewed edge together.

From here I measured some Velcro I also found in the handy fabric store. I used the iron on kind and made them the same width as the cloth ribbon. I did not attach it at this point but simply cut it to fit.

Fold the sleeve in half along the long sides. Sew the finished edges. If you cut the quilt batting a little slimmer, this area will not be as thick. It will turn out more like the finished edge where the ribbon is.

I ironed on the Velcro and made sure the straps were in the right place.

And there you have it! How to make your own Kindle sleeve. I made another one for my mother, as I said earlier, using different fabric. She is a huge soccer fan as one of your readers knows, and is especially a fan of Manchester United. Her Kindle sleeve is red and yellow with an iron on ManU patch added to the front side of it. If I do say so myself, they both look pretty sweet.

What crazy crafty projects are you up to in these final days before Santa stops by for the annual celebration of the birth of Jesus?