Padded Tablet Sleeve Sewing Pattern: Flap, Elastic Loop and Button

My tablet rides in a bag with keys, pens and a half-eaten granola bar, and for years it only had a thin store-bought sleeve. This padded version is what I use now: fleece-lined, with a flap that stays closed on an elastic loop and a button. It takes about an hour, and it makes a lovely gift for a teacher or a student.

How it is built

The whole sleeve is one long rectangle, 9 x 26 inches. You fuse fleece to the outside, sew the lining to the outer, turn it right side out, fold the bottom up and topstitch the sides. There are no side seams to match and no zipper. The flap corners are rounded by tracing a cup, which looks polished and takes a minute.

Skill level: beginner. Time: 1 to 1.5 hours. Finished size: about 9 x 11 inches with a 4 inch flap. Seam allowance: 1/2 inch.

Will it fit your device?

The pattern includes a quick measuring guide: the outer width is your device width plus 2 inches, and the length is twice the device length plus 1 inch, plus 4 inches for the flap. As written it fits tablets and e-readers up to about 7.25 x 10 inches. Measure yours before cutting, and keep about an inch of ease so it slides in without a fight.

Materials

• 1/3 yard of quilting cotton or linen blend for the outside
• 1/3 yard of cotton for the lining
• 1/3 yard of fusible fleece or thin batting
• One 1 inch button and 3 inches of 1/4 inch elastic, or a hair elastic for the loop
• Thread, a cup for the corners, clips and an iron

What is in the pattern

Seven letter pages: a materials page, a cutting chart with the layouts drawn to scale, and seven illustrated steps: cutting, fusing the fleece and rounding the flap, sewing outer and lining with the loop sandwiched in, turning and topstitching, folding up the bottom, topstitching the sides, and adding the button. Every step has a drawing so you can see how the long rectangle folds into a sleeve.

Fabric choices

A medium weight quilting cotton is perfect. Linen blends look beautiful and hold a crease. If you want extra protection, add a second layer of thin batting. For a quilted look, stitch lines across the outer after fusing the fleece and before sewing.

Little tips

Trim the fleece 1/4 inch smaller than the fabric so the seams are flat. Clip the curves on the flap before turning. When you topstitch the sides, backstitch at the top for strength, and mark the button position with the flap closed over the front.

Get the pattern

The Padded Tablet Sleeve pattern is an instant PDF download for personal use. Your purchase includes the free Sewing Project Planner.