This spring my company moved from using IBM laptops to Macbook Air’s.
I won’t get into how little love there is in my heart for the Mac. Nothing like stepping back about 5 years technology-wise! At least it surfs the Internets real good…and that is what we should be looking for in a machine for financial services, right??
Okay, so maybe I had a few things to say… 😉
*Ahem*
Anyways, it is smaller and thinner, which is nice. Unfortunately, that matte metal surface is prone to scratches. I usually carry a spiral journal in my bag and that has made marks on my laptop.
Time to make a bag!
This was pretty easy and didn’t take much fabric.
Materials used:
- 2 different woven fabrics
- Fusible Fleece
- Snaps (don’t do this…instead use velcro or buttons)
- Iron-on interfacing (this is partly due to using the snaps!)
To Make:
1. Lay laptop on fabric and cut a 1.5 inch border around it. Cut two pieces of fusible fleece to match.
2. Cut another piece similar to the one above, only cut one side 4 inches longer. This is for the flap.
3. Cut 2 more pieces to match those above of the lining fabric.
4. Cut a piece 4″ wide x about 30 inches long (depends on the length you want for the strap). Cut fusible interfacing to match this piece.
5. Fuse the fusible fleece to the lining pieces. I didn’t want the fusible fleece on the flap part, as I didn’t think it needed the added bulk.
6. Sew the side and bottom seams of the outside piece and of the lining pieces.
7. Iron down seam allowances on the top seam for both exterior and interior pieces.
8. Put the outside fabric, right side out, and the lining fabric wrong side out. Put the lining inside the outside piece and match up the edges for the top seam.
9. Pin the seam really well and then topstitch.
10. At this point I decided to do snaps. You know, because I wasn’t thinking. Snaps have metal on them…so, yeah…wasn’t thinking. I put two strips of fusible interfacing over the snaps after I put them in, so they wouldn’t rub against the laptop. You *could* still do snaps, but sewing some strips of velcro on would be safer. Just cut the velcro, place on the inside of the flap and sew. Then put the flap down, figure out where to put the bottom part of the velcro, mark and sew it on.
11. The strap. Fuse the fusible interfacing on the length of it, turn in the seams along the length, iron them down together and topstitch.
12. Turn the bottoms of the straps under about 1.5″ and sew onto each end of the outside of the bag. I sewed a box and then went through the center. It is good and sturdy that way.
Now this bag isn’t super thick, but it has a little cushion to protect it. I have enough room to put a paper tablet in there, along with a file folder or two. It doesn’t take up a lot of room, so I can still throw it into one of my larger bags, or just carry it separately.
…And why wouldn’t you carry it separately?? It’s so pretty!
Now I need to get some decent pictures of three outfits I made for the Girl. I took some pictures, but it was at night and the color is so off I can’t even correct it in Photoshop.
I hate this time of year with the lack of sunlight!
Spring can come anytime now…well, after Christmas that is. Still need to work on some projects for Christmas yet, too. So many things to do!
- Outfits for the kids for the Christmas card
- Teacher gifts – boxy bags
- Fix some jackets I made last year for my sister’s dog, Tipsy. She’s put on a few pounds…just like the rest of us! I need to add a few inches.
- I have some chiffon fabric that I want to use for some ruffled up scarves.
- A pair of black pants for Kailan to match some of his shirts. Oh, and make a shirt for him that is already cut out.
- Long sleeved gymnastics leotard and booty shorts for the Girl. And a matching hair scrunchy, of course.
- The Girl needs a tooth pillow for her door. She’s only lost two teeth so far, but more are coming. The tooth fairy needs a good spot to get the teeth from and plant the money in.
- …and I just thought of 5 more things. Obviously, my list is loooonnnnngggggg. 😉
