Sewing tutorial

Zippered E-reader Case Tutorial

Folio-style covers are a popular option for many 6” e-readers but they don’t allow you to store your e-reader’s cable with the e-reader. In this tutorial I show you how to sew a zippered e-reader case for 6” e-readers that has a zippered pocket for your cable.

This Sewn By Tanya project is for personal use only.

This zippered e-reader case is 13 cm wide by 18 cm tall by 1.5 cm deep (5.1” wide by 7.1” tall by 0.6” deep) and 20 cm (8”) on the diagonal. It will fit most 6” e-readers and some 7”-8” tablets. The long zipper on the main pocket opens the top and side of the case for ease of use. The accessory pocket is the full width and depth of the case and has a full-width zipper. It can hold a variety of flat objects like a charging cable, a stylus, pen and paper. Fusible fleece provides exterior padding to protect your device and an extra layer of padding between the main compartment and the pocket prevents objects in the accessory pocket from scratching your device.

This is an intermediate project. Techniques include working with zippers and working with bias tape.

Materials:

This project is fat-quarter friendly. You will need the following:

  • Exterior fabric: 20 x 40 cm (8” x 16”) 100% quilting weight cotton (you’ll need more if fussy cutting)
  • Interior fabric: 40 x 40 cm (16” x 16”) 100% quilting weight cotton (you’ll need more if making your own bias tape)
  • Fusible Interfacing: 20 x 40 cm (8” x 16”)
  • Fusible fleece: 40 x 40 cm (16” x 16”)
  • 1/4” wide double-fold bias tape: ~130 cm (51”)
  • 1- 18 cm (7”) long #5 zipper
  • 1- 35 cm (14”) long #5 zipper
Tools:
  • fabric marking pens/chalks
  • scissors or rotary cutter
  • ruler
  • iron & ironing board
  • sewing machine
Seam allowance: 0.6 cm (1/4”) unless otherwise stated.
Step 1 Cut materials
From the Exterior fabric cut:
  • 1 Front Top 14 cm x 5.7 cm (5.5” x 2.8”),
  • 1 Front Bottom 14 cm x 13.5 cm (5.5” x 5.3”),
  • 1 Back 14 cm x 19 cm (5.5″ x 7.5″) and
  • 1 Side 30 cm x 3.5 cm (12” x 1.4”).
From the Interior fabric cut:
  • 1 Front Top 14 cm x 5.7 cm (5.5” x 2.8”),
  • 1 Front Bottom 14 cm x 13.5 cm (5.5” x 5.3”),
  • 3 Backs 4 cm x 19 cm (5.5″ x 7.5″)and
  • 1 Side 30 cm x 3.5 cm (12” x 1.4”).
From the Fusible Interfacing cut:
  • 1 Front Top 14 cm x 5.7 cm (5.5” x 2.8”),
  • 1 Front Bottom14 cm x 13.5 cm (5.5” x 5.3”),
  • 1 Back 14 cm x 19 cm (5.5″ x 7.5″) and
  • 1 Side 30 cm x 3.5 cm (12” x 1.4”).
From the Fusible Fleece cut:
  • 1 Front Top 12.8 cm x 4.5 cm (5.0” x 1.7”),
  • 1 Front Bottom12.8 cm x 12.3 cm (5.0” x 4.8”),
  • 3 Backs 12.8 cm x 17.8 cm (5.0” x 7.0”) and
  • 1 Side 30 cm x 3.5 cm (12” x 1.4”).

*The fusible fleece pieces are smaller to avoid bulk in the seams.

Match like pieces together and you will have:
  • Front Top 14cm x 5.7 cm (5.5” x 2.8”): 1 exterior, 1 interior, 1 interfacing, 1 fusible fleece
  • Front Bottom 14 cm x 13.5 cm (5.5” x 5.3”): 1 exterior, 1 interior, 1 interfacing, 1 fusible fleece
  • Back 14 cm x 19 cm (5.5″ x 7.5″): 1 exterior, 3 interiors, 1 interfacing, 3 fusible fleece
  • Side 30 cm x 3.5 cm (12” x 1.4”): 1 exterior, 1 interior, 1 interfacing, 1 fusible fleece

 

Zipers (black), exterior fabric (multicolored) bias tape (grey) and fusible interfacing and fusible fleece (white)
Cut pieces

Round all four corners of the Back pieces, the top 2 corners of the Front Top pieces and the bottom 2 corners of the Front Bottom pieces. For best results, use the same curve on all the corners. I traced around a 3.4 cm diameter circle for my curves.

Multicolored back panel (left) and front panels (right) showing roundee corners
Exterior front and back with rounded corners

Repeat for the interiors, fusible interfacing and fusible fleece.

Step 2 Apply Fusibles

Fuse the interfacing to the wrong sides of the exterior pieces and fuse the fusible fleece to the wrong sides of the interior pieces. Centre the fusible fleece in the middle of the Interior pieces.

Step 3 Sew Pocket Zipper

Take your 18 cm (7”) zipper and zigzag over the teeth near the end with the metal zipper stop then either remove the metal zipper stop or cut off the end of the zipper with the metal zipper stop.

Closeup of black zipper tape with white stitches at cut end
Zigzag over the zipper coil

Place your Front Top Exterior face up on your workspace then place your short zipper along its straight edge with the zipper teeth facing down. The zipper pull will be on the left-hand side of the Front Top Exterior when the zipper is closed (for righthanded zipper placement) and the Front Top Exterior and zipper tape with be right-sides-together.

Face down zipper of a face up Exterior Front Top
Zipper and Exterior Top RST

Place your Front Top Interior face down on the zipper. The right-side of the Front Top Interior will face the wrong-side of the zipper tape.

Fusible fleece of Exterior Front Top piece and zipper
Exterior Front Top right-side down

Pin and then sew through all three layers with a 9 mm (3/8”) seam allowance. A zipper foot or narrow zipper foot may make this easier. Note my zipper tape is 35 mm wide. If your’s is narrower, you may wish to use a narrower seam allowance (eg 6 mm (1/4”)).

Close up sewing the zipper
Sew through all 3 layers

Press the fabric layers away from the zipper tape and top stitch 3 mm (1/8”) from the edge of the fabric.

Exterior Top pieces attached to zipper
Top-stitch near zipper

Repeat for the Front Bottom Exterior and Front Bottom Interior.

Sew Exterior Bottom peices onto zipper
Sew Front Bottom pieces onto zipper

Slide the zipper pull to the middle of the Front panel. Zigzag over the end of the zipper near the edge of the Front Panel then cut off the excess zipper.

Exterior Front panel with zipper
Exterior Front Panel
Step 4 Sew Back Panels

Place 1 Back Interior piece face down on your workspace. Place a second Back Interior piece faceup on top of it (wrong-sides together) and place the Front Zipper panel on top of that with the Exterior facing up (interiors together).

Face down Interior Back, face up Interior Back, face up Exterior Front
3 layers for the Front Panel

Pin and baste the perimeter through all layers.

Completed Front Panel with zipper
Completed Front Panel

Place the Back Exterior piece face down on your workspace. Place the third Back Interior piece face up on top of it (wrong sides together).

Face down Exterior Back (left), face up Interior Back (right)
2 layers for Back Panel

Pin and baste through both layers.

Multicolored rectangle with rounded corners
Completed Back Panel
Step 5 Sew Main Zipper

Note my zipper tape is 34 mm wide. If your’s is narrow, trim your Side Pieces to match the width of your zipper tape. Take your 35 cm (14”) long zipper and zigzag over the teeth near the end with the metal zipper stop then either remove the metal zipper stop or cut off the end of the zipper with the metal zipper stop. Measure 34 cm along the zipper and zigzag over the teeth, cutting off any excess zipper.

Place the Side Exterior face up on your workspace, place your long zipper face down on top of it (right-sides together) and the place the Side Interior face down on top it that. Align the short edges of each piece, then pin and sew through all three layers.

Face up Exterior Side (left), face down Zipper (center), face down Interior Side (right)
3 pieces for the Side Panel

Fold the fabric away from the zipper tape along the seam you just sewed, press then topstitch 3 mm (1/8”) from the edge of the fabric.

Close up of Sides folded away from zipper
Fold Sides away from zipper & top stitch

Repeat for the other short end.

Baste the Exterior Side and Interior Side fabrics together along the long edges.

Loop formed by Side Pieces and Zipper
Completed Side Panel
Step 6 Assemble Panels

Open the main zipper most of the way. Pin the Side Panel to the Front Panel, exteriors together. Align the closed end of the main zipper at the pocket zipper on the lefthand side and then going along the top and down the righthand side (for right-handed zipper placement). Ease the length of the Side Panel around the corners, evenly distributing any excess length into the four corners. Sew with a 6 mm (1/4”) seam allowance.

Loop pinned to the Rectangle with rectangular corners
Side Panel pinned to Front Panel

Open your bias tape and fold the short end over by ~ 1.2 cm (~1/2”). Pin the bias tape to the Side Panel’s seam allowance near the bottom of the e-reader case starting with the folded end. If your bias tape has a narrower fold, that’s the edge to pin.

Close up of grey bias tape with a folded over edge pinned to Side Panel Interior (Igrey)
Pin folded end of bias tape to Side Panel

Sew the bias tape to the perimeter of the Side Panel along the first fold line in the bias tape. Ease the bias tape around the corners. The cut end of your bias tape will overlap the folded end.

Close up of sewing along first fold in bias tape
Sew along first fold line

Fold the bias tape in half and then over the raw edges of the Top Panel. Sew close to the folded edge of the bias tape, sewing carefully to avoid sewing through your zipper.

Coseup of sewing grey biastape to grey interior
Sew along folded edge of bias tape

Repeat for the Back Panel.

Interior back with bias tape
Interior Back Panel with bias tape

Turn your 6” zippered e-reader case right side out.

That’s it! Your 6” zippered e-reader case is ready for use.

Here are some photos of my finished zippered e-reader case:

Multicolored zippered e-reader case (front view)
Front view of Zippered E-reader Case
Back view of multicolored zippered e-reader case
Back view of Zippered E-reader Case
Side view of multicolored zippered e-reader ccase
Side view of Zippered E-reader Case
E-reader and chargning cable sticking ouf the pockets of a multicolored Zippered E-reader Case
Zippered E-reader Case with e-reader and charging cable
Conclusion

My 6” e-reader and it’s cable fit great in this 6” zippered e-reader case. There’s even room for a few other small items. It’s effortless to access my device with the long main zipper. When I need my e-reader cable I know exactly where it is. Additionally I can toss my e-reader into any bag, purse, or backpack without the fear of the screen being damaged.

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Tanya

"Sewn By Tanya Sewing Tutorial: How To Sew A Zippered E-reader Case" shows a multicolored e-reader case overlapping an e-reader and an e-reader cable

"Sewn By Tanya Sewing Tutorial: How To Sew A Zippered E-reader Case" shows a multicolored e-reader case wtih an e-reader sticking out of the main pocket and a charging cable sticking out of the front pocket

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