iPhone Sleeve with Strap and Pockets

I have a simple project to share with you today that is a great scrapbuster.  It is quick and easy - the best type of project in my opinion.

Do you ever have this problem - You are going out for a walk but you don't have any pockets and thus no place to hold your phone, keys, and/or money?  Happens to me all the time.

I've tried a fanny pack but didn't really like it.  So one morning I did some brainstorming and came up with this handy dandy iPhone sleeve with a strap and pockets.

The starting point of this creation was this easy tutorial for an iPhone Sleeve by Erin Erickson at Dog Under My Desk.  I just simply added two pockets and a strap.  And viola - I had a solution to my no pocket problem!

For my fabrics, I just headed to my stash.  I had bought some fat quarters when I was making my friendship braid quilt thinking I was going to do something different on the back but I didn't end up using them.  And as I bonus, there was some extra binding from the quilt that would be the perfect starting point for the handle.

It took me just over an hour to complete and before I took it out for a spin, I posted a picture to instagram.  It wasn't long before my sister saw it and requested one of her own.  Perfect, that would give me a chance to tweak anything that I didn't like and to make a tutorial so I could share this project.

So, here goes:

STRAP

• Piece together 2" strips to make two strips that measure 54" in length (feel free to make smaller or bigger, shorter or longer.  In fact, I think I might even use 1 3/4" or even 1 1/2" strips if I make another one.  The first one I made was 2 1/2" but I felt that was a little too wide.)
• Cut 2" strips from fusible interfacing and fuse to the wrong side of the each strip.
• Place the two strips together and stitch down one of the long sides with a 1/2" seam allowance.  Press the seam open.  Also press under 1/2" on the short sides.  (Remember those tweaks I mentioned?  This is one of them but yet I failed to do it while I made the second one so you won't be seeing a nice clean finished edge in the photos.)
• Fold in one of the outer raw edges so that it just touches the raw edge of the seam allowance and press.
• Repeat for the other outer raw edge.
• Fold the handle strip in half along the seam, with wrong sides together and press.

• Edgestitch down all four sides.
• Topstitch each side.
• Set aside.

SLEEVE And POCKET

• SLEEVE - Cut two pieces of fabric 10 3/4" x 4".
• SLEEVE - Cut one piece of lightweight interfacing 10 1/2" x 3 3/4".
• SLEEVE - Cut one piece of fusible fleece 10 1/2" x 3 3/4"
• SLEEVE - Fuse interfacing and fleece to wrong side of fabric (one on each) and set aside for a moment.
• POCKET - Cut two pieces of fabric 7 3/4" x 4".
• POCKET - With right sides together, sew short sides with 3/8" seam.
• POCKET - Turn right side out, press, and edgestitch along sewn edges and set aside while you work on the sleeve again.

Sorry, the bottom row of pictures is out of order.

• SLEEVE - Place fabric right sides together and sew all around with a 3/8" seam allowance, leaving a 3" gap on one side for turning.
• SLEEVE - Clip corners.
• SLEEVE - Turn right side out and carefully poke out corners.
• SLEEVE - Press well.
• SLEEVE - Hand stich the opening shut (unless you are lazy like me.)
• With the sleeve right side facing up, measure 1 1/2" from left edge and place the pocket, also right side up.  Baste along the the unfinished pocket edges.  (Or, for the lazy people like me, simply pin together.)

ATTACHING The STRAP

• Place one end of the strap near the top left of one short end of the sleeve, right sides facing up on each piece.  I didn't really measure, use your best judgement as to where you would like the strap to be.
• Top stitch across the top, making sure to catch the strap.
• Take the other end of the strap and place near the top left of the other short end of the sleeve, this time with right sides together.  I sort of messed this part up in my first one which resulted in an always twisted strap when wearing.  Not a big deal, but I recommend taking the time to think about this step.
• Top stitch across the top, making sure to catch the strap.

• Fold sleeve in half.
• Stitch as close to the edges as you can, making sure to catch all of the layers.

And that is all!  Now go out for a walk and enjoy the fruits of you labor.

PLEASE NOTE - measurements are for an iPhone 4 or 4S.  You will need to make adjustments if you have a different phone.

I am sharing this at these parties.

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