Manly Quilted Netbook Case with Vintage Map Fabric

[jennieingram]

My DH headed back to school this semester to finish his degree.  He's been out of school for almost 6 years now, and it's been an adjustment for both of us with him going back.  The good part is he's attending classes at the university I work for, so I get to see him a few times a day and usually we have lunch together.   

He had been carrying his netbook around in his backpack, or in an old over-sized laptop case that he had to strap it into.  That just wouldn't do!  So I let him pick out some fabric from my stash and set about making him a hopefully "manly" quilted netbook case. DH picked out some antique map fabric, which I had bought when making steampunk potholders for the awesome Wulf. 

The quilting, which is done in purposely wonky stripes, is actually on the inside, so that the outside is nice and sleek looking.  I had originally planned to do buttons and button holes on it, but when we were in the fabric store looking around, DH picked out these antiqued bronze clasps instead. 

[Staar84]

That's amazing! And it's definitely manly He's a lucky guy. Where did you get the fabric?

[kwality570]

I love it!  Good idea with the clasps instead of snaps or buttons. 

[Wulf]

Just brilliant, Jennie! He's so going to be the coolest guy  in class! That fabric is wonderfully versatile - it was perfectly Steampunk on the potholders, but on the bag it's quite serene and classic. And seeing a larger amount of it now I can imagine all sorts of ways it could be embellished, appliquéed, etc. to produce very different effects.

How thick did you make the padding in the bag?

Wulf

[StickerChic87]

This is awesome! I had the hardest time finding a decent case for my netbook...and this looks great!

[jennieingram]

Thanks for all the nice comments guys!

Let's see...

That's amazing! And it's definitely manly He's a lucky guy. Where did you get the fabric?

I found the fabric at Hancock Fabrics.  It was in a line called "Tallships".

How thick did you make the padding in the bag?
Wulf

I used 2 layers of thin cotton quilt batting.  The whole thing is about 1/4 inch thick.  About half a centimeter?

This is awesome! I had the hardest time finding a decent case for my netbook...and this looks great!

It seems like everyone has a little netbook now.  First Jim, and now all my student workers wander around with them.  After we finish getting Beauty & the Beast onstage, I'll try to make up a tutorial.

[Wulf]

"Beauty and the Beast" -- how much work could that be? Our "Aida" has its first Piano Tech on Monday, so I know exactly how you feel.

Don't forget to breathe.

Wulf

[jennieingram]

The rental costumes arrive by tractor trailer tomorrow...  Too bad they're being delivered to another building, and we're having to organize how to get them over to ours.  Across a hill.  With no clear rolling/wheel chair access.  The scene shop boys and stage management are supposed to help.  We'll see how that goes.  Oh, and despite the fact that we're renting the show, we cannot use the following costumes, and had to build them:
the Enchantress
all of Cogsworth's costumes
all of Madame de la Grande Bouche's costumes
all of Lumier's costumes

And to top it off, we were short on "enchanted" objects, so I'm making a costume for a Vase of Flowers, and a dancing Broom.  The only fun part so far has been what I did Friday afternoon.  I made a hat for the Vase costume.  Here I am with it in progress:


I'll have to post the whole costume on stage at some point!

[StickerChic87]

This is awesome! I had the hardest time finding a decent case for my netbook...and this looks great!

It seems like everyone has a little netbook now.  First Jim, and now all my student workers wander around with them.  After we finish getting Beauty & the Beast onstage, I'll try to make up a tutorial.
[/quote]

That would be awesome! I'm getting a sewing machine soon and would love to try to make one of these in the future!

[suddenlysandra]

That is SO frigging cute (in a most MANLY way, of course!) - the map fabric is fantastic, and the clasps are the perfect embellishment - you did a GREAT job!