iPad Cork Case

I finally was ready to make a new iPad case. I loved the one I had, but just wanted something different and something personalized. Plus, the husband was out of town so I had plenty of time to get it done. I am very happy with how it turned out and even had time to make one for a kindle fire all it took was some sizing changes.

Materials:

• Cork- I used 12x12 squares instead of rolled cork because it was easier to work with. Make sure the cork is about 1/8th of an inch thick. You can find this at most stores like Fred Meyer, Michaels, Target...
• Cotton- enough to make 2 squares about 9x10, I used an old shirt.
• Fleece or felt- this will be the piece that your iPad actually comes into contact with, so softer is better. I used felt pieces I found at Michaels.
• Steam-a-Seam fusible web- this is found at JoAnns.
• Poster Board- use this to make a stencil. I used the kind with lines on it to make the stencil easier.
• Craft Sticks, Binder Clips, Wood Glue, Spray Adhesive, Sand Paper, Scissors, Xacto Knife, Pen, Ruler, Iron, Paint, Stencils, Rubber Band, Paint Brushes

Begin by making your stencil. Lay the poster board out and use the ruler and lines on it as a guide. The stencil needs to be 10x11 inches, I left a slight curve on the top end of mine. Once the stencil has been made use it to cut out two matching pieces from the cork with the Xacto Knife- do not use scissors or it will not cut the cork nicely.

Just to get an idea of how things will look, lay your iPad on the stencil. To make the stencil for the cotton and the felt, cut down your original stencil to about 9x11. Use that to cut out the cotton and felt. Set the felt aside for now. Now, cut out the same size square from the fusible web (Steam-a-Seam).

Peel off one side of the paper backing from fusible web. Place the now sticky side onto the cotton piece you have. With an iron set to cotton, with steam, iron the fusible web and cotton together. Next peel off the paper backing and stick the sticky side down in the middle of a cork piece and iron that down, again with steam. This makes the cork a little more durable and gives some extra support to the case.

Using the spray adhesive generously cover one side of the felt. Lay this on the cork piece so that the cotton piece is now completely covered by felt. Repeat all the steps above for your other piece of cork.

The next part all needs to be done fairly quickly. Lay both cork pieces with felt side up. Cover the cork on three sides with wood glue, skipping the rounded part on top. Be careful not to get glue onto the felt. Carefully lay the two cork pieces on top of each other with the felt sides touching.

Moving quickly, place one craft side on either side of the cork and hold together with a binder clip. This will allow the glue to set correctly without you needing to hold it and it also keeps any marks from being left in the cork from the clips. Continue that process on all three glued sides; making sure everything stays lined up.

Let your case stay like this for at least an hour so the glue can dry. After the case has set for awhile, take all the clips and wood sticks off. Use that sand paper to smooth down all the edges and remove any dried glue that can be seen. Also sand down the front and back of the case. This will leave the cork feeling nice and smooth. At this point you get to design your case however you would like. I used Martha Stewart craft paint and some stencils to make my design. Then, as a extra little closer, I used a large rubber band that I found at Michaels... They were with the Smash books. Voila, you now have a new iPad case.

When you put your iPad in for the first time you will hear a little cracking on the edges, this is completely normal. It's from the glue, so no worries, your case will stay intact.

For those of you who don't have an iPad but want to make the case for something else, just measure your item and make a stencil that is larger than the size of the device. I recommend adding about an inch or so to get the final size for the stencil.

Until next time, stay crafty.. As always, if you make it send me a picture :)