tutorial: 60-minute fat quarter 3DS case

the end result

Today I am going to show you how to make a case for a Nintendo 3DS. This is a quick easy project with an awesome outcome! The case is padded with fleece and stiffened with interfacing, closes securely with a zipper, and only takes 60 minutes to make!


Materials needed:

• 1 fat quarter (18 x 21) or 1/3 yard for the exterior
• 1 fat quarter (18 x 21) or 1/3 yard for the interior
• 1/3 yard of fleece
• 1/3 yard of medium-weight interfacing
• 1 9 inch zipper

materials

Let's get started! There are only 18 steps for this project: 

1. Cut fabrics, interfacing, and fleece. You will need:

• 9.5 x 9.5 exterior fabric
• 9.5 x 9.5 interior fabirc
• 9.5 x 9.5 fleece
• 9.5 x 9.5 interfacing
• 2 1.5 x 2 exterior (or interior, your choice) fabric for tabs
• 2 1.5 x 2 interfacing

2. Interface the wrong side of exterior fabric and the little tabs, following the manufacturer's directions. (Basically, put the bumpy side of the interfacing against the wrong side of your fabric, place a pressing cloth over it, spray-mist with water, and press with an iron for 15 seconds or until the pressing cloth is dry).
* this is a good time to add a label to your exterior fabric, if you would like to do so!

3. Baste the fleece to the wrong side of the interior fabric.

this is what you should have - interfaced exterior fabric and fleece sewn to the interior fabric

4. Sew zipper to one side of the exterior fabric, right sides together. Use a zipper foot and sew as close to the zipper as you can. This will give you a nicer appearance in the end. See? Zippers aren't so scary!
* stop 0.5 inch from the ends! Don't stitch all the way to the end!

like this

this is what you should get

5. Sew one side of the interior fabric to the zipper, sandwiched with the interior fabric on top of the zipper, which is on top of the exterior fabric, right sides together.
* stop 0.5 inch from the ends again!

like this

this is what you should get

 6. Flip the fabrics right sides together and sew them to the untouched side of the zipper, making another nice little zipper sandwich.

you should get these two loops as a result

7. Turn the bag right-side out (you should have basically a tube) and topstitch along the zipper, getting as close to the zipper as you can while staying on the fabric.
* open the zipper half-way and leave it open!

nice tube

topstitched!

8. Turn your tube wrong-way out again, and flatten so that the zipper is centered.

like so!

9. Make the little tabs by folding them width-wise right sides together and stitch a 1/8 seam along the raw edges. Turn right-side out and press so that the seam is centered. Fold length-wise and press so that the raw edges are together and the seam is on the inside.

tab sewn together

finished tabs

10. Pull back the interior fabric and the zipper. Insert the tab between the layers of the exterior fabric, and stitch with a 1/4 seam.

like this

stitched!

11. Now pull back the exterior fabric and zipper and stitch the interior layers together the same way you just did the exterior layers. Repeat for the other end of the bag, remembering to add your tab between the exterior layers!
* make sure the sides of the zipper are brought together when you do the end of the bag with the opened zipper. This will make the bag look nicer later!

12. Cut out a 1 inch square from each corner, measuring from the seams you've sewn.

measure from the seam!

all cut!

13. Stitch right over the zipper, securing it between all the layers of exterior and interior fabrics. Don't stitch all the way to the end - that will make the next step more difficult.

14. Take one exterior corner and flatten it out so that the seam is centered. Sew with a 1/4 inch seam.

pinch the corner together and flatten it out

stitched together

15. Repeat for all the exterior corners, and all but one of the interior corners.

16. Turn the bag right-side out through the corner you've left open.

17. Stitch up that corner with your machine and a 1/8 seam or with an invisible ladder stitch by hand.

18. Enjoy your new 3DS case!

end of the bag

top view

nailpolish featured is Sinful Colors - Cinderella

* Please don't sell bags made from this tutorial, but do make plenty for friends and family! Let me know if you have any questions!