It's all too often that phones are dropped, screens cracked, and warranties run out. So what do you do? Make a cute phone cozy and keep your all-important baby safe and sound, of course! Grab some pieces of acrylic felt and get ready to sew this cutie up faster than you can say "an apple a day keeps the (phone) doctor away".
Supplies
- Downloadable apple pouch pattern
- Acrylic felt in various colors (red, cream, white, green, pink, dark brown)
- Cotton fabric (fat quarters work well for this)
- Fabric scissors
- Paper scissors
- Sewing needles
- Metal sew-on snaps
- White plastic buttons
- Sewing thread in various colors
- Embroidery floss in green
- Sewing pins
- Pencil, marker, or pen
1. Prepare Your Apple
Step 1
Print out the apple pouch pattern and, with your regular paper scissors, cut out the template pieces.
Step 2
Trace the large apple piece onto the red felt twice (resulting in two pieces) and the patterned cotton twice (again, resulting in two pieces). Cut each out with fabric scissors. Place one cotton piece on top of one felt piece, insides facing outward.
2. Sew the Base Pouch Pieces
Step 1
Thread your needle with white or red thread and, keeping a quarter inch seam allowance, backstitch along the contour of the apple shape, leaving a one inch (or slightly larger) space between the start and end of stitching. Repeat with the other two cotton and felt pieces.
Step 2
Turn the apple shapes inside-out, so the correct sides of fabric are facing outward, through the bottom gap.
Step 3
Using red thread, sew up the bottom of each apple shape. In this case, I used a whip stitch.
3. Begin the Applique
Step 1
Trace and cut out the smaller apple shape on cream-colored acrylic felt. You'll need two of these pieces. Using white, cream, or yellow thread, whip stitch the inner apple piece around its edge. I like to keep the stitches on the felt, as opposed to going all the way through to the cotton (though I knot thread through on the cotton side of each pouch half).
Step 2
Repeat on the other apple half. It might take a couple of pieces of thread to complete the applique.
4. Make a Cute Face
Step 1
This step is optional, depending on whether you'd like to create a cute face for your apple. So skip this step if you'd rather leave your apple case blank.
Cut out the face pieces from your felt. You'll need two brown eyes, a brown mouth, two pink cheeks and one tongue, and two white highlights for the eyes. Arrange them on your apple so you have a plan before sewing.
Step 2
Sew the face pieces in the order as follows: cheeks, mouth, eyes, tongue, highlights. Match your thread to your felt color. Use the stitch of your choice. I opted for a whip stitch, but straight stitches look awfully cute for applique projects too. Cut out five teardrop shapes from brown felt for the apple's seeds.
Step 3
Whip stitch the seeds to the face of the apple. Cut out a pink heart for the other apple half and place it in the lower right corner (again, this is optional).
5. Make the Strap and Leaf
Step 1
For the button strap at the top of the pouch, cut out two rounded rectangle shapes (see template) from the red felt. On one, stitch one side of the metal sew-on snap. On the other, sew a white plastic button (or button style of your choice). With the snap and button facing outwards, sew the edges of these pieces together.
Step 2
Cut out two identical leaf shapes from green felt. You can use the leaf style from the template or create an alternate shape. Using a larger needle and a thick piece of embroidery floss, try a back or stem stitch for the leaf's veins in one of the leaf pieces.
Step 3
Whip stitch your leaf pieces together, with embroidered details facing outwards.
6. Put the Pieces Together
Step 1
Measure your phone in the pouch by pinning the felt sides together, leaving a large enough gap at the top for your phone to slide in and out with ease. When satisfied with the placement of pins, take your phone out and whip stitch the sides and bottom.
Step 2
Turn your apple pouch inside-out so the right sides are facing outward. Sew the top side of the leaf onto the top right of the front of the pouch. I used green thread in this case and whip stitched along the edge.
Step 3
Place the other half of the metal sew-on snap on the front of the apple. Check the position with your strap, and sew it on. Snap the strap to the front of the apple, and sew up the back edge of the strap to the backside of the pouch (careful not to sew through to the other side of the pouch).
Pop Your Phone in Your Apple Pouch
Your apple pouch is now ready to keep your phone safe and sound. Additionally, you can add a braided or beaded strap and this pouch becomes a little purse, ready for your ID, money, and phone. It would also make the perfect present for a friend!
How did you go with this tutorial? Hope you enjoyed making your little apple phone cozy. We'd love to hear from you if you have any comments or questions.
