Neoprene Laptop Cover How-to

I work from home and my organization gave me a laptop to use. I go back to our office in DC pretty regularly and up until now I've been using a huge, ugly backpack with a built-in laptop sleeve to cart my computer around. The backpack was free, and it's ugly and big and uncomfortable. I'm going back to DC this week for a few days, and I'll be traveling frequently for work, and I'm also going to DC for a wedding, so I don't want to carry around any extra baggage, so to speak! So, I finally broke down and made a laptop sleeve!

I don't have a pattern; I didn't even use any measuring tape, ruler or straight edge. I just eyeballed everything. I'm sure you can make it much more legitimate with a ruler! I had some scraps of neoprene in my stash that I got in the remnant pile at Joanne's, and some Amy Butler scraps for the cover. The neoprene has a black squishy side and a grey foamy side. The grey side is the "wrong side."

To measure, I laid my computer down on the fabric. For the width, I added about 2 inches on either side of the computer... the depth of the computer (how tall it is sitting on a desk) is about 1.3 to 1.5 inches tall, so 2 inches leaves enough for 2 seam allowances -- one to attached the cover fabric to the neoprene and another seam allowance to sew the front to the back.

Height -- fold over the fabric so it comes to just above the top of the computer, and then fold over the fabric for the flap and cut to where you want the top flap to end, plus 1/2 inch.

You'll see I sewed in a notch at the top flap. This is so the top flap will be flush with the width of the rest of the bag because we're adding the depth of the bag in with the width measurements. The width of the flap is just the width of the computer, plus 1 inch (2 x 1/2 inch seam allowance after sewing cover fabric to neoprene).

After cutting, place wrong sides together and pin cover fabric on top of neoprene and smooth out any wrinkles with your hand. Leave about 6 inches in the side to pull fabric through. Sew, trim seams and corners. Turn and iron.

Here it is turned.

Checking the measurements with my laptop. At this point, I sewed around the top flap to make a nice edge, just stopping at where the side "flaps" of the T start.

Sew on velcro. I only had skinny velcro on hand, so I doubled them up, and did a zig zag in between. Attached the velcro on with tape before sewing. To figure out where to put the velro, place your laptop on your fabric, and fold over the front piece and the top flap and see where a good spot is where they intercept to place the velcro. Mark with a pin, and before you sew your velcro on, center it width-wise on your fabric. Mine's a little off because I eyeballed it.

Then, sew vertically up the left and right sides of the fabric, lining up the bottom edge with the top of the T below the front flap.

Turn. Place your laptop in and smile!


If you want, you can see how the bottom edges are very triangle-y. You can box out the corners to make them look more sleek.

All in all, this project took me about 1.5 hours. Enjoy!!

Mother's Day + Crafting

I actually know this mom interviewed at Craft. This is a super cool family. Go read the interview with a DIY mom for mother's day here.

True story: I was sitting with the hubby talking about kids and crafting and about how I want to be able to pass on what little crafty knowledge I have to our kids if they are interested. I said, "I mean, look at the Sterns! Mrs. Stern [I still call her that!] is the Queen of Crafting and she makes them sweaters every year for Christmas and they're kids are totally cool. I mean, Becky's working at Craft!" Not that there is any correlation between crafting and being cool, but I like to think there might be.

I am ultimately saying that they all appreciate the world a lot, I think, especially the things that are made from scratch, with love. The values of patience and hard work, among others, are quietly instilled and appreciated when you take the time to sit and learn how to make something with a loved one. And I only hope to be able to pass these values onto our kids.

I first learned how to sew from my mom when I was in high school. She used to sew clothes for everyone, but mostly stopped by the time I could remember. But I would go through her fabric remnants, old homemade clothes and patterns and look at the sewing machine wondering what I could make. Then I just decided to try to make something and she took some time to answer questions and help me through. I made a simple a-line dress out of a psychadelic polyester that I used as a swimsuit coverup for a few years. I loved it. And it started me wanting to make more. I taught myself how to crochet and then knit and now she wants me to teach her. Now my sister crochets and we talk about crocheting when we next see each other.

Thanks, mom, for taking the time to show me how to make stuff. I can't imagine my life without it.

So, like I said: Go read the interview with a DIY mom for mother's day.

Weekend Retreat Cardigan - WIP

One goal I had this year was to make a knitted garment for myself -- the obvious option would be a sweater. Some folks have told me that cardigans are way too complicated and they never make them; others have said that they're just as easy as regular sweaters.

Well, after looking through many patterns, I decided on Lion Brand's Weekend Retreat Cardi made from recycled cotton (left) (here it is on ravelry). It was the simplest cardigan pattern I could find, and I knew I could find the yarn without any problem. And it's a light, natural fiber yarn so I could wear it easily in the summer to events where I'd need to cover up the tat.

The pattern seems pretty easy so far. I've messed up once already -- I purled 13 stitches instead of knitting, but I was in the park on a beautiful day, so I was very easily distracted by everyone else! And I fixed those easy enough by going back and undoing the stitches down to the purl and switching those around with the crochet hook. I was actually kind of impressed with myself that I could do that! Yay for learning!


On a side note, I got the yarn at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio on 15th Street, just a few blocks west of Broadway. It is a beautiful space -- very spacious! A class was just letting out and the students were pretty excited about buying yarn for more projects. I bought the yarn suggested with the pattern - recycled cotton in the green "seagrass." I am hoping the sweater will be a little small, so it will look nice over a little black dress for a wedding I have to go to later this year (one of three!). By the way, before you head over to the LBYS, check out their web site to see what yarn is featured this month -- there's usually a discount on them.


Let's hope this cardi goes well! I may be asking questions. I just hope I finish this baby since I have an apartment full of works in progress: The drop stitch scarf, the baby blanket for Jonah (who just celebrated his FIRST birthday - super ugh on that), my own ripple blanket, an orange seed stitch scarf, the soy silk cowl... not to mention the sewing projects! I think I need help!

Low-Budge Dinner: Steak with shallot sauce, roasted asparagus and steak fries

This month I'm featuring low-budge recipes -- tasty dinners that cost little. This one reminds me of the yummy steak frites we would get all the time in France. For this one, get your cheap steak at the store -- on sale -- and we'll make a red wine shallot sauce to give it some flavor.

Rosemary and garlic oven steak fries
First off, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Take 2 Idaho potatoes or sweet potatoes, cleaned, and cut them in half lengthwise, then take one half and cut it lengthwise into thirds. Repeat with the other one. Place in a large tupperware with a lid. Take 2 large cloves of garlic and mince, add to tupperware. Take about 4 tablespoons of fresh chopped rosemary and add that too. Add 2 tbs olive oil to the tuper ware, 1/4 tsp salt and a dash of pepper. Toss.

Roasted asparagus
Asparagus was on sale too -- the really fat ones -- so, we snapped off the bottoms and added those to the tupperware to mix the ingredients. You could do the same with brocolli, cauliflower or another hearty veggie.

Spray a cookie sheet with spray oil and place the fries and asparagus on one layer. Place in heated 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, turning after 20 minutes.

Grilled Steak with Shallot wine sauce
While the taters are cookin', heat a grill pan and grill your steaks. While those guys are going, in a small saucepan, heat 2-3 tbs of butter/butter substitute/olive oil. Add 2 shallots, diced (these are those midget onions, not the green onions) with 2 tsp of herbes de provence or italian seasoning. Heat over medium-low heat until shallots are translucent. Add 1 cup red wine to deglaze the pan. Simmer, stirring while it reduces.

Hopefully everything will finish at the same time. Plate em up! We had some sour cream, so we dipped the fries in that. YUM! It looks very high-budget, but it didn't really cost that much. And fresh rosemary is awesome -- get a fresh bunch and you will use it the whole week. If you don't, just tie it up and let it dry.

DESSERT - Boxed tricked-out yellow cake and chocolate frosting

I had a craving for boxed yellow cake with that chocolate frosting that comes in the plastic can. I don't know why. So I made the cake. BUT I added stuff to the batter. It was a "super moist" yellow cake mix. I didn't have any real butter (it called for 1 or 1 1/2 sticks), so I added 1/4 cup of plain low-fat yogurt, 1 tbsp of vegan shortening, and 1/4 cup of canola oil. I also added 2 tbsp of ground flax seeds. The rest of the recipe called for 3 eggs, which I added. You could probably get away with only using 2 though because the rest of the stuff I added would bind it all together. I followed the directions for cooking and frosted it with that chocolate frosting that comes in the white plastic packaging. YUM.

Granny love

I have never done a granny square before. I've tried but I never could get the slip stitch part right. I tried it again. And I got it!

My five year old nephew gave me great advice the other week when we babysat them (twins). I was trying to hit a plastic baseball that popped out of an automatic popper-outer and I couldn't hit anything! I was huffing and puffing and saying I couldn't do it. Then he said to me as he's giving me a little plastic ball in his even littler hand, "It's okay. You just keep trying and trying until you get it. And it'll work." Totally taken aback and absolutely enamoured, I tried again and I got it. A good hit.

So, I'm making a baby blanket for one of C's coworkers - just a small carriage blanket. The pattern is Lion Brand (here on ravelry). Here's what I have so far.

Below, the colors are shown a bit more true to life -- tans and browns with a deep red color. I know they aren't the most exciting colors for babies, but I think the tan gives it a nice 70s touch that I'm going for. I love seventies granny blankets.

So, then I went to flickr to see what other grannies are out there.

Check out these beauties (click on the pictures to go to their flickr albums):