UPDATED

My creativity has frankly been rather stymied since the election in November, but we'll leave that smelly fish right there where it lies.  It's been a challenge in self-care to get moving again, creatively speaking.  Current projects left me frozen & uninspired (except for some English paper piecing).  While cleaning up my studio, I found my beautiful, Massdrop purchased wafer-thin natural-light lightbox.    I had gotten rid of the box it came in, which was way too oversized for my shelves.  So its method of storage and protection has been to be wrapped up in 2 layers of cotton batting, then tied with fabric selvages.  Tacky.  Unsightly.  Well, that just wouldn't do!  So I thought, OK, I'll make a quick and easy case for it.  That gets me sewing again.

I did a Google web search, and found this FREE pattern from Sew Can She for an iPad sleeve, inspired by a Vera Bradley bag, and changed the dimensions to fit my light-box.  It worked out quite well, and now I have a stylish , nice-fitting sleeve & can slide it onto my shelf for storage.  It has Annie's Soft and Stable inside, which I highly recommend using inside any bag or basket you make, rather than batting.  Some friends, who are EXCELLENT bag makers, told me to always use it, and they are right.

I also made a little velcro-closure cord-keeper, as the power cord for it is too bulky for storing in any case.  That has a left-over scrap of Soft & Stable inside & a coordinating fabric to my bag.  I LOVE cord-keepers, and have made quite a few.  The first ones had batting in, but the Soft & Stable has much better body, while staying soft.  Interfacing can be too stiff or too thin.  You want thecord keeper to have soft body.  I use cord keepers for my phone charger cord & my Kindle charger.  Keeps things nice & tidy, especially while traveling.  Easy to throw your cord in your purse that way.

When making your bag, remember that if your case is larger or smaller, you will need to alter the zipper size you use.  The size listed on the pattern is for the iPad sized case.   Going bigger allows room for miscalculating, and then cut away any extra length before sewing those last interior seams.

The outside can be one piece of fabric & quilted, like I did, because this Japanese fabric is TOO darn cute to cut up, OR you could piece a mini quilt, quilt it, then cut it into the two pieces that you need.  You could even do just a smaller amount of piecing or pieced strip set into a larger piece of pretty fabric on one side or both.  So think about that.  You could make this sleeve for Kindle, iPad, other tablets, or a laptop or any other flatish device.  I thought this amount of cushioning was nice (one layer of Soft & Stable) but you could double it, or use one layer of that & add a layer of batting, for extra protection.

Here's a glimpse of the inside.  Pick fun fabrics, the more, the better.  You at least need 3 for the top, a lining fabric & binding fabric.

As to the cord-keepers, here is a link to the pattern I used, by Leafy Treetop.  Really easy & very useful.  They make cute little gifts too.  You could even use them for cords that are too long on your appliances, like a TV or lamp.  They are HANDY DANDY, and you need some!

Have a great week and remember to SEW for your MENTAL HEALTH!!