Some More DIY Pride
Be warned: Shameless self-congratulation follows.
I love my new NookColor. Love it to bits. But when I came back from Arizona with it, I returned sans cover. I spent ages looking at the B&N selection, and while many looked nice, I wasn’t happy with the way most of the covers clip the device. In retrospect, I realized that I wouldn’t be removing and re-attaching the Nook often enough to risk damaging it, but at the time I just wanted to leave my lovely eBook reader pristine. Untouched. And when I returned to Canada and changed my mind, I saw that the cost of ordering one online was too expensive. Additionally, I can’t say I trust eBay all that much, except as a source of cheap books. No one bilks people for Mary Baloghs, unlike this poor NYT writer who was scammed out of $1700 for a Sarfatti lamp.
So after a week of carrying my NC around in a fleece beanie, I decided to make my own. (Nook cover, that is. Not Sarfatti lamp.)
The first DIY case I found online turned out to be the one I eventually made. The lovely Chica and Jo designed this custom Kindle cover, and it attracted me through its simplicity of design and construction process.
I did make some modifications to their model to fit my NookColor:
- First, I added a second elastic to secure the top of the NC. The device is quite a bit heavier than the Kindle, and while C & J have a nice wide pocket covering the Kindle keyboard (which is fine), the NC has a thinner bezel and larger touchscreen which needs to be fully exposed.
- Second, I cut a hole at the bottom of the pocket so that I’d be able to charge the NC without removing it from the case.
- Third, I used two different fabrics, a water-shedding nylon on the outside and a softer burgundy polyester as the inner lining.
- Fourth, since I am the most careless person in the world (even to devices I love), I added a double layer of thin fleece to the interior along with cardboard, for padding.
- Lastly, because the whole result is quite a bit thicker than the original design (which is for a very thin Kindle 3), I didn’t do the last flap that doubles as a stand. But I’m okay with that, since I’m unlikely to stand my NC up without holding it.
And all for the grand total of $4.53. Chica and Jo: You’re awesome.
My friends and family are absolutely sick of hearing me talk about my efforts. The cover doesn’t stand up to close inspection – it’s just a wee bit too tight, my slip stitch is dodgy at best, and I can’t sew a straight seam to save my life.
But man oh man oh man. I love my NookColor case. Possibly even more than my NookColor.
Are any of you seamstresses or DIYers? Any projects of which you’re particularly proud?
– Jean AAR
Jean, your case is wonderful! I can’t wait to make a cover for my K3. I gave my daughters sewing machines for Christmas last year, but my older daughter doesn’t have the right wall connection in Rome, and my younger daughter has been dragging her heels about learning. But I think I’ll persuade her to spend a weekend in the near future and bring her mini-machine. Since I gave her my K1 when I got a K3, we’ll make covers together. (After we see “Jane Eyre” and have massages and lunch which is a twice-yearly mom-daughter event for us. She should be limber enough after the massage and meal to tackle sewing. LOL)
Thanks heaps everyone! My only previous experience with sewing was pillowcases and curtains (which is more or less, sew a few seams and then you’re done), so this was a more complicated project for me.
Jean: It’s gorgeous. Good job!
Jean, that cover looks amazing! Looks like you did a great job. There have been many times recently when I wished that I had a sewing machine. I just have this feeling that making my own toss pillows would be a lot more inexpensive than buying them.
Jean, you did a great job with our case design, and we love your modifications. You are awesome, too! :)