DIY Tablet Stand: Step-by-Step Sewing Tutorial
This year we’ve all become a whole lot more dependent on our devices – whether it’s for video calls with family and friends, working from home, educating the kids… or looking for creative ways to keep busy on the Create and Craft blog – our tablets have become essential to our day-to-day living! But if you don’t have a clever way to stand yours up, it can become a bit of a pain… which is why we love this latest sewing project from Becky Cole! Check out her tutorial below and learn exactly how to make your own DIY tablet stand that will make hands-free video calls easy, as well as everything else you rely on your screen for!
Time to Make: 3-4 hrs
Skill Level: Intermediate
You Will Need:
- 3 Fat quarters of cotton fabric
- In-R Foam 63cm x 24cm
- Black Elastic 20mm x 80cm
- Piping cord
- Complementary sewing thread
- Sewing machine
- Sewing scissors
- Tape measure
- Fabric marker
- Straight pins
- Hand sewing needles
- Piping foot
- Thin Chipboard Card 0.55mm thick 3 sheets 21cm x 26cm
DIY Tablet Stand Step by Step Tutorial:
Step 1:
Cut out your fabric panels to size as follows:
- Floral fabric 23cm x 28cm
- Pink fabric 23cm x 28cm
- Floral fabric 23cm x 28cm
- Floral fabric 23cm x 28cm
- Pink fabric 23cm x 28cm
- Floral fabric 13cm x 28cm
- Floral fabric 6cm x 28cm
- Floral fabric 6cm x 28cm
- Floral fabric 4cm x 28cm
- Piping – pink fabric 3cm x 1m
Mark all of your fabric panels on the reverse with their number in erasable fabric pen.
Step 2:
First, make your piping. Stitch 3cm wide strips of fabric together until you have a length 1m long. Fix your piping foot to your sewing machine. Place the cord down the centre of the strip and fold the fabric around the cord. Place under the piping foot, and stitch as close to the piping as you can.
Step 3:
Position the cord between fabric panels 6a and 6b, lining up the raw edge of the piping to the raw edges of the fabric. Pin in place and stitch through using the piping foot to get as close to the cord as you possibly can. Trim off the excess cord level with the bottom of the fabric.
Repeat between panels 6b and 6c and again between 6c and 6d, creating one fabric panel with three lines of piping running vertically down.
Step 4:
Gently steam the seams on the back of the piping open, and place back under the piping foot.
Stitch a line of stitching approximately 1mm either side of each row of piping, helping it to stand upright.
Step 5:
Stitch panels 4, 5, and 6 together using a 1cm seam allowance. Press the seams. Using your fabric pen, measure 4cm and 8cm from the seam between panels 4 and 5 at the top and bottom.
Place the elastic so that it lies centrally between these 2 marks, pin and double stitch in place, 5mm in from the top edge.
Step 6:
On panel 3, mark 9cm horizontally and vertically along from each corner. Cut the elastic into 4 x 12.5cm pieces and position them just inside these marks so that the elastic pieces sit diagonally across each corner. Stitch them in place 5mm in from the edges.
Trim away the excess so that the elastic sits flush with the edges of the fabric.
Step 7:
Stitch panels 1, 2 and 3 together using a 1cm seam allowance. Press the seams.
Step 8:
Place the two fabric sides on top of each other, so that panel 6 sits over panel 1, 5 over 2, and 4 over 3. The piping and elastic corners should be at opposite ends. Line up the central seams and pin together in place. Pin the panels together and then stitch all the way around using a 1cm seam allowance. Leave the bottom of the middle panels open to enable us to insert the card and the In-R Form. Trim the excess from the corners and turn through to the right side. Press the edges.
Step 9:
Insert the In-R Form into the fabric and push it into the corners so that it fits snuggly and neatly. Slide one of the card panels into the opening and push it into the piping end, so that the In-R Form is sitting underneath and the card is directly underneath the piping. Push it into the corners as far as it will go, so that it fits snugly. Pin through the seam between panels 5 and 6/1 and 2 so that they line up, and stitch in the ditch along this seam, enclosing the card in the end of the holder.
Take care not to catch the card in the seam. Repeat on the opposite end, this time making sure the card is directly underneath panel 3. Repeat the stitching process with the seam between panels 4 and 5/2 and 3. You should now have secured card in either end of the project with the middle panel still open.
Step 10:
Slide the 3rd piece of card into the central panel and fold over the top edges, and hand stitch closed.
Step 11:
Fit a heavy duty needle to your sewing machine and topstitch around the 3 outside edges of pieces 3 and 4, 5mm in, stitching through the card.
Repeat on the opposite end, through pieces 1 and 6.
Step 12:
To use your DIY tablet stand, insert your tablet under the elasticated corners, and fold up the tablet holder. The large strap of elastic folds over and sits between the piping to close. The piping then supports the tablet when it is folded open!
Not only is this DIY tablet stand a fantastic way to enjoy video calls with family hands-free, but it also makes working on your tablet, watching videos, playing games and everything else so much easier! Not to mention exploring the Create and Craft blog, with a nice cup of tea…!
Looking for more clever sewing ideas? Check out the rest of our sewing projects, articles and tutorials right here!
