It all starts with an idea....

The daughter said, "Mom, I wish I had a DSi case that can hold all my games. Mine just holds 4 and they keep falling out. Can you make me one?"

First, I got lazy and went to see if someone else made one and posted a free tutorial. The internet is a great place. I easily found a couple, but they weren't quite right for me. They were made for 12 games (she currently owns 25, and counting). They don't have a pocket for the plug. They don't have a spot for the extra stylus nor the screen duster-wiper-thingie (did I just wow you with my technical term or what?). Plus, she has a thing for peacocks and none featured peacocks. I knew I would have design my own. After some scratch paper doodling, a cup of coffee, and an hour of singing loudly along to the radio, I had the beginnings of a project. And a fun idea.

I decided to make this project into a "blind sew along" so you can make your own! Because it's blind, you don't know what the final design looks like (and I am a bit mean and didn't put the real design in that picture above). You just have to trust me. Or wait a couple weeks and see the final results. But, then, where is the fun in that?

You will need a sewing machine, but only basic sewing skills are required as there are no: zippers, button holes, or really tricky parts. I will be taking quite a few pictures and writing the instructions for a beginner sewer, so if this is your first project (I am honored!), feel free to ask questions in the comments as we go along. The steps will be posted every 4 days or so- that way you can easily keep up with the sew-along.

Are you up for this adventure?

If so, your first task is to gather together:

• some fabric. I am using a mix of designer weight, quilting, and fashion fabrics in mine. Don't get anything that will stretch- like knit- or be very hard to "turn"- like pleather or oil cloth. Fat quarters and scrap pieces are fine. Now's the time to raid your left-over cuts and upcycle clothing stashes.....
  
• medium or medium-to-heavy weight interfacing
• a couple of buttons
• embroidery floss or thick hand-sewing thread
• a piece of ribbon, about a foot (30 cm) long. 3/8"-1/2" thick is best. You could use a shoe lace.
  
• a fun design that will be used to decorate the outside of the case

I drew my own fun design (it's the peacock- you can see it tucked in the upper left of the picture). If you can't draw, you can use copy-right free children's coloring pages. The design can be as small as a postage stamp or a big as half an A4/8.5x11 piece of paper. You can go for flowers, animals, houses, abstract shapes, letters, whatever you like. If you want your design to be seen all at once and not fall on a fold with half in the front, half in the back (like mine will), keep the pattern smaller than the size of your closed DSi. I am using my fabric choices for everything including the design, but if you prefer to make your design in felt be sure to grab the felt colors you need.

Tuesday will be the first sew-along post so this gives you all weekend to explore, wonder, ponder, and in the case of you not owning a DSi- a chance to find someone who does who will appreciate this cool gift you are about to make them!