Sew-Along: DSi Carrying Case

Yesterday I was asked, "What the heck is a DSi?" My definition was: (1) an item apparently necessary to sustain life for anyone between the ages of 9-13, (2) a hand held game console that is also socially acceptable for grown-ups to use. In hindsight, I probably should have used Jen's technical term "handheld-thingie-majibs," but I didn't think of it at the time. For those of you who are still unsure what the heck it is, here is a link to the Nintendo DSi website so you can see one. In action, even. And to answer another question also recently asked.... Yes, it is the same size as the original DS so if you have one of those you can still make the bag.

I am doing all the measurements in inches. You can print a free ruler here if you only have metric ones available. This is way, way, way safer than me trying to convert inches to cm.

Ready to begin? Today's step is pretty straight forward and can be tackled in under an hour. I like starting things off nice and easy, don't you?

Sew-Along Step 1: Cutting Out the Big Stuff.

We need to start by cutting out rectangles for the main body of the bag. Lots and lots of rectangles. I posted a tutorial on how to do this, just in case you need it.

Decide which material you will use for your main body. I am using a decor-weight material. This is a pretty heavy-weight cotton used for things like couch cushions and handbags. You will need:

• 2 rectangles that are 16.5" long and 10.5" high (the main body)
• 1 rectangle that is 3" long and 10.5" high (the strap)

Next, you need to decide on which material you want to use for all the pockets. I am using normal quilting fabric for most of it. I am using lamé fabric for some of it. This is an awkward material and I don't advise using it if you are a beginner. You can make each pocket section out of a different material, or keep it all uniform. I went half and half on the game pockets, but the rest of the pockets I stuck to one print. You will need:

• 6 rectangles that are 3" long and 10.5" high (the game pockets)
• 2 rectangles that are 7" long and 4" high (overflow pocket)
• 2 rectangles that are 13" long and 5" high (main DSi/cord pocket)

Lastly, you will need to iron interfacing onto the back of all the rectangles. This will add a bit of support and help keep your shapes stable when sewing. If it is easier for you, you can cut your interfacing a smidgey smaller (say 1/8" all the way around) than your fabric. Interfacing can and will gum up your iron or ironing board, so cutting it a bit smaller is good way to protect both.

In the end, you should have something that looks like this:

....... onto step 2!