DIY Chirstmas Gift #1: MP3-Player Case

With the Holidays coming up and everyone suddenly becoming obsessed with showering others (and themselves)
in gifts, I figured it’d be a good time to finally post an entry after seven or more months of nothing-ness.

One of the main staples of the Scene/’Emo’ culture has been music, and its hard to find someone
today who dosn’t have a music player of some sort. So when I found this tutorial on a Hand-Made Ipod/MP3 Player Sheep Case, I realized I had to try it, or at least recommend it to others.

Hand-Made Ipod/MP3 Player Sheep Case

The tutorial assumes a basic knowledge of sewing, and uses an Ipod nano as the mp3 player base,
but I imagine you could edit it for other ipods. This tutorial will take some time depending on your skill in sewing.

Materials used throughout can be purchased at any basic craft store like Michaels, Joann Fabrics, AC More, Etc.

Things used:

• Two Large Different-ColorFelt Sheets (in desired case cover)
• Two smaller differnt-color felt sheets (for face and inner ears)
• Sewing Supplies (thread, needle, etc)
• Scissors
• Fabric marker (for marking the felt to cut + for drawing Face)
• Two Small beads (for eyes)
• Objects for decor (optional, explained below)
• Three-Four Eyelets (For cord-holes)
• Snap Button or Hook (to close cover)
• Leather/Other
• Strong Fabric Strip (For necktie)
• A day where you have nothing else to do and don’t mind getting frustrated (Optional)

Other: The tutorial lacks some important information, (such as the materials, which I listed above) and assumes a previous knowledge of basic sewing. Steps such as making and attatching the ears are not included, and such steps appear to be fairly easy. I may come back with my own pictures/descriptions for the missing steps.

None the less, the tutorial includes a step where you can add a decor (such as a lolipop, made out of three small peices of fabric and a tiny button). I would advise skipping this step if your pressed for time, or looking for something a little simpler. (Several craft-stores have buttons shaped in small figures; sewing or glueing one on might be more prudent.)

Tutorial URL: http://www.hipgirlie.com/2007/11/06/diy-ipod-mp3-case/

Added Steps:

Making the Ears: Using the same Color felt used for the front case, cut two circles slightly
bigger then you want the ears to be. Next, cut two circles slightly smaller then your previous ones
out of the material you want the inside of the ear to be. You can then either sew the two smaller circles into the big ones, or hot glue-gun it in.(I’d advise the latter for easy-ness and less stitching).

Next, fold the outer circles in half, putting pressure on the end you want to insert into the case, so the opposite side puffs open, giving a view of the inside of the ear. Glue/Sew shut the end that will be inserted. Repeat for other ear, remembering to squeeze the opposing side to make the opposite ear. (You don’t want a sheep with two right ears, now do you?) Sew into space that was left open during case assembly.

*If your ambitious in making this more realistic, cutting two slightly oval-ish shapes would probably be better. Circles just seemed simpler at the time.

Making The Face: Using a different color felt then for your cover, cut a heart-shape out. The ‘indent’ at the top of the heart should not be large, and the bottom should be rounded rather then pointy. (Unless your going for a more menacing looking sheep.) In the center of the heart (using a ruler would be useful), draw the sheeps nose and mouth. (Use the picture in the tutorial for an example, or make it an emow sheep and give it a frown.) Then, we’ll attatch the eyes. The eyes should be neither to close nor to far from the nose and outer side. If you (PRETEND) to cut the face into four quarters going through the center where the nose is, then the eyes should be in the center of the upper two quarters. Either draw the eyes on with the fabric pen, or gently glue two small beads in the desired eye color . (I’d advise super glue/industrial strength rather then hot for this part). Sewing is most likely an option as well, but you don’t want your sheeps eyes to bug out, and I’m not sure how to do so without that happening.
The face appears to be glued onto the cover as well, though if you wanted to stitch it on it’d probably be sturdier.

Alternative Ideas:

• Change the Expression: Make it an emow sheep, a smiling sheep, a vampire sheep, etc.
• Draw arms/legs: Right on the cover, either with a fabric pen, or by glueing on small oval-like
  shapes in the same color fabric as the face. If you want to get more ambitious, you can draw on the hooves to the end of them. Works best with no decor.
• Use Printed Felt: Some craft stores carry leapord print, striped, polka dotted, etc. I’d advise this for the case, and then use plain-colored for the face.
• Make a different animal: With a few simple edits and some creativity, you can easiy change this into a cow, dog, cat, etc.

Final Ramblings:

If Anyone Makes This Tutorial or Edits it and Makes their own animal using this as a base, I’d love to see pictures. (I’d even post a link in this blog to it if you’d like, to give other people ideas). I plan on making an ‘albino black sheep’ sometime, but it probably wont happen until after the holidays.

More ‘Added Steps’ might be edited in as I think of them. The eyelets/buttons usually comes with instructions on the packets for doing so.