Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Sewing Contributor Jessica, from the blog “Life Sew Good”.  

It was time for our annual family gift exchange and I had my sister’s name to make a gift for her. I had seen laptop “tables” in cool boutiques and I finally realized that I could just make one! Since my sister & her Mac are best buds, it would be the perfect “make for” gift. Now I want one. Do you?

Here’s how!

Get your supplies:

Mod Podge
Scrapbooking paper
E 6000 or fabric glue
Strips of Velcro
Fabric (Preferably a stretchy knit fabric) & Thread
Serger or Walking Foot attachment for your sewing machine (preferable)
Hand-sewing needle
Scissors
Poly-fill Mirco beads
Sheet of wood (½” to ¾” thick)
Fringe (I used rick-rack)

Making the Table Top:

*Measure the laptop and cut a ½” to ¾” sheet of wood to your dimensions, allowing room on all sides.

*Cut your scrapbooking paper & lay it out how you want it.

*Mod Podge wrong side of paper completely and place on wood.

*Tip:  If you are experiencing bubbling, use a squirt bottle to dampen your paper before using the Mod Podge.  This worked wonders for my project, thanks to Amy’s advice from Mod Podge Rocks!)

*Once Mod Podge is completely dry, Mod Podge over the top of your paper, sealing it well.

Making the “Bladder” and the Pillow:

*Using your knit (stretchy) fabric, you are going to want to cut 4 identical sized pieces.  The size you cut will depend on the size of the board.  Your pillow will be underneath your board and it should be about the same size, but cut the fabric a little larger, allowing room for “growth” when you fill up the pillow with the micro beads.  Also, you should factor in your seam allowance.

*Start by making a bladder for the micro beads.  With right sides together, sew 2 pieces of fabric together all the way around, only leaving about 2-3” opening for turning and filling. 

*Tip:  Because it is knit material, it will stretch as you sew.  It is IDEAL to use a serger or a walking foot attachment for your sewing machine.  If you have neither, consider a zigzag stitch. 

Because I was really nervous about the micro beads getting out, I did both!  Zigzag stitched and serged.  It looks like this:

*Turn fabric right side out and begin to fill with microbeads.  I used about ½ a bag, which filled my  pillow about 1/4 to 1/3 full.  You want the pillow to be flexible enough to steady the table top.  Do not overfill.

*Tip:  Microbeads are a headache.  They a tiny.  They are full of static.  They get everywhere.  You will do much better to enlist a helper for this project.  Judging by my experience with assistance, had I attempted this little project on my own, it would have been disastrous.

*Sew opening closed.  Doesn’t have to be fancy at this point; it’s just going inside another pillow.

Making the Outer Pillow:

*Take one of your knit pieces.  Place 4 long strips of Velcro on the RIGHT side, forming a rectangle.  The rectangle should be several inches smaller than your table.  This is how you will attach the pillow to your table top.  Sew them on.

*Placing both pieces of fabric right sides together, sew 2 pieces of fabric together all the way around, leaving about 10” opening for turning and filling. 

*Turn your fabric right sides out and put bladder inside. 

*Sew pillow closed.  Either top stitch around the pillow or whip stitch by hand.

Finishing Touches:

*Glue trim around the table tap and if you want, sew the same trim on your pillow to tie them together.

*On the wrong side of the table, glue on your strips of Velcro to match the rectangle on your pillow.