A necktie that matches or exceeds the width of your phone. Pick out a tie that catches your eye. If you don’t have any vintage neckties lying around your house, you should be able to find something suitable at a thrift shop or a vintage clothing store. Sharp fabric scissors or a rotary cutter. A ruler. A sharpie. A cutting board. A needle and thread, or a sewing machine. Pick a thread that complements the color of the tie. A decorative snap button or a traditional “buttonhole” button. You may be able to remove a button from an old piece of clothing. Otherwise, you should be able to find a button or a set of buttons at any arts-and-crafts or fabric store. A snap fastener or snap fastening pliers. This is only necessary if you want to put a snap-shut button on your iPhone pouch, rather than a traditional “buttonhole” button. You should be able to find these tools at an arts-and-crafts or fabric store.
Use a sharpie to mark off a space that will fit your iPhone. This may be anywhere from five to seven inches. Slide your iPhone inside the tie to make sure that you have marked out a large enough pouch. Leave an extra half-inch for a seam at the bottom of your pouch.
Leave the inner lining of the tie in place if you’d like the extra padding for your phone. If not, feel free to remove it with scissors.
Consider folding the corners in and sewing them down to give your pouch rounded edges. Trim the excess fabric from the bottom of the pouch, and turn it right-side-out again.
Affix the other end of the snap button to the outside of the pouch flap, right at the tip of the tie. Make sure that the two halves of the snap button line up evenly before you attach them. Refer to the directions on the snap button package to make sure that you’re assembling the pieces correctly. If you want to use a traditional “buttonhole” button, simply sew the button where you would fasten the receiving end of the snap: about a quarter-inch down from the “V” of the pouch opening. Use fabric scissors to cut a slit in the pouch slap where the top of the snap button would sit. The slit should be as long as the diameter of the button that you are using. Consider using Velcro to the same effect. You should be able to find a strip of Velcro at an arts-and-crafts store. Simply replace the top and the bottom of the snap clasp with the two parts of a Velcro clasp. Cut the Velcro into small squares and carefully glue it to the fabric.
If you are going out and you don’t need to take a large bag, you can slip cash and a photo ID into the pouch along with your iPhone. This case functions as a stylish, compact on-the-go carrier.
Duct tape. You will not need much. Feel free to use classic grey duct tape or to spice up your design with more colorful duct tape. A plastic CD slip case. Make sure that the case is flimsy, clear plastic; this will cover the screen of your iPhone, and you want to be able to use your screen through it. If you don’t have a CD case,you can use a small sandwich bag or any other thick, transparent plastic. Scissors or a craft knife. A ruler. A sharpie.
This will ensure that your screen cover perfectly fits your particular iPhone. You will cover up most of this plastic with duct tape.
This should cut the slip case roughly in half. Keep the half with the sealed bottom: this will become the screen cover for your iPhone case.
Take the iPhone out and draw a rectangle on the slipcover to mark exactly where the screen fits. Consider marking the circular “Home” button as a reference for how your iPhone will fit. Don’t worry about the marks; you will use the other side of the slipcover for your screen. These marks are only for measuring purposes.
It is important that your duct tape sheet is no higher than the height of your phone. When you stick your slip case to this duct tape, no duct tape should protrude over the top or bottom of the case. Make sure that each side of the sheet is perfectly straight. Use scissors to trim the duct tape where necessary.
Align the edge of the duct tape sheet with one of the lines you drew to mark the vertical edge of your iPhone’s screen. The duct tape should not cover the screen.
Fold this five-millimeter length of tape over the open edge of the slipcover so that it fits neatly inside. This should give you a neat edge where the duct tape ends.
Neatly trim this sheet so that each side is perfectly straight.
Make sure that the duct tape sheet doesn’t overhang on either the top or the bottom of the plastic slip case. Turn the entire case over so that the sticky side of the duct tape sheet is facing upward. The “window” for the iPhone screen–the front of the case–should be facing down into your work surface.
This flap will hold your iPhone in place inside the case. Make sure that the flap is long enough. Use the iPhone screen marking as a reference only. Stick the edge of the duct tape sheet to the opposite side of the slip case opening–the bottom edge of the opening, if the marks are on the top. Be methodical. Before you press the sticky insides of the folded duct tape sheet together, make sure that the end of the sheet is tucked securely into the case. Make sure that the end of the sheet is perfectly lined up with the opening of the slip case. Try to make the fold as neat as possible. A few wrinkles and creases will not impair the function.
Half of the tape strip should stick up above the slip case. Align the left-hand side of the duct tape strip with the “sealed” left-hand side of the plastic slip case. Trim the duct tape strip to match the right-hand edge of the flap. Flip the case over. Cut the duct tape strip into two parts, along the line created by the opening of the case, and then fold each side of the strip down against the back of the case. If you do not make this cut, then the duct tape strip will block the opening of your case.
Half of the tape strip should stick out below the slip case. Align the left-hand side of the duct tape strip with the “sealed” left-hand side of the plastic slip case. Trim the duct tape strip to match the right-hand edge of the flap. Again, flip the case over. Cut the duct tape strip into two parts, along the line created by the opening of the case, and then fold each side of the strip down against the back of the case.
Simply wrap another strip of duct tape along the length of the flap. Trim any overhanging tape away from the strip so that the flap still tucks neatly. Do not make your flap too thick–make sure that you can easily fold it into the case!
Microphone: On the bottom of your iPhone, look for two oblong, mesh-filled holes on either side of the charging connector. The hole on the right is the microphone. Using a sharpie pen, place a small mark on the bottom edge of the case where the microphone will sit. Headphone jack: Find the hole for your headphone jack on the top of your iPhone, and place a small mark along the top edge of the case where the jack will sit.
Try to punch the holes such that you only bite a semi-circle out of the edge of the case. This way, you’ll punch out the back and the front of the case at once, creating a clean, round hole. The essential thing is that the microphone is not muffled, and that you are able to fit a headphone plug into the headphone jack.
Tuck the flap into the back of the iPhone case to secure your phone in place. If you made the flap long enough, it should stay in place on its own. Enjoy! You should be able to use the touchscreen of your iPhone while it’s inside the case.
Decide whether you want a soft (plastic/rubber) or hard (plastic or aluminum) case. Hard cases look sharp and sleek, and they may provide a smoother surface for decoration. Soft cases are more flexible, but they may tear more easily. Plastic cases may be more likely to crack under stress than metal cases, although you can find hard polycarbonate plastic cases that are built to absorb the impact of being dropped. [2] X Research source If you want to experiment, consider buying the cheapest case that you can find. That way, if you don’t like the result, you didn’t spend too much money. Basic plastic cases are often cheaper than metal cases and “heavy-duty” cases. If you are worried about dropping your phone, consider using a heavy-duty, shockproof, or “rugged” case as the base for your creation. These models are usually more expensive than plain cases, but they may protect your phone from the hazards of everyday use.
Consider writing your favorite quote onto the back of the case. You can do this with paint, stickers, permanent marker, or cut-out decoupage letters. Consider drawing your favorite animal, your favorite anime character, or the logo of your favorite sports team. Try tracing the image onto a piece of paper before you move it to your iPhone case. If planning isn’t your style, then choose a medium (e. g. paint, decoupage, stickers, glitter glue) and improvise! Take it slow, and carefully consider each new addition. It may be very difficult to remove certain types of paint and glue.
Paint: You can find acrylic paint in a variety of colors at most arts-and-crafts stores. Watercolor and oil paints will not stick well to the surface of an iPhone case. Consider buying a paintbrush or a set of brushes; you may also try painting with Q-tips, sponges, or other absorbent household items. Nail polish: Consider using nail polish to cheaply paint your iPhone case. If you don’t already own the colors you need, you should be able to find an assortment of polish at a local drugstore. Be sure to have polish remover or rubbing alcohol on hand to clean up any mistakes! Glue: If you want to attach any shapes or objects to your iPhone case, you’ll need some type of glue. Any standard craft glue should suffice–but if you are committed to your design, consider using superglue or a hot glue gun for a long-lasting attachment. Keep superglue and hot glue away from your skin, and use them only sparingly. Decoupage: Arrange paper shapes or pictures on the outside of your iPhone case, then brush a thin layer of decoupage glue over the surface to seal them in place. You can buy pre-mixed decoupage glue (e. g. Mod Podge) from an arts-and-crafts store, or you can make your own decoupage from regular craft glue by mixing 3/4 cup glue with 1/4 cup water. [3] X Research source Stickers: Consider incorporating stickers into your design. Stickers are easy to apply and relatively easy to remove, but bear in mind that they may wear down more quickly than other decorations as they rub against fingers, fabric, and other surfaces. You make your own stickers using glue, packing tape, or sticker paper. Glitter: Consider using glitter or glitter glue to jazz up your iPhone case. You will need to use an adhesive (e. g. glue, paint, tape) to make the glitter stick to the case. Consider using glitter with acrylic paint. Be careful: glitter rubs off easily and gets everywhere. You may find glitter in your purse, your pockets, your hair, and beyond. Jewels: Consider bedazzling your cell phone with rhinestones, costume jewels, or other fake gems. You can find faux jewels at costume shops and arts-and-crafts stores. Some rhinestones come with peel-away adhesive backing, but otherwise you will need to use superglue to attach your gems. Consider mixing media. There is no reason why you can’t combine acrylic paint with stickers, decoupage with glitter, or rhinestones with all of the above. Get creative and dream big!
Work carefully and methodically. Work from your sketch. Keep a small towel on hand to quickly wipe away any excess paint or glue before it dries. Be sure to put down a layer or two of newspaper before you begin. If you work on top of the newspaper, you won’t need to worry about spilling paint or glue onto any household surfaces.
Do not touch paint until you are absolutely sure that it’s dry. Even the slightest touch can leave an imprint that ruins your design. Enjoy! Remember that once your decorations dry, you can always paint over your design if you don’t like it.
Weigh the pros and the cons. It can be much more expensive to design and order a custom iPhone case online, but it may help your case look sharp and professional. This option may be right for you if you want to incorporate precise photographic realism into your design.
Select “Create Your Own” or “Design your case” and follow the on-screen instructions. Select your phone model (e. g. iPhone 4, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 Plus) and choose the type of case that you want to customize. You should be able to pick between several “lite” and heavy-duty case options. Each site features a different set of design templates. If you don’t like the interface, the pricing, or the features offered at one site–try another site.
Consider using a photograph that you have taken of your favorite place, your dog or your iguana, your kids or your car. You should be able to upload picture files directly onto the website if they are saved on your computer. Consider using a . JPG file of your favorite art piece. Be sure to respect copyright law, and ask the artist’s permission to use an image if it is licensed. It is legal to use many copyrighted images for personal projects as long as you aren’t reproducing an image for commercial use. Consider featuring your favorite meme or your favorite quote. Memes are rarely trademarked, although the source material may be subject to copyright law. [4] X Research source If you aren’t sure, and you are able to identify the creator of the meme: ask for his or her permission to use the image. Consider using a photograph of an inspiring scene: a beautiful sunset, a towering mountain, a lush rainforest or the open sea. Consider using a photo of your favorite animal or your favorite anime character; consider using the logo of your favorite sports team. If you find an image on the Internet, look for a copyright. If the image is copyrighted, ask for the creator’s permission to use it.
If your custom case arrives in the mail and it isn’t exactly what you wanted, don’t be afraid to contact the owners of the website. Find their email on the “Contact” page at the bottom or the top of the home page. Send the owners a polite email explaining exactly what went wrong, and ask them to send you a case with the correct design.
