A once-Polo keeps your laptop cozy

By Justina Blakeney
Published: January 27th, 2009 | 9:55am

Sweaters are not just for keeping warm this season. This DIY project helps you turn a polo-style sweater into a computer bag. Store bought laptop bags can be bulky and unattractive, but this bag stands out as a cheap and chic alternative.

What You’ll Need:
1 old polo-style sweater (this project works with any polo-style long sleeve knit)
2 pieces of recycled foam board (15” X 11”)
1, 15” long zipper
4 sheets of bubble wrap (15” X 11”)
Stapler & Staples

1. Take one piece of foam board, and place two pieces of bubble wrap on top of it. Staple around the perimeter so that the bubble wrap is secure on the foam board.
2. Repeat with other pieces of foam board and bubble wrap.
3. Lay the sweater down flat. Cut off the sleeves as shown. (Place sleeves aside as we’ll need them later)
4. Turn the sweater outside in and sew the armholes closed with a clean finish. Turn right side out.
5. Take the foam board/bubble wrap pieces and put them face to face (bubble to bubble) and place them inside the sweater, 15” side parallel to the collar, and push them all the way to the top.
6. Sew the bottom of the sweater shut.
7. Take the bottom of the sweater and carefully shove it inside the sweater, between the two boards.
8. Working through the hole in the collar, hand stitch a few stitches with strong, nylon thread on the “shoulders” of the sweater, catching also the rim of the sweater that we just shoved in, in order to secure it in place.
9. Close any open buttons in the collar, take the collar of the sweater and neatly fold it inwards, over the board, and tuck it under the rounded edge of the sweater, as shown. Pin into place. Hand-stitch the collar closed as shown.
10. Hand-stitch the zipper onto the opposite side of the bag, at the large opening.
11. Take the sleeves that were cut off in step 3 to create the shoulder strap. Turn the sleeves inside out. Sew the “shoulder ends” of the sleeves together, all the way around, creating one “V” shaped strap, as shown.
12. Turn the tube right side out and stitch the bottom of one side of the strap to the side of the bag as shown, reinforcing many times to be sure that the strap is secure. Repeat with the other side.