Introduction: Make a Pretty Smartphone Case From Craft Foam

By Visit my site
About: Self-employed YouTuber, creator and maker working from studio at home. Running craft workshops and making instructional videos for YouTube. Also manufacturer of craft tools and templates.

This Instructable shows you how to make a simple but pretty case for your smartphone. It is quick, easy and there is no sewing!

Step 1: Materials and Tools

You will need:

  • Two 8 x 6 inch sheets of medium thickness craft foam in a colour of your choice - I chose red
  • A metal snap fastener
  • An embossing machine. I used the Sizzix Big Shot.
  • An 8 x 6 inch decorative embossing folder.
  • A tube of extra-strong glue suitable to bond metal and craft foam.
  • Scissors

Step 2: Fold the Foam Sheets

First, take one foam sheet and fold in half as seen in the picture. Press firmly with your fingers along the fold to make a good crease line.

Step 3: Cut the Foam

Open up the folded foam and carefully cut it into two equal pieces.

Step 4: Emboss Your Foam

Now you need to place one of the pieces of foam into the embossing folder making sure it fits exactly. Run the folder through the Big Shot machine and repeat for the second piece of foam. You will see the foam is transformed from plain to pretty in one easy action.

Step 5: Glue the Foam

Now you will need to glue the foam together to create the case. Take the tube of extra-strong glue and squeeze a line down the left side, along the bottom and up the right side of one embossed sheet.

Step 6: Press the Two Sheets Together

Next, you should carefully place the second sheet of foam on top of the one you put the glue on. Take care to match them exactly and press down firmly all the way around the edges that have glue on them. Leave to dry.

Step 7: Make the Fastening Strip

Using the second sheet of foam, cut a half inch strip across the width and place in the embossing folder. Run this through the Big Shot.

Step 8: Fix the Fastener Strip in Place

Now you should glue the embossed strip to the back of the phone case leaving a couple of inches above the top. Allow to dry.

Step 9: Mark the Place for the Metal Snap Fastener

Turn the case over. Take the metal snap fastener and press it hard into the top of the protruding foam strip to make an imprint of it in the foam. Put the fastener to one side and put a blob of extra-strong glue all over the imprint mark.

Step 10: Finish Off Fixing the Metal Snap Fastener

Now push the metal snap fastener (with both halves snapped together) into the glue and leave to dry. When it is dry, fold the strip over the top of the case and press the metal fastener hard onto the front of the case to make an imprint. As before, place a blob of glue on the imprint. Fold the strip over again and push the snap fastener into the glue. Hold in place for a few minutes to make sure it has adhered. Leave to dry.

Step 11: Use Your New Phone Case!

Once the glue is completely dry, open the metal snap fastener and slip your smartphone into the case. Do the snap up and voila - you have a unique, pretty case that no-one else has! I have been using mine for several months and it is still has good as it was when I made it.