Wireless Charging Sofa

Intro: Wireless Charging Sofa

Fed up of the wires and hassle of plugging and unplugging your phone as you move around the house? So were we!

We’ve made a wireless charging cover which fits snugly on your sofa arm and blends in seamlessly. This simple make is a great way to upgrade your sofa and is a step on the path to eternal laziness: it’s as simple as charging your phone by putting it down.

Watch the video tutorial:

STEP 1:

Materials:

Faux Leather (Fire retardant) Amazon

Wireless Charge Receiver Amazon

Wireless Charging Module Amazon

Micro-USB Wire Amazon

2A USB Plug Amazon

Tools:

Sewing Machine Amazon

STEP 2: Measure Up

Measure the arm of your sofa. You will make the cover in two pieces: one which covers the front of the arm and another piece which wraps around the top of the arm. First, measure the front piece by measuring the width of the arm (at its widest point on curved arms) and how far down the arm you want the cover to go - when doing this, bear in mind you probably want it to sit between the cushion and the arm.

Once you have established how far down the arm you want the cover, measure the second piece which will go across the arm. Measure how deep you want the cover to be.

STEP 3: Measure Wireless Charger Pocket

The wireless charging module will be housed within a pocket inside cover to stop it moving around. I made mine 15.0cm by 9.5cm - based on the size of my wireless charger.

Add approximately 1/2cm to your measurements (for stitching) and draw the rectangles on the back of your material - there should be 4 in total. Cut them out.

STEP 4: Draw Out Measurements

Add approximately 1/2cm to your measurements (for stitching) and draw the rectangles on the back of your material - there should be 4 in total. Cut them out.

STEP 5: Sew the Pocket

Make the pocket for the wireless charging module. To do so, take the two small rectangles and place them on top of each other so the front of the material is facing inwards on both pieces.

Place the wireless charger between the two pieces and draw a line across the fabric where it ends. Sew along this line to the two pieces of fabric are joined in the middle.

STEP 6: Pin the Cover

Pin the arm cover ready for sewing. With the material face down, lay the rectangle across the top of the arm. Pin the front rectangle onto it, leaving at least 1/2cm seams.

If you have a sofa with a rounded arm, you will need to gather more material where the arm curves to achieve the right shape.

STEP 7: Sew the Cover

Sew the cover together while it is still inside out, removing the pins as you go. If you need guidance on how to hand stitch, or how to thread and use a sewing machine, check out these tutorials from the wonderful world of YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdHnrlrQ6RE&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKnBUa4l2k4

STEP 8: Test on Arm

Once you’ve finished sewing the cover, turn it inside out and check you’re happy with how it fits on your sofa arm.

STEP 9: Hem the Edges

Hem the edges of the cover by folding approximately 1/2cm of each edge backwards and pinning in place. Sew neatly to create a hemline which will give the cover a clean finish.

STEP 10: Pin the Pocket on the Cover

Place the cover on the sofa arm and put the rectangles you sewed earlier to house the wireless charging module beneath it with the half which fits the wireless charging module facing towards the back of the sofa. The pocket should sit in the middle of the arm in a place you can balance your phone. When you’re happy with the location, pin in place.

STEP 11: Sew in the Pocket

Sew the pocket along the front and two side edges. When sewing along the rear edge, only sew the top layer of the pocket onto the cover. This is so that the wireless charging module can be added or removed but also so that the rectangle shape on the top of the cover, which shows where you put your phone for it to charge properly, is a complete shape.

STEP 12: Plug in Wireless Charger

Put the wireless charger inside the pocket and plug it in.

STEP 13: Enjoy!

Put the cover your sofa arm you’re ready to go!

Sign Up to Our Mailing List!

Check out T3chFlicks.org for more tech-focused educational content (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).

Comments

[calcot]

hello That's usually where I keep my phone.

[mrwild8]

The wire coil is all you really need I guess. There are other instructions on putting the coil where you want it so that is is slimmer and minimizes everything. You would have to un/re solder those connections and add a length a wire, but that would make it thinner and no one would notice it there at all under the slip cover. Overall - I LOVE IT!

[t3chflicks]

Great idea, that would make it slimmer and would also get rid of any concern you may have of breaking the module (e.g. by sitting on it accidentally). Thanks for the suggestion!

[Phil B]

About three weeks ago I saw some material about earthing. It suggests we are surrounded by electrical static energy that upsets the balance of electrons in our bodies. Things like wireless chargers would be part of the problem, especially if they are where you spend time. Earthing sounds like a pseudo-science or medical quackery, especially when some of its advocates speak in New Age terminology. But, I took an old watch with a metallic wrist band and slipped a thin copper wire around it to keep the wire in place. Then I connected the wire to a short piece of 3/16 inch rod and stuck it into the third prong on an electrical wall outlet like the kind used in the USA. Since I began sleeping with that, I believe I am sleeping more soundly based on how easily I go back to sleep when awake and how I feel in the morning. It is not costing me anything and I will give it a test for ten weeks. But, if earthing is beneficial, a wireless charger where you sit is not what you want.

[t3chflicks]

Thanks for reading our tutorial, Phil! Although we agree there’s evidence for the harmful effects of electrosensitivity, it isn’t just a problem with earthing and chargers - it's a problem with mobile devices themselves. Reducing radiation to a natural level would require you to be a mile away from your device - something which is almost unimaginable in a world where we increasingly reply on mobile phones! The aim of this tutorial is to make life more convenient by allowing the user to charge their phone with ease in a location where they’d probably put it down anyway. If you want to be really safe from your phone, the best bet is to lock it away in a lead box over a mile away!

[Alex in NZ]

Nice 'Ible, and a brilliant idea. Why not put the charger where the phone is going to be! Thank you for sharing this :-)

[randofo]

That's a good place to put a wireless charger. That's usually where I keep my phone.