Make a Custom IPOD/ Cell Phone Armband

With Just a few inexpensive or up-cycled materials, you can make your own sweat-proof armband holder for your IPOD or Cell Phone.
 

Gather the following items:
1. IPOD, or Cell Phone
2. Vinyl Fabric  (fabric from a child's raincoat, vinyl tablecloth, oilcloth, or purchase fabric from your local fabric store)
3. Clear vinyl (mine was up-cycled from a package that a quilt came in)
4. Sewing machine/thread (you can sew by hand if you have to)
5. Sew on Velcro/ or Hook and Loop tape
6. 1 1/2" metal rings- set of two.
7. 1 1/2" wide elastic (sold as "waistband" elastic in the fabric store)

Place your IPOD or Cell Phone on a clean sheet of paper. Trace outline.

Measure and mark new lines 1/2" larger on all sides of your IPOD or Cell Phone outline. This is now the template for your front and back pocket.
Cut out template.
Lay template on your printed vinyl, and cut 2 pieces.
These are your Front and Back Pocket pieces

Make Pocket Flap template by drawing rectangle 1/2" narrower than your pocket template, and 3" high.

Fold Pocket Flap in half, with Right Sides together. Stitch sides 1/4" from edge.
Turn Pocket Flap Right Side Out. Stitch 1/8" from edge around the outside. 

Front pocket window hole: Measure 1" in from all sides of front pocket edges to mark window hole. Cut out window hole.

Now add 3/4" to both the height and width of your front pocket window hole. These are the measurements to make your clear vinyl window template. Cut clear vinyl window using this template.

Finish the top edge of both the Front and Back pocket piecess by folding 1/4" of fabric from the right side, to the wrong side, and stitching 1/8" from folded edge.
 
Take Front Pocket piece, and place the clear vinyl window on the WRONG (INSIDE) side of the window hole. Place small pieces of tape in place if you need to secure it, then sew along the window edge. Trim clear vinyl inside after sewing if needed, and remove tape.

Center Pocket Flap on Front Pocket top edge WRONG SIDE, overlapping by 1/4". Stitch 1/8" from edge to sew Pocket Flap to Front Pocket
 
Center 1 1/2" length of Velcro hook and loop tape on INSIDE (WRONG SIDE) of pocket flap, and stitch around the edges.

Center 1 1/2" length of matching Velcro hook and loop tape to the RIGHT SIDE (outside) TOP EDGE of Back Pocket. Stitch around edges of velcro tape.
 
Center a 2" length of 1/12" wide Elastic Band to the Back Pocket, just below the hook and loop tape. Zig Zag stitch both the top edge, and the bottom edge of the elastic to the Back Pocket.

Place Front and Back Pocket pieces, with Right Sides together. Stitch around the sides and bottom edges, using a 1/4" seam allowance. Back stitch  a few stitches at the top side edges to give extra strength.  Leave the top edge of the pocket open.
 
Clip bottom corners and  seam allowances to 1/8" , being careful not to cut too close to your sewing line.
 
Turn Pocket Right side out. Your pocket is done! 
 
Now for the armband.

Measure your arm circumference. Add 5" to this measurement, and cut your elastic band to this measurement.
 
Insert the 1 1/2" wide elastic band through both 1 1/2" metal rings, to create a 3/4" overlap. Stitch the elastic band edge with a zig zag stitch to enclose the metal rings.  Zig Zag the seam 2 to 3 times for security.
 
On the opposite end of the elastic, zig zag stitch the raw edge, going back and forth over the edge with the zig zag stitch twice..

Lay your armband down with raw edge on your left, rings on your right, wrong side up.
 
Slide the raw edge from Right to Left through the Elastic Strap on the Back Side of your pocket. Just like a belt, bring the raw edge of the elastic through both rings, then back through the outside ring. 

 

Ready, Set, GO!!!!