Saturday, June 7, 2008

IPOD Nano Case




I worked on a prototype and ended up not liking it (I thought an asymmetrical flap would look good but it didn't). Worked on a second prototype and it's more to my liking, but I still haven't gotten the holes for the screen and click wheel quite right. Next one should be good enough to offer on Etsy, I'm thinking. I also might make some kits, what the heck. I plan to keep this second prototype, and bead embroider an apple logo on the front flap. I left a hole in the bottom seam for the earbud plug, but didn't leave a hole for the charger/download plug-could have, just opted not to, as I figure it's easy enough to take the Nano out of it's case when downloading/charging.

5 comments:

Snowrose said...

Actually, even though it's spot on and you have the perfect idea, I think you should stay with it... For instance, the cut-out areas, circle... why not put a contrasting colour or colour matching the music thingie.. sorry I don't know what it's called... I see it's like a maroon colour & you also used maroon beads... if you have maroon or perhaps turquoise leather or even UltraSuede, use an eighth of an inch larger than the circumfrence of the circle, (cut it as cleanly & as neatly as possible)... sew tinier seed beads, in this case 15's and sew them outside of the circumfrence, perhaps blanket style so that you 'fool' the eyes so no one can see the 'raw cut edges' of the fabric... then when that is done... you take the "ring" part and snip it all the way around and I mean 'snip' not much... do that all the way around but when you snip, you'll follow the way to snip it then you tuck the snippets underneath the backside of the inner case... you might want to either glue it or take a toothpick and glue it with E6000 which stinks to high he--... let it dry... then if you like, you might want to 'cover up' the snippets so no one can see it... you can use quilting fabric or any good quality fabric and do the same thing but this time, you will tuck in the edges/snippets on the outer circumfrence & also the inner opening of the ring and do some sort of 'thread art' using whatever stitch you think would be appropriate for the circumfrence. I would not use any beads inside of the case, so the radio or music thing isn't ruined. As far as the window goes, oh the sky is the limit... one thing I thought of is to use a contrasting colour just like I mentioned above of UltraSuede fabric matching your 'case' and beads... make just a rectangle or square 'ring' but make it oh I would say 1/4" or slightly larger, especially for the 'bottom part of the rings so that you can snip it and tuck it underneath... you can do the same lovely beading you've done all around the edges or other hundreds of different border finishes... OR... you can leave the cutting as is.. and just bead and 'slightly' embellish it with unique embroidery beading techniques that are far too numerous to mention... and it should make everything look totally divine! I would never get rid of that piece you've shown. I would go right ahead and put in the extra time.. Heck... time is money right?!!! It's a huge plus for you! Quality work is what customers want and this is certainly a grand idea. You've done it thus far and can so easily do the rest. Smile... I really hope this was of some help for you... just some ideas. BTW, I don't know if you're familar with Yo-Yo quilting? If not, this is so incredibly super easy to do... you take the circumfrence of the yo-yo piece and then you take a piece of thread (oh btw, some people like to put inside of the yo-yo a piece of oat tag to ensure its perfectly symmetrical and also it just makes the work easier)... anyhow... you take the thread and thread as close to the raw edge as possible, in and out, "straight stictch' all the way around the edge... then when you're done, you take that piece of thread (working piece) and tighten the yo-yo, and pronto! you've got a perfect yo-yo. I'm just trying to brainstorm here how something similiar can be done when you have one piece of a circular UltraSuede fabric and you need to cut the inner part to make a circular ring.... I cannot think of anything... AT least I just hope I was able to help give you a start in ideas... Always finish 'cut' work very neatly as no one likes seeing that... that's why I suggested a nice quilting fabric or good quality fabric. Such fabrics last forever and a case like yours would be used quite frequently. What are you doing to have it 'hands-free' for the customer? I just now saw it's called a "Nano" case. I also read that you want to perhaps use an apple logo... please double check before doing an apple logo. If an apple is a trademark logo, we cannot copy it because it would violate the trademark laws... If someone buys it not for wanting it for themselves but to show the company, look... I have this piece and I bought it from... then there's a mess on your hands you don't want. Just something to ponder over.
You can email me if you want... I don't know how to privately email you as this is public. I apologize in advance how extensive this comment ended up being... I just wanted to jump in and help with some ideas. Smile...
Yours in a circle of beaded friendship,
Snowrose/Heidi

beadnik said...

wow, I just found your comment, Heidi! What a bunch of great ideas! Thanks! I wouldn't use the apple logo for anyone else's case, just wanted it for my own. I know about the copyright thing, but as long as I'm not profiting from using the logo, I'm figuring it's OK.

Mary Tafoya said...

Nice prototype Nik.

Heidi should write a tutorial for her blog or something, I found it a little tough to get through all in one paragraph like that.

I admire how well you work with leather, what an awesome idea esp. for us New Mexicans. 8-)

I want one!

Snowrose said...

Hi Mary,

I mentioned at the end of my long comment that I sincerely apologize for the length of the post.
My grammar is not as good as I wish it were. I was trying to explain the very best that I could with the idea that Nik is in the very same room as I am in. I was trying to create a scenario of showing/explaining some ideas Nik might have thought of, but in a different way... You know how you think of an idea but it isn't quite what you wanted after seeing the finished product? That is where I came in and tried to do the best I could to assist.
I do have a weakness when it comes to grammar. What I should have done is select everything I typed & pasted it into Word, and get assistance from that so it would not be so long and difficult for you and others. I was just trying to help. I am such a very firm believer in sharing whatever I can to help in any way that I can. It makes the world a better place to live in. Smile. I will be more mindful in the future so as not to make things difficult. My entire goal was to be of whatever help I could be of to Nik. I could tell she was trying so hard. I know what she was going through simply because I go through the same thing quite frequently. Ah, such is life! Perhaps, if it helps you, take what seems gibberish or difficult to comprehend, then, separate or omit some words. This might help make whatever it is that you're reading much easier to understand. I do this very often with many things that don’t seem to make much sense to me. After I do that, I then start reading it over again. There are times I don’t understand what I just read. I will read it aloud. When I do this, everything seems to make more sense to me. It isn’t as difficult as I made it out to be. This is how I was taught when we had to have our daily, year-round, 6-hour non-stop speech therapy classes. Regardless, I sincerely do thank you Mary for being upfront about this. Sometimes a reminder is in order that I’ve gone on a bit much. It’s a rather bad habit of mine. I’m trying to improve! Smile

Snowrose said...

Hi Nik,

I'm glad you were able to find some of the ideas useful. Sometimes the ideas aren't even used. That alone is perfectly fine because you start to brainstorm from someone else's perspective! That always helps! (At least I think it does). Smile

I cannot for the life of me remember who it was, what it was in reference to (meaning if it was bead related, or if it was something else that I do as well). Someone made an embroidery of a Disney character. Quite sadly the person who bought the item worked for Disney. The woman who made the artwork was sued. (seriously sued to the point they lost not only their house, but their vacation homes in the United States). More often than not, people are sadly lawsuit happy. I personally find that very sad.
When you mentioned you were doing an "apple" logo, I thought of the device... I cannot remember what it's called right now... I do not know if it's a Macintosh item or not... I immediately thought of you and someone out there who is all excited and trying to get their greedy paws on your art only to deceive you. It makes me mad when artists who work so hard to be hurt by greedy, selfish people.
However, you are familiar with this issue, so everything is perfectly cool! Smile

Yours in circle of beaded friendship,
Snowrose/Heidi