A Quick Quilt-As-You-Go Sewing Tutorial

Your favorite tech deserves a handmade upgrade!

For Project #7 of our Back-to-School Sewing series, we’re creating a custom quilted laptop and tech sleeve designed to fit your device. Whether you’re protecting a laptop, tablet, Chromebook, or other tech, we’ll show you how to measure your device and calculate the dimensions you need for a custom fit.

But the really fun part?

We’re using a simple quilt-as-you-go technique to piece and quilt colorful fabric strips at the same time!

It’s a quick way to create a completely unique quilted design while practicing accurate seams, fabric piecing, and basic quilting, all without making a separate quilt top first.

We’re sewing ours on the NECCHI NC-103D computerized sewing machine, and this project gives us another chance to put its adjustable stitch settings and everyday sewing versatility to work.

Let’s quilt!

What You’ll Need

If you’re following along with our angled quilt-as-you-go design, gather:

• ½ yard backing fabric
• Assorted fabric strips, approximately 30” or longer
• Batting
• Coordinating bias binding
• Hook-and-loop tape — optional
• Iron and ironing board
• Clear quilting ruler
• Rotary cutter or fabric scissors
• Temporary fabric spray adhesive — optional
• NECCHI NC-103D Sewing Machine

Raid Your Fabric Stash!

This project is perfect for jelly roll strips and leftover fabric strips.

We’re creating an angled striped design, but there’s no rule saying every strip needs to be the same width. Mix different sizes, colors, and prints to create a completely different look.

You can even use the piecing technique from our Crazy Quilt Block tutorial by JunkGal63 Studio if you want something a little more free-form.

Prefer One Fabric?

Skip the piecing entirely!

Replace the assorted strips with approximately ½ yard of your favorite outer fabric, layer it with your batting and backing, and quilt the layers together however you’d like before continuing with the sleeve construction.

Measure Your Device for a Custom Fit

Laptops and tablets come in all shapes and sizes, so rather than giving you measurements that only work for one device, we’re making this sleeve to fit yours.

Measure the:

Width + Height + Depth (Device Thickness)

of your laptop, tablet, or device and enter those measurements into our Tech Sleeve Size Calculator.

We’ll do the math for you!

Once you have your finished cutting dimensions, don’t trim your fabric to size just yet.

We’re going to quilt first.

🧵 Why Quilt Before Cutting?

Quilting adds lots of stitching across our fabric and batting, which can cause the layers to shift, draw in, or become slightly smaller.

Instead of trying to compensate for that ahead of time, we’ll make an oversized quilted panel and trim it to the exact calculated dimensions after quilting.

It’s easier and gives us a much cleaner finished piece.

Prepare Your Quilting Base

Using the dimensions from your calculator as a guide, cut your backing fabric and batting approximately 1–2” larger on all sides than the final size you’ll need.

Place the backing fabric wrong side against the batting, aligning the layers.

If you’d like a little extra help keeping everything together while you work, lightly apply temporary fabric spray adhesive according to the manufacturer’s directions.

This is our quilting base, and now the fun begins!

How to Quilt As You Go

If you’re new to quilting, quilt as you go, often shortened to QAYG, is exactly what it sounds like.

Instead of piecing an entire quilt top and quilting it afterward, we’re going to piece our fabric strips and quilt them to the batting and backing at the same time.

Every seam does two jobs!

Step 1: Start Your Angled Design

Choose your first two fabric strips and place them right sides together on top of your batting.

Position the strips at approximately a 45-degree angle across your Quilted Sleeve Panel.

But don’t get hung up on that number!

The placement of your first strip determines the direction of your design. Start at 45 degrees to create a look similar to ours, or experiment with a steeper angle, shallower angle, horizontal strips, or even vertical piecing.

This is supposed to be creative.

Once you’re happy with the position, stitch along one long edge of the strips, sewing through the strips, batting, and backing.

You just pieced and quilted at the same time!

Step 2: Flip, Press & Keep Adding

Open the top fabric strip away from the seam and press it flat.

Place your next strip right side down over the previous strip, aligning the long raw edges.

Stitch along the aligned edge.

Flip the new strip open and press.

Then repeat:

Place → Stitch → Flip → Press.

Continue adding strips in this way until your batting is completely covered.

✂️ Practice That ¼” Seam

This is also a great low-pressure project for practicing a consistent ¼” seam allowance.

When piecing fabric, consistency matters more than speed. Keeping those seam allowances even helps your strips lay neatly and gives the finished design a more polished appearance.

And because we’re quilting each strip down as we add it, you’ll see your finished quilted design growing right in front of you.

Look What You Just Quilted!

Once the entire batting surface is covered, you’ve created your own Quilted Sleeve Panel.

Flip it over for a second and take a look at the back—you’ll see all those parallel quilting lines created while you were piecing the front.

No separate quilting step required!

Give the cotton side of your panel one final press and get your custom measurements ready.

Now we can trim.

Trim Your Tech Sleeve to Size

Start by trimming the excess strip ends from one long side of your Quilted Sleeve Panel to establish a straight edge.

Square the adjoining bottom edge.

Using those straight edges as your reference, trim the entire panel to the final dimensions provided by your Tech Sleeve Size Calculator.

You should now have one long quilted rectangle.

Create the Closure Flap

Choose which end will become the Closure Flap.

Round both corners at this end using your preferred curved template.

No specialty ruler? No problem.

A cup, small bowl, container lid, or even a can of starch can make a perfectly good curve template!

Trace the same curve onto both corners and trim.

Your Quilted Sleeve Panel is officially ready for construction.

Construct Your Tech Sleeve

This part comes together quickly!

Step 3: Finish the Sleeve Opening

The straight end of your Quilted Sleeve Panel will become the Sleeve Opening where your device slides in.

Finish this raw edge with your bias binding using your preferred binding method.

Because this edge is straight, it gives you an easy warm-up before we bind the curved Closure Flap later.

Step 4: Choose Your Closure

You have a couple of options here.

Option 1: Hook-and-Loop Closure

For a traditional closure, sew one piece of hook-and-loop tape to the backing side of the Closure Flap and the corresponding piece to the outside of the sleeve where the flap will meet it.

Check the positioning by folding your sleeve before permanently stitching everything down.

Option 2: Make a Closure Strap

We chose a simple fabric Closure Strap that the flap can slide underneath.

It’s quiet, easy to use, and gives the sleeve another fun fabric detail.

Cut a strip of fabric approximately 2” wide and slightly longer than the width of your Quilted Sleeve Panel.

Fold the two long raw edges inward toward the center and press. Fold the strip in half again, enclosing the raw edges, and press.

Topstitch along both long edges.

Position the Closure Strap across the right side of the Quilted Sleeve Panel, approximately ¾” below the finished Sleeve Opening.

Baste the strap at both outer edges, then trim away the excess so it’s flush with the sides of the panel.

Step 5: Fold & Form the Sleeve

Now we’ll turn our flat Quilted Sleeve Panel into an actual sleeve.

Fold the finished Sleeve Opening upward, leaving approximately 3½” of the curved end exposed for the Closure Flap.

Align the side edges and clip everything securely in place.

Before sewing, this is a great time to slide your device inside and make sure you’re happy with the fit and flap placement.

Once everything looks right, remove the device.

Baste along both sides approximately ⅛” from the raw edges to hold the folded sleeve together.

For our basting, we simply increased the stitch length on the NC-103D using its computerized controls. Once the layers are secured, we can easily return to our regular stitch settings for the final construction.

Step 6: Bind the Outer Edge

We’re almost finished!

We’re using 2” bias binding around the sides and curved Closure Flap.

And yes, bias is important here.

Because we’re asking the fabric to smoothly follow those rounded corners, binding cut on the bias has the flexibility we need to contour around the curves.

If you’d like to make your own, head back to Project #4: Cord & Tech Organizer, where we show you how to create continuous bias binding from a single square of fabric.

Attach the binding using your preferred method, working from one side of the Sleeve Opening, around the curved Closure Flap, and back down the opposite side.

Fold the beginning and ending raw edges of the binding inward before finishing them so both ends have a clean appearance.

🧵 Take Your Time Around the Layers

At the sides of the sleeve, we’re now sewing through our pieced cotton, batting, backing, the folded Quilted Sleeve Panel, and our binding.

The NECCHI NC-103D handles the layered construction beautifully, but there’s no reason to rush. Guide the project naturally and allow the machine to feed the layers rather than pulling the sleeve from behind.

Slow down around those curves and make small adjustments as needed to keep your binding smooth.

Once your bias binding is completely secured…

Your Quilted Tech Sleeve is Finished! 💻✨

That’s it!

Slide your laptop or tablet inside, fold over the Closure Flap, tuck it underneath your strap or secure your hook-and-loop closure, and your tech has a colorful new place to call home.

What I especially love about this project is how much you can change it without changing the basic construction.

Use coordinated jelly roll strips. Raid your scrap bin. Make a completely random stripe design. Quilt one solid piece of fabric. Try straight-line quilting. Use the Crazy Quilt technique from another tutorial.

Same sleeve. Completely different look.

And along the way, you’ve learned one of the most satisfying beginner quilting techniques: quilt as you go.

By piecing and quilting at the same time, we transformed simple fabric strips into a finished quilted panel—and then turned that panel into something useful.

For a project that moves from repetitive ¼” piecing to quilting, basting, multiple layers, and curved binding, we also needed a sewing machine that could comfortably move right along with us.

That’s where the NECCHI NC-103D comes in.

Featured Machine: NECCHI NC-103D

From Piecing to Quilting, One Machine Does It All

The NECCHI NC-103D computerized sewing machine was a perfect companion for this quilted tech sleeve. From maintaining consistent seams while piecing our quilt-as-you-go design to sewing through the layered sleeve and finishing everything with bias binding, the NC-103D made it easy to move from one technique to the next.

Whether you’re learning to quilt, sewing everyday projects, or ready to experiment with something new, the NC-103D gives you plenty of control without making your sewing feel complicated.

Features We Loved for This Project

• 100 Built-In Stitches — Explore utility, quilting, and decorative stitches for even more ways to customize your projects.
• Computerized Stitch Controls — Quickly adjust stitch length and width as you move between piecing, quilting, basting, and construction.
• Adjustable Speed Control — Slow things down for curves and bulky areas or sew at a comfortable pace while piecing long strips.
• Needle Up/Down — Keep your needle in the fabric when you need to stop and reposition your project.
• Easy Snap-On Presser Feet — Quickly change feet as your project and sewing technique change.
• Lightweight Design — Plenty of capability for creative projects in a machine that’s easy to move and fit into your sewing space.

Ready to See What Else You Can Create?

From your first quilt-as-you-go project to bags, garments, home décor, and everyday sewing, the NECCHI NC-103D gives you the features and flexibility to keep building your skills.

EXPLORE THE NC-103D →