25 Inventive DIY Phone Cases

Anjelika Temple

As Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Brit + Co, Anjelika Temple brings her voracious consumption of all things creative and colorful to DIY projects, geeky gadgetry finds and more. When she's not DIY-ing her heart out, you'll find her throwing dinner parties with friends or adventuring with her husband David, their daughters Anokhi and Indira, and their silly dog Turkey.

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May 16, 2013

A while back we featured our favorite cases for folks who love to make things, but what about cases you can actually make? Many of these cases are specific to iPhone but the methods could easily be applied to all sorts of different phone cases, tablet covers, and the like. Here are 25 inventive ways to create your own one-of-a-kind case for your partner in crime, your phone!

Nautical Anchor Case

Got a thing for the life aquatic? You’ll always be ready to set sail with this as your case. This tutorial shows how to use a Silhouette die-cutting printer to create an anchor, but you could also try using an xacto knife or look for vinyl decals to achieve a similar look. (via 36th Avenue)

Stud Case

We have yet to find a surface we don’t want to cover with studs. We love studs on totes sandals, shirts, and now iPhone cases! This tutorial employs sheets of studs rather than traditional ones making them easy to glue on. (via I Spy DIY)

Photo Collage

We love the summery vibe of this case. It’s a simple combination of magazine cut-outs, mod podge, and a blank iPhone case. (via Calypso Letters)

Geometric Leather Case

For something with a little more dimension, this geometric leather back is cool option. We love the light blue tone. (via A Beautiful Mess)

Repurposed Glitz Cases

Rolling in extra tinsel and glitter from a recent birthday party or late night dance party? Put that glitz to good use with a little Mod Podge and your phone. (via Design Sponge)

Map Cases

First, cue up Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Now that you’re grooving, how fun are these map cases? These are made by cutting a map to size and placing under a clear phone case. Genius! (via Maps Blog)

Geometric Printable Templates

Now that we’re on the topic of clear case hacks, these geometric templates are a great series to print and rotate when you need to mix things up. (via See That There)

Pressed Flowers Case

Feeling a little Midsummer Night’s Dream? This gorgeous case was made using pressed flowers, resin, and a whole bunch of popsicle sticks. (via The Etsy Blog)

Washi Tape Case

Washi tape, what can’t you make prettier? :) (via Clever Pink Pirate & Zakka Life)

Duct Tape Case

Colorful duct tape is always a go-to when looking to customize just about anything. (via Color Me Blue Fashion)

Pearl Case

On the insanely girly end of the spectrum, we have a case that any material girl would love to rock. Using old clip ons and costume pearls, this bulky case can be all yours. It might be on the too-far end of the spectrum but we have to give props for getting seriously girly. (via Sydne Style)

Leather Case

Back to something a bit more masculine, this leather case is easy to stitch and a lot of fun to customize. (via Kojo Designs)

Glitter Case

Any glitter case would be right at home at Brit HQ, especially during the holidays. (via Desire and Inspire)

Fabric Case

This is another one that employs the clear case technique. Simply cut a piece of fabric to size and place in between your phone and a clear phone case. Done! (via Boat People Boutique)

Gold Studded Case

More studs? Why not? We’re digging the Tetris-like pattern. (via Juli Ann Art)

Starry Case

Instead of using Mod Podge, this tutorial uses clear spray paint and then sprinkles a bunch of star-shaped glitter right on the case. Very cool. (via Whimsey Box)

Leather Envelope Case

For something a little more bespoke, create your own leather envelope with this handy tutorial and template. We love the idea of using fun prints and contrast stitching to mix things up. (via Design Sponge)

Nail Polish Stripes

Nail polish strikes gain! This time the nail art is all over your phone case. (via A Beautiful Mess)

Impressionist Case

For folks who love a bit of romantic impressionism, these cases have a watercolor style we love. Create your own prints or use paper or fabric you like. (via B Soup)

Chevron + Doily Cut-Outs

Of course, we’ve delved into our own case-making as well. For both of these, we used Mod Podge to attach cut-outs and spray shellac to seal. (via Brit + Co.)

Neon Studded Case

Why haven’t we seen neon studs before? We definitely need to stock up on these! (via M&J Trimming Blog)

Spray Paint Lace Case

In this tutorial, you’ll see how to use lace as a stencil. The results? Very boudoir! ;) *Update: Melissa’s blog is no longer live, but you can see the steps for creating this case on The Huffington Post. (via Look What Melissa Made)

Wool Felt Sleeve

These cozy wool sleeves double as wallets! We love the diagonal lines and bright color pops, especially that sneaky hot pink on the far right. (via Poppytalk)

Sharpie Tribal Print

Why use fabrics and prints when you can create your own gorgeous pattern? This is definitely on the more labor intensive side and takes a bit of precision, but would be a fun project while catching up on Nashville. (via Unexpected Expectations)

Cross Stitch Case

This awesome kit comes with a silicone case with holes prepunched for your needle to go through, a guide to help you get started, 7 colors of thread, a needed, and a needle threader. We’ve always loved these little guys because the possibilities are endless. (via Amazon)