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How-to: Googly Eye Phone Case

April 8, 2013 3 Comments

How-to: Googly Eye Phone Case at HandsOccupied.com

I love this case. And it’s so easy to make. You just need some uber adhesive, googly eyes, a tired phone case and household items to bring this DIY together. If you’re not feeling the googly eyes, you can substitute rhinestones or beads and still DIY a totally stylish phone case.

Supplies

googly eyes in several sizes
plain phone case
E6000 heavy duty craft adhesive
tweezers (optional)
static guard (optional)
rubbing alcohol (optional, but read on…)

Directions

Begin with a clean phone case. I read somewhere recently that phones are one of the most bacteria-ridden items we interact with on a daily basis, and I believe it. I keep my phone on hand on the train, work breaks, shopping, crafting, you name it. So douse that case in some rubbing alcohol to avoid gluing stuff to its outer layer of bacteri-dirt. Also, the E6000 packaging recommends use on a clean surface.

How-to: Googly Eye Phone Case at HandsOccupied.com

First off, the number one thing that drives me nuts about working with googly eyes is how staticky they get. They cling to the plastic they come in, to each other, to your work surface, and to your hands. A little spritz of Static Guard on your work table and even in the bag they come in goes a long way to maintaining your craft sanity.

Once you’re ready to get started and have your supplies organized, squeeze some E6000 onto the back if your phone case and spread it over the case evenly.

How-to: Googly Eye Phone Case at HandsOccupied.com

The next part is kind of like doing a puzzle. I started by placing one of the biggest googly eyes on my case and worked around it. You’ll want to save the smallest eyes in your collection for filling in tiny gaps toward the end, just FYI. What’s nice about the E6000 is that it doesn’t harden right away, so you can slightly adjust the position of your eyes as needed to make it all fit and fill in as many of the gaps as possible. Also, the tweezer will come in handy when placing tiny googly eyes in small spaces.

Pro tip: don’t use a super sharp tweezer. Sharp tweezers will scratch the clear surface of the googly eyes, which will be noticeable up close. 

How-to: Googly Eye Phone Case at HandsOccupied.com

A word of warning regarding the E6000. I got totally wacky from working with my face super closely to the adhesive… Like, I literally had to sit next to my dogs with the window open in 50 degree Chicago weather with my face sucking in air through the screen so I didn’t pass out. I guess I thought that the lack of strong smell from the E6000 meant I was fine, but I guess not. Despite my window being half open and my kitchen fan on full blast, I still got glue-wacky.

How-to: Googly Eye Phone Case at HandsOccupied.com

When your eyes are all set, let the case dry for 24+ hours.

How-to: Googly Eye Phone Case at HandsOccupied.com

PS: Sorry you had to look at my sweet tripod’s reflection in this tutorial. I totally didn’t realize until after shooting this how visible the reflection is! 

How-to: Googly Eye Phone Case at HandsOccupied.com

Filed Under: DIY Style, How-to Tagged With: diy, e6000, easy, glue, googly eyes, iphone, phone case

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Juu - Operation Overhaul

    April 9, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    Funny, we seem to think the same! I decorated my daily Moleskine organiser with googly eyes as well! x

    http://www.operationoverhaul.com/2013/03/eye-candy/

    Juu – Operation Overhaul

    Reply
    • Heidi

      April 12, 2013 at 11:49 am

      I love the notebook idea! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Weekly Reader, May 17, 2013 – HandsOccupied.com says:
    May 17, 2013 at 12:01 am

    […] class to improve my tutorial shoots and learn how to deal with hard-to-light objects, like googly eyes and glass. Through taking the class, I learned that if nothing else, I might just have a knack for […]

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts

handsoccupied

Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern fits with no ease vs. 4” of positive ease. There’s a bit more length to the cotton (brighter color) sample, but both are cropped and feature shoulder seams designed to sit an inch back onto the shoulder instead of on top, giving it a little swing. Length is easily adjustable for folks looking for less of a crop. 
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Pattern: Bevelled Tank by @handsoccupied for @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn summer 2024. Available for free from Hobbii at the 🔗 in my profile.
Yarn pictured: @kelbournewoolens Skipper and Camper. 
Dress form is adjusted to a 36” chest and ~5’3”ish in height. 
Human has a 40” chest and is 5’5”.
Both skirts are vintage.
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
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During the Bevelled Tank design process for @pompommag, I knit 2 samples using 2 different @KelbourneWoolens yarns. One was in Skipper (100% cotton, second photo) and the other was in Camper (100% 2 ply wool). The Skipper sample was knit for a 36” bust, which measures in at 40” with 4” of positive ease. And I knit the Camper Sample for my 40” bust with a 44” finished measurement. (BTW, I’m 5’5” for folks that find that measurement helpful in visualizing fit.)
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Based on the size chart for the Bevelled Tank, that means I knit one size 3 sample and one size 4. As designed, I conveniently fit a size 4 as intended with 4” of positive ease. When I wear the 3, there is no ease at all because the garment and my body are both 40” in size. Comparing the 2 garments, you can see how the fiber content (cotton vs. wool) and fit (no ease vs. 4” of positive ease) makes a difference in the look and feel of the finished garment. 
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These samples are a great way to compare what ease looks like on different bodies. While I can fit both a size 3 and 4, the garment with no ease feels more like pajamas or a bralette when I wear it. On the other hand, when I wear the one with 4” of positive ease, I feel comfortable enough to wear it to work, even as a crop top. Plus, it leaves me with enough room to layer it with a nice button down if I’m not feeling the cropped look one day. 
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I’m curious - how would you style this tank? Would you modify it with a few stockinette rows for added length? I’m so curious now that this pattern is finally out in the world. :) 
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #bevelledtank #handsoccupied #knitting #intarisa #handmade #kelbournewoolens #croppedsweater #summerknits
After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m ba After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m back with a brand new pattern in 9 sizes, and it’s FREE as part of @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn’s summer design collection! (Link is in my bio.)
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In my December newsletter, I announced that I was soliciting test knitters for a pattern that had originally been selected for the summer ’24 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine. However, the magazine ceased publication after its spring ’24 issue, leaving in-progress designs unpublished. (It happens.) As a result, I’d begun the long process of editing, testing, and photographing the pattern for independent release through the Hands Occupied pattern shop and Ravelry.
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Before I was done with that process, Pom Pom Quarterly’s former editors reached out with an exciting proposal for the pattern. Post-magazine, they’ve begun to partner with yarn companies to produce high quality pattern collections. They wanted to include designs from the would-be current issue of Pom Pom Quarterly in a new collection for Hobbii yarn, including my Bevelled Tank. I worked with the same technical editors I would have for the magazine on this one, and as you can see from the photos, Pom Pom’s team did an amazing job of styling the garment to the beautiful standards they’re known for.
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You can learn more about the pattern on my blog and get the free pattern from Hobbii yarn - links to both in my profile. I’ll post sizing info in the comments for quick reference too. 🧶
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
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Photos: @dianascarrunz 
Model: @angel.jade_
Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vi Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vintage knitting pattern from 1938 called the Fernlace Pullover. A pattern so nice, I knit it twice.
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Yellow version 💛: knit with Despondent Dyes’ Vintage Vixen Sport after attending a @squidneyknits vintage knitting retreat in 2019 & learning *so much*. Paired with a self-drafted circle skirt pattern. 
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Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
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Head to my stories for 🔗🔗 to the handmade wardrobe blog posts I wrote about each take on the Fernlace Pullover, working with a vintage pattern, where to find vintage patterns (including the one I used), & some thoughts on sizing. 
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Image descriptions available in alt text. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadewardrobe #fernlacepullover #vintageknitting #vintageknittingpatterns #knitting_inspiration
Frogging is a word in the knitting world that mean Frogging is a word in the knitting world that means to rip out your knitting. It’s called frogging because frogs say “ribbit,” and when you’re tearing out your knitting, you will “rip it” out, and that sounds like ribbit. No really. 🐸 Did you know this fun fact? 
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P.S. I did like this design concept, but to make the pattern more knitter friendly as well as more wearable, I am making some tweaks to the construction. Excited to share when it’s ready! 🥰🧶
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Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
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