Let's make a handmade smartphone case! A collection of simple and cute ideas
Do some people change their smartphone cases depending on their mood or outfit of the day? Many people probably own several, right? In this article, we introduce DIY ideas for smartphone cases.
You’ll find a variety of ideas, such as customizing clear cases from 100-yen shops, making folio-style cases with fabric, and using interchangeable inserts that let you switch designs just by swapping them.
The methods range from simple ones like just sticking on decals to more advanced projects using resin or leather.
If you’re interested in making your own, be sure to use this as a reference!
Let's make a DIY phone case! A collection of simple and cute ideas (1–10)
Embroidered smartphone case
This is an idea for a smartphone case featuring warm, handmade embroidery and three-dimensional accents.
By using embroidery patterns available at 100-yen shops, even beginners can try it easily.
Thread your needle according to the size of your phone case, then cut the fabric with a slight margin.
Glue it onto the case, trim off the excess, and secure it with clips.
Finally, once the fabric is dry, remove the clips—and your original smartphone case is complete.
Punch needle smartphone case
We’ll show you how to make a smartphone case using a punch needle—a special needle for threading yarn and punching it through fabric.
Why not try crafting a fully handmade, authentic case, from sketching your design on paper to actually stitching the yarn? First, draw your preferred design to match the size of a clear frame case.
Next, cut fabric suitable for punch needle work and start punching it with colorful yarn.
Once you’ve finished the yarn work, attach it to a stainless mirror plate and glue it in place with instant adhesive—and you’re done! This idea creates a soothing smartphone case with a fluffy, three-dimensional texture.
Shaka-shaka smartphone case
A shaker-style smartphone case that you can make with your favorite characters or a sweets theme.
It’s a cute item where the contents inside the clear case jiggle every time you move your phone.
Once you’ve gathered stickers or paper you want to use, just place them inside the clear case for an easy build.
The key is to collect lots of small pieces.
Decorating the outside of the shaker case with beads and other embellishments is also recommended.
If you’re going with a sweets theme, try making parts using chocolate or candy wrappers.
[100-yen shop] Nuance smartphone case made with gel
![[100-yen shop] Nuance smartphone case made with gel](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Gzr6AUyPwjE/sddefault.jpg)
How about making a nuanced smartphone case with a cute, abstract-painting-like design? Basically, you’ll use items sold at 100-yen shops—like gels and sequins—to create your design.
Try painting with a brush, mixing colors, and arranging them in any shapes you like.
Nuanced smartphone cases also make great gifts when you’re not sure about the recipient’s favorite motifs or characters.
If you keep the design simple, it should work in any situation!
Smartphone cases made with your favorite illustrations
If you want to make an original smartphone case with a design you can’t buy in stores, we recommend this idea of creating a case using your favorite illustration.
Once you have a clear smartphone case and decoupage medium, you can easily make it with a sheet of paper printed with your chosen design.
When printing the paper, it’s best to use a laser printer that won’t bleed in water, rather than an inkjet.
Apply decoupage medium to the printed paper, soak it in lukewarm water, then take it out and rub the back.
Finally, use the decoupage medium to adhere the paper to the smartphone case, and you’re done.
Interchangeable sheet for smartphone cases
This is a customizable insert sheet for smartphones that you create by arranging a transparent clear case.
You can decorate the back of your phone with photos or enjoy drawing stylish designs.
Just layer a clear file and design paper cut to your phone’s size, and your original case is complete.
It’s recommended to choose a clear case with high transparency and enough thickness to prevent scratches on the screen and camera.
By simply inserting stickers or photo cards, you can also make your own fan merchandise with this clear smartphone case.
Smartphone case made with stickers
Here’s how to make a smartphone case that you can customize using stickers you already have at home.
Prepare a clear-backed phone case and cover it completely with stickers, leaving no gaps.
Trim off any parts that stick out from the phone or any unwanted sections, then apply a liquid with glitter or beads to the outside of the case to blend it in.
Choosing a case with extra thickness on the back will give it a more three-dimensional look.
It’s also a fun idea to create one with a theme based on an anime character or your favorite idol’s illustration.