How I beat a laptop sleeve into submission

Maybe some of you remember what happened with my first laptop attempt. It wasn’t so good. But, I did managed to salvage the exterior and the zipper from the wreckage and I gave it another try this weekend.
This time around I skipped the foam and went back to fusible fleece and batting. I’ve been using batting that I bought in a larger bag for about three bucks from Reny’s so it took a few layers. I used one layer on the exterior, two layers (one of fusible fleece) on the interior.I even basted the batting on first:
I use zippers by the yard, so I sewed carefully over the beginning and end of the zipper, just to make it easier while I sew:

The ultimate zipper tutorial is from twelve22, and that’s what I used for the zipper. You sew the the exterior, zipper, and lining for one side all together and then do the same thing on the other side.
And there it is! Now is a good time to top stitch and double check how the zipper looks before you sew it all together. Mine didn’t come out perfectly, at this point I was just happy that I didn’t have to force it through my machine.
Even at the very end, I was convinced that it wasn’t going to fit. It’s just barely big enough. I think in the future I’ll put a little more wiggle room in But now I have a laptop sleeve! Woohoo! I used Sunbrella fabric for the exterior and it was surprisingly forgiving to many many times I angrily ripped out seams.
On an unrelated note, my very supportive boyfriend took me to the Joann’s fabric President’s Day Sale before we went out to dinner for Valentine’s Day. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that the store was FILLED with women scanning the aisles and men trailing behind them dutifully holding bolts of fabric, patterns, and thread. And I got a tiny pink embroidery hoop, because I think it’s about time I learned to embroider. This blog (with a great Etsy store) inspired me. Oh boy.