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A textured half double crochet laptop sleeve pattern
A half double crochet (UK: half treble) laptop sleeve pattern with a textured, ridged surface and flap closure.
- Skill
- Advanced Beginner
- Time
- 6-8 hours
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Hook
- 5 mm
Advanced Beginner
What the original write-up called it. Nothing here is graded again.
Worsted
What the sample was worked in. Any weight works; the size moves with it.
6-8 hours
What the original page reckoned. Your own pace is the one that matters.
About this pattern
This pattern makes a rectangular laptop sleeve from two flat half double crochet (UK: half treble) panels, worked through the back loop for a ridged, woven texture. One panel forms the back; the other extends into a flap closed with a button. Made in worsted weight cotton on a 5 mm hook, it produces a firm sleeve suited to 13 to 15 inch laptops, adjustable for other devices.
This laptop sleeve is a structured crochet accessory built entirely from half double crochet (UK: half treble crochet) worked through the back loop only. The stitch family is the half double group, chosen for its density and quick growth per row, which produces a firm fabric suited to protecting a laptop or tablet rather than a soft, drapey bag. The back-loop technique raises a visible horizontal ridge on every row, giving the finished sleeve a woven appearance without any colour changes or added stitch patterns.
Construction relies on two flat panels worked in rows from a foundation chain of 58 stitches (57 stitches once the foundation row is worked): a back panel worked straight for 34 rows, and a front panel that continues into an attached flap after row 28. Once both panels reach their final row count, the sides and bottom are seamed together, leaving the flap free to fold over the opening and close with the button. Working flat keeps every row easy to check against the stitch count before moving on.
Materials
- Worsted weight cotton or cotton-blend yarn, approximately 250 to 300 yards (229 to 274 meters)
- 5 mm US H-8 crochet hook
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- One 3/4 inch to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm) button
- Stitch markers for optional measuring assistance
The list is the pattern's own wording.
Instructions
Every round is printed as the pattern wrote it, brackets and all. Open the key beside a round to see only the short forms that round uses.
Back Panel
The turning chain does not count as a stitch throughout this pattern. Turn your work after every row. The pattern creates one back panel and one front panel with an attached flap.
Setup Chain 58.
- Row 1
Hdc in the second chain from hook and each chain across. Turn. (57 sts)
Key2
- hdc
- half double crochet
- sts
- stitches
- Row 2
Ch 1, hdc blo in each stitch across. Turn. (57 sts)Rows 3-34: Repeat Row 2. (57 sts) Fasten off and weave in ends.
Key4
- hdc blo
- half double crochet through back loop only
- hdc
- half double crochet
- sts
- stitches
- ch
- chain
Front Panel With Flap
Setup Chain 58.
- Row 1
Hdc in second chain from hook and each chain across. Turn. (57 sts)
Key2
- hdc
- half double crochet
- sts
- stitches
- Row 2
Ch 1, hdc blo in each stitch across. Turn. (57 sts)Rows 3-28: Repeat Row 2. (57 sts)
Key4
- hdc blo
- half double crochet through back loop only
- hdc
- half double crochet
- sts
- stitches
- ch
- chain
- Row 29
Ch 1, hdc blo across. Turn. (57 sts)
Key4
- hdc blo
- half double crochet through back loop only
- hdc
- half double crochet
- sts
- stitches
- ch
- chain
- Rows 30–40
Continue hdc blo across to create the flap. (57 sts)
Key3
- hdc blo
- half double crochet through back loop only
- hdc
- half double crochet
- sts
- stitches
- Row 41
Ch 1, hdc blo across. Turn.
Key3
- hdc blo
- half double crochet through back loop only
- hdc
- half double crochet
- ch
- chain
- Row 42
Hdc blo across until 27 stitches remain, hdc2tog twice, then hdc across remaining stitches. Turn. (55 sts)
Key3
- hdc blo
- half double crochet through back loop only
- hdc
- half double crochet
- sts
- stitches
- Row 43
Ch 1, hdc blo across. Turn.Row 44: Repeat Row 42. (53 sts) Fasten off and weave in ends.
Key4
- hdc blo
- half double crochet through back loop only
- hdc
- half double crochet
- sts
- stitches
- ch
- chain
Special Stitch Explanation
Half Double Crochet Back Loop Only (hdc blo): Yarn over, insert your hook into the back loop of the indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over again and pull through all three loops on your hook. Working into the back loop creates the raised texture used throughout this sleeve.
Making up
- Step 1Place the back and front panels together with the textured sides facing outward.
- Step 2Align the bottom edges and side edges.
- Step 3Using a yarn needle and matching yarn, whip stitch both side seams and the bottom seam.
- Step 4Turn the sleeve right side out and smooth the corners.
- Step 5Fold the flap over the front panel.
- Step 6Sew the button securely onto the front section where the flap reaches.
- Step 7Create a button loop by attaching yarn at the flap edge, chaining 12, and joining with a slip stitch to form a loop.
- Step 8Weave in all loose yarn ends securely.
- Step 9Lightly steam block or wet block the panels before assembly if your stitches need evening.
- Step 10Allow the finished piece to dry completely before placing electronics inside.
Notes from the pattern
- The 5 mm hook and worsted weight cotton combination in the materials list is what produces the 57-stitch panel width; changing either without checking gauge will alter the finished size.
- Stitch markers are optional here, but placing one at row 28 — where the front panel's row count diverges from the back panel to begin the flap — makes it easy to confirm the split happens in the right place.
- The suggested design uses a neutral beige or oatmeal yarn colour because natural tones highlight the stitch texture beautifully, though the pattern works well in almost any solid colour; working stripes would interrupt the raised rows rather than showing through them.
- Because the fabric is dense rather than stuffed, even tension matters more than usual; keep it consistent across both panels so the sleeve doesn't flare or pucker at the seam.
- Approximately 14.5 x 11 inches (37 x 28 cm). This approximate finished size is designed to fit many 13 to 15 inch laptops; since laptop dimensions vary between brands, measuring your device before starting is recommended.
- Approximately 16 hdc stitches x 12 rows = 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm).
- To make a smaller tablet sleeve, reduce the starting chain by 8 to 12 stitches; to make a larger laptop sleeve, add stitches in multiples of 2 until the width matches your device. Increase or decrease the number of body rows to adjust the height, and add extra rows to the flap if you prefer more coverage.
- Measure your laptop's width and height, then add approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) of extra space for comfortable insertion and removal.
The essentials
- Rounds
- 9
- Parts
- 3
- Level
- Advanced Beginner
- Time
- 6-8 hours
- Hook
- 5 mm
- Yarn
- Worsted
Stitches you will use
- Half double crochet through the back loop only (hdc blo) Used in every row of both panels after the foundation; watch for consistently finding the back loop so the ridge texture stays even across rows.
- Working flat panels from a foundation chain Appears at row 1 of each panel, starting with 57 stitches; watch the starting chain carefully since the whole panel width depends on it.
- Seaming side and bottom edges Used once both panels are complete; watch that the back and front panels' row counts line up so the seam runs straight and the flap sits correctly.
Troubleshooting
Uneven Edges
If your panels become wider or narrower, count your stitches at the end of every row. Losing or adding one stitch can change the shape of the sleeve.
Loose Fabric
A loose crochet fabric may not provide enough structure. Try using a smaller hook size or a yarn with less stretch.
Flap Alignment Issues
Before sewing the button, fold the flap into position and mark the correct placement. This prevents the closure from pulling the fabric out of shape.
Washing and care
- Handmade crochet accessories stay beautiful when cared for properly. Cotton and cotton-blend yarns are excellent choices because they are durable and easy to maintain. Wash according to the yarn label instructions, then reshape the sleeve while damp and allow it to dry flat so both panels keep their rectangular shape.
- Avoid storing heavy items inside the sleeve for long periods, and keep the button closure secure with occasional stitching checks, since cotton fibres can loosen slightly with repeated use.
FAQs
Questions
Does this fit every 13 to 15 inch laptop?
The finished size is approximate and built around that general range, but laptop dimensions vary between brands, so measuring the actual device before starting is recommended.
Can this be resized into a tablet sleeve?
Yes, the pattern includes adjustment guidance for working the panels smaller, since the construction method of two flat panels seamed at the sides and bottom scales down in the same way.
What does "hdc blo" mean in the pattern?
It stands for half double crochet (UK: half treble crochet) worked through the back loop only, the stitch used in every row after the foundation to create the ridged texture.
Does the turning chain count as a stitch?
No, the turning chain is never counted as a stitch in this pattern, and the work is turned after every row to keep the stitch count at 57 throughout both panels.
Why does the front panel have more rows than the back panel?
The front panel continues past row 28 into additional rows that form the flap, while the back panel stops at row 34, so the two panels are deliberately different lengths before seaming.
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.