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Have you been searching for a way to carry your phone when you ride your bike but just can’t find what you’re looking for?

This happened to my brother. He likes to take his phone with him when he rides his bike, but he doesn’t like it attached to his body.

Unable to find a holder that he wanted, he asked if I could make him one.

I told him I could. He just needed to send me the measurements and a sketch of his vision. (He lives in MA and I’m in TX.)

A few days later, I received a box in the mail. My brother went above and beyond my request for measurements and a sketch.

He made a prototype out of poster board to communicate exactly what he wanted.

He color-coded the prototype, too! The pink represents the Velcro. The green is the heavier outside fabric. You can’t see it but inside the holder is orange poster board to indicate a softer inside fabric.

Video Introduction to the Removable Phone Holder for Bike

In the video introduction, I show you both the prototype and finished holder.

In addition, I include some photos of different ways the mobile phone holder can be attached to a bike.

Size Details About the Phone and Holder

This tutorial includes a printable pattern/template and fabric cutting directions to make a cell phone holder for an iPhone 6S that isn’t in a protective case.

The measurements for the iPhone 6S are: 5.44 inches high by 2.64 inches wide.

I also ended up making a cell phone holder for my nephew that was a little bigger.

Use the dimensions I provided above to help guide your decision on the size you need to cut the fabric.

By adding 1/2″ to the fabric dimensions given in this tutorial and 1/4″ to the TOP and SIDES of the flap pattern found in the printable, my cell phone (an iPhone XR) fit in the larger holder with its protective case on.

The dimensions of my phone and case are 6.13 inches tall by 3.18 inches wide.

Depending on the size of your phone, adjustments to the cut size of the fabric given in this tutorial, as well as the size of the printable flap pattern may need to be made.

Materials, Supplies, and Sewing Tools to Make the Phone Holder

• Printable Flap Pattern and Templates for velcro placement (sign up above)
• Fabric
  • Duck canvas for the outside (or other heavy-weight fabric)
  • Flannel for the inside (or other soft fabric)
• Cell Phone Holder Supplies
  • Velcro that sticks to itself – one-inch width
  • foam – 1/4″thick – My brother gave me the foam. It was from the packaging of a video card for a gaming computer he built. He thinks the generic term for it is closed cell foam.
  • 2 tri-glide buckles – one-inch wide mouth

• Sewing Supplies
  • thread
  • sewing machine needle for heavy wovens and denim
  • scissors
  • clips/pins
  • zipper foot (to get close to the buckle)
  • regular presser foot
  • needle for hand sewing
  • sewing gauge
  • marking pen
  • iron and board

How to DIY a Custom Made Phone Holder for a Bike

When using the regular presser foot, the seam allowance will be 1/2-inch.

The seam allowance is included in all of the cut pieces. So cut the fabric with the dimensions given below.

First – Cut Fabric and Other Supplies

• The duck canvas (outside fabric):
  • Cut one rectangle 8 1/4″ wide x 7 1/2″ high
  • Use the pattern piece and cut 2 flap pieces along the dashed line.
• The flannel (inside fabric):
  • Cut one rectangle 8″ wide x 7 1/2″ high
• Velcro – that sticks to itself; 1″ wide
  • Cut 2 strips – 19″ long
  • Cut 2 strips – 2 1/2 ” long
• 1/4″ thick foam – cut a 3 1/2″ x 6 1/8″ rectangle

Second – Prepare the Long Velcro Straps

Important: The Velcro used in this project sticks to itself.

• Slide the buckle on one end of the Velcro.
• Fold over 1 1/2″ to the smooth side of Velcro.

• Use the zipper foot to sew close to the buckle. Backstitch where you start and stop. Tip: If you can, move the needle position to get closer to the buckle.

• Use the regular presser foot to add 1 or 2 more rows of stitches parallel to the first row and secure the 1 1/2″ piece.
• On the other end of the long velcro strip, turn 1/2″ to the smooth side and use the regular presser foot to sew in place.

Third – Make the Flap

• Place a small Velcro piece on the outside of one of the flap pieces. It should be approximately 1/2″ from the top and sides. See the template for placement.

• Sew in place close to the Velcro edges.
• Place the other flap piece on top of the one that has the Velcro.

• Leave the bottom open and sew around the other 3 sides with 1/2″ seam allowance.

• Clip the corners and turn the flap right side out. The Velcro should be on the outside. Press.

Fourth – Make the Inside

Note: The height of the inside fabric is 7 1/2″ and the width is 8″.

• With the wrong side of the flannel fabric facing up, center the foam piece in the middle of the width.

• Tip: Fold the fabric in half and press to provide a visible crease of the middle.
  • There should be approximately 2 1/4″ on either side of the foam and about 1/2″ of the flannel visible above and below the foam.
  • Use pins or clips to hold the foam in place.

• Double a piece of thread, secure to one corner of the foam, and use a hand stitch to anchor one long side of the foam to the wrong side of the flannel. (I used a modified whip-stitch.)

• Hand sew the other long side of the foam.
• On one 7 1/2″ side of the inside fabric, measure 2″ down from the top and mark.

• Line up the raw edges of the 7 1/2″ sides, right sides together.
• With your sewing machine, start at the mark and sew a seam with 1/2″ seam allowance. Tip: Use clips to help manage the foam.

• Press the seam open including the 2-inch gap at the top.
• With the zipper foot, sew along the bottom of the flannel with 1/2″ seam allowance. Sew close to the foam.

• Trim the bottom seam close to the foam to reduce bulk.

• Turn the top edge of the flannel over the foam and finger press the rest.

Fifth – Construct the Outside

Note: The height of the outside fabric is 7 1/2″ and the width is 8 1/4″.

1. Create the split that is under the flap

• Measure halfway across the width and 2″ down from the top.
  • Fold the fabric in half and press to provide a visible crease of the middle.
  • Use the sewing gauge to mark the spot 2 inches down from the top.
  • Draw a line from the top of the fabric to the mark and cut it.

• On each side of the slit, turn approximately 1/4″ and create an angled fold to the point. Press in place.
• Turn and press a 1/2 across the top on either side of the slit.

• Topstitch close to the folded edge across the top, down the slit, just below the cut point (take a few stitches here to form a short straight line), up the other side of the slit, and across the other folded edge.

2. Attach Velcro to the front

• The short Velcro piece needs to be attached approximately 1/2″-3/4″ below the slit.
  • Use the template to get approximate placement.
  • Note: The two short pieces of Velcro should be aligned when the flap is attached.
  • Secure the velcro piece by sewing around all four sides.

• Place one of the long Velcro pieces below the short velcro piece.
  • Use the template to get approximate placement.
  • It should be about 1 1/2″ above the bottom of the fabric.
  • The buckle should be just to the left of where the short Velcro piece was attached.
  • Secure the long Velcro strip on what will be the front of the holder. The stitch line will be about the same size/shape as the small piece

3. Finish the outside

• Put the 7 1/2″ sides of the outer fabric together with the Velcro on the inside.
• Sew with 1/2″ seam allowance.
• Press the seam open.
• Sew across the bottom with 1/2″ seam allowance.

• Clip the corners and trim the bottom to reduce bulk.
• Turn right side out.

4. Attach the flap to the outside

• Line up the raw edges of the flap with the raw edges inside the outside piece.

• Pin in place.

• Sew two lines of stitching along the back edge being careful not to catch the flaps of the opening. One could be a zig-zag.

5. Attach Velcro strip to flap

• Place the other long Velcro strip on the front of the flap with the fuzzy side up.
• It should be next to the smaller Velcro strip that is sewn on the inside of the flap. See the template for placement.
• The buckle should be just off the edge of the flap.
• Sew in place.

Sixth – Put the Inside and Outside together

• Place the inside (flannel) piece inside the outside (canvas) piece. The seam of the inside piece should be to the front of the holder so the slits line up.

• Push and fidget with the two to get the flannel bottom all the way to the bottom of the canvas and the flannel edges at the top even with the canvas edges.
• Fiddle with the flannel slit to match both sides up with the canvas slit.
• Pin or clip in place.

• Use the ladder stitch to secure the edges together.

• Around the point of the slit on the canvas, make some visible satin stitches to hide/secure any frayed edges.

That’s It. You’re Done!

After mailing the cell phone holders to my brother and nephew, both have used them multiple times riding around with friends and on more adventurous bike excursions.

On one excursion deep in Hockomock Swamp in Easton, MA, my brother reported, “It holds the phone nice and secure, easy to get out for pictures.”

My brother is a man of few words and this is high praise from him!

This project tutorial is intended to inspire you to use your sewing skills and make something you want but cannot find.

The specifications and finished cell phone holder featured in this article are based on what my brother wanted.

While he is a mechanical engineer, he did not perform any tests to determine the amount of protection the cell phone holder provides his iPhone.