Measure all of the parts of your drum kit. Make sure you account for the size of the metal brackets that hold them together. Get the diameter of the drums, as well as their depth. Use a flexible tape measure to get the circumference of the drum. Don’t forget to include your cymbals and your high hat.
Get your materials together. For soft cases, you can use canvas or another tough kind of fabric. It’s also a good idea to get a softer kind of fabric for the inside of the case. This could be felt. You’ll also need thread and a sewing machine. Don’t forget to purchase strong zippers or buttons or another kind of fastener.
Cut the fabric to the measurements you’ve already taken. Be sure to leave at least an extra inch on each side. To make sure that you cut perfectly round circles, use a compass to draw a circle of the proper size on a piece of paper and pin that to the fabric so you can just cut around it. The sides of the cases should be cut as rectangles. The length is the circumference of the drum; the width is the depth of your drum.
Sew your drum cases together. If you’ve decided on a soft felt inside layer, put the two layers together as you put the thread through. Sew the round bottom completely onto the drum case, but only a few inches of the top should only be sewn on. (This allows you to get the drum in and out, of course.)
Finish your drum cases by adding the zipper (or button). If you’ve chosen to use a zipper, keep the drum case turned inside out so the zipper is on the inside of the case, and not the outside. Double-check to make sure that the zipper works on each case. If you’ve chosen to use buttons, just sew the button onto the top of the case and make thin holes in the appropriate places on the bottom.
