As all iPod owners know, the iPodis gorgeous shiny finish gets fingerprinted and scratched in no time at all. You could plonk down the cash for a nice cover, or you could put your mark on it and craft yourself a cover of your own. With a couple of bucksi worth of vinyl, a craft knife and some double-sided tape, following Norbert Scullyis handy pattern has your scratch-proof iPod ready for action with about half an houris work. Thereis a detailed set of instructions and a to-scale pattern to save you the nuisance of measuring it up yourself.

The PDF says itis merely a design for a sleeve, not a fully-fledged case. If youire up to the challenge, though, try using press studs as a fastener (cheap at haberdashery stores), find a belt clip from a cellphone accessory store, and youive got almost everything you need for a more durable cover.

You can mail Norbert and let him know what you think. If youire more interested in a permanent solution, he recommends that you check out the inspiration for the sleeve - the PodPac.