Notebook Cover Tutorial

I don't often have New Year's resolutions but when one pops up and is staring me in the face, I tend to take notice!

So...my resolutions are:

• To get the allotments sorted out.  I don't like to be pestered, especially when I know whoever is pestering me is right!!
• To finish my degree - successfully!
• and to finally get Wriggle Wraggle off the ground.

With the 3rd one in mind, I have decided to post a craft tutorial up every Tuesday.  I've not done many tutorials so it's a bit of a learning curve for me too.

The first Tutorial Tuesday is a Notebook Cover.  I bought some woollen fabric off ebay a while ago - I'm sorry - I just can't help myself.  They were only thin strips of material so I was wondering what I could use them for.  I came up with the idea while trying to think of Christmas presents to make.  I bought a notebook covered with a gorgeous fabric with mice on at a local craft fair about a year ago and I've been meaning to try it myself.  Here's how I did it:

Notebook Cover

You will need:

• Thick fabric - I used wool
• Contrasting fabric - you can use odds and ends that you've saved from other projects
• Sewing machine - or you can sew it by hand if you have the patience!!
• Needle and thread
• Scissors or pinking shears
• Ribbon or lace (optional)
• And, of course, a notebook!  I bought some small ones from Tesco a while back and I found that spiral notebooks are much easier to work with!

Step 1

Open the notebook and place it on top of the main fabric.  Cut the fabric at a suitable length but remember you will need a bit extra at each side to secure the cover in place.

Step 2

Cut the 2nd fabric so it is about 1'' wider than the 1st, and about 5'' long.

Step 3

Fold the sides down and pin them in place.  To ensure accuracy, use a tape measure and use an iron to fold down the sides

Step 4

Sew the sides down with a sewing machine or by hand so you are left with a perfect rectangle which fits wonderfully onto the main fabric!

Step 5

Sew the rectangle onto the main fabric - in the centre

Step 6

If you like, you can sew some lace or ribbon on the edge of the 2nd fabric.  I think this is really worthwhile as it makes it stand out.

Step 7

Turn the cover over and place the open notebook in the middle of it.

Step 8

Fold over the edges and sew in place using a blanket stitch.  This will keep the notebook in the cover.  Do this for all four corners.

Step 9

Put the notebook in the cover...

....and voilà!

Things I would have done differently

I think it's important to look back on your work and consider how you could make it better so...

• I think I should have hemmed the woollen material as it started to fray.
• and I should have taken more time over the blanket stitch to make it neater.

Well, there you have it.  There are all sorts of variations you could try.  Why not appliqué a design on the front?  For the raffle at my sister's RNLI concert, I made some covered notebooks and appliquéd a quaver note on the front.  You could even put in a little pocket on the front for some pens...the possibilities are endlesss....

Happy Crafting!!