|
|
My new notebook cover with receipt pocket... |
You may recall
this one
that I have in my sewing room.
I have slightly larger ones for travel, with one that was used as a cruise
diary, detailing where we were, what we did and what we ate... totally fun to
read. (We haven't cruised in over a decade.)
The blue one that you see here is almost out of usable pages. For the past
fifteen years or so, it's gone on vacations and road trips with us, creating a
permanent record of dates, places, restaurants, expenses, and
even Yahtzee scores.
The little inside pocket is useful for keeping receipts, but can only hold so
many. You may be able to see that it's being held in place with tape.
|
| My vacation notebooks... |
Just in time for our annual BC getaway, I figured making a multi-functional
cover for the new notebook (that I'd purchased a few years ago) would be a
timely project.
|
| Receipt pocket on back cover... |
The cover incorporates a pocket to keep receipts, of course.
I'm going to share some basic instructions using the dimensions that I had to work with, but you can apply the process to any size notebook.
The first step, therefore, is to measure. This particular notebook is 4.5" wide by 5.5" high; the coil is about 3/4". A cover, however, would need to extend at least 1.25" at both ends to wrap back to the inside so it can hold the actual notebook's front and back cover in place.
|
| Wrap-around extension to keep cover in place... |
For the receipt pocket, I decided that a horizontally placed bellows pocket
measuring 3/5" x 5" would be a good fit on the back. (At this point, I also
knew that a tab of some sort would be needed to keep the book closed and the
pocket secure, but size can be determined later.)
Once the physical measurements are accounted for, it's time to add seam
allowances; I added 1/4" to all edges*.
For fabric, I looked to my remaining fat quarters of
Tim Holtz's Eclectic Elements. The one that I'm using for the exterior is a vacation themed selection
called Travel Labels.
|
| Project fabric selection... |
The interior is a piece that came with my
Boundless DECOdent bundle, purchased from Bluprint in 2018.
Both pieces were cut to 12.75" x 6" and were interfaced with some SF101. The
math to arrive at the dimensions: (4.5" wide x 2) + (.75" width of coil ) +
(1.25" overlap ends x 2) + (.25" seam allowance x 2) =
12.75" and (5.5" height) + (.25 seam allowance*
x 2) = 6".
The bellows pocket piece is folded in half and then interfaced with SF101 on
one half. Then it's sewn up, corners trimmed, and turned right side out. Be
sure to leave the turning gap along the bottom. (Throughout this project, I
recommend pressing seams open before turning as described
in this post.)
|
| Making a bellows pocket... |
A small piece of hook and loop tape is the final add-on.
Make a couple of 1/4" accordion folds along both sides of the pocket piece
and press well. (The folds will allow the pocket to expand.)
|
| Bellows pocket sewn onto exterior panel... |
Position the pocket piece on top of the exterior piece at the desired
location and pin. (Put the actual notebook underneath so that you can
determine the correct placement.) Stitch along the edge of the first fold on
both sides. Then, with the second folds flattened down, sew across the
bottom, which will also close up the turning gap.
At this point, I did some rough estimating and decided that an 8" long x
1.75" wide strip of fabric would work for the tab closure. (This is based on
the notebook being about a half inch thick.)
Simply fold the strip in half with wrong side out, sew around and leave a
turning gap along one of the long sides. Trim corners, turn right side out,
and topstitch. Attach the other part of the hook and loop tape to one end.
|
| Make a tab, add velcro and secure to front cover... |
Now determine the proper placement for the tab and stitch it in place at the
other end of the exterior panel. You can see below what the stitching should
look like from the back.
|
| Pin exterior panel to lining, wrong sides together... |
Place the two panels wrong sides together and pin, ensuring that the tab
piece is tucked inside and out of the way. Leave the turning gap along the
bottom of the cover. (If the fabric is non-directional, this won't be
an issue, but this Tim Holtz
selection has a definite up and down orientation.)
Sew, trim the corners and turn right side out. Use the notebook itself to
determine where the two end folds need to be made. Press well.
|
| Add some Peltex for structure... |
I wanted the cover to have some additional firmness, so I cut two pieces of
Peltex to about 3.5" x 5.25" and slid them into place before closing
up the turning gap. They should just butt up against the folded edges. (Not
that it should matter much, but I put the fusible side against the exterior
fabric.)
Once the Peltex pieces are inside, it's time to sew along the top and
bottom to finish the cover. Stitch as close to the edge as you can, since
the actual front and back cover of the notebook needs to slide into the end
openings.
* Which leads to this asterisk.
I made this as a Quick Craft Mondays sort of thing, creating on the
fly. When I first envisioned the project, I knew that having the ends folded
back inside after the whole panel is sewn up would require extra room
at the top and bottom of about 1/8" or so in order for the notebook to fit.
Unfortunately, when I cut the fabric, I did not add this extra bit to the 6"
height. Later when I sewed the panels together, I had a last chance to fix
the problem by stitching with a smaller seam allowance and did not remember
to do that! (And to answer your question as to why I just didn't rip the
seam open and redo it, I had already trimmed the corners.)
|
| Doesn't fit? Make it fit! |
So, I was left to slice away at the top and bottom of the notebook's front
and back covers in order to make them fit. If you don't mind this hack, it's
a good way to achieve a snug fit, which is important because otherwise
the covers might slip out every time the book is opened.
On the other hand, if you think this is hacky and lacks finesse, be
sure to add extra room at the top and bottom when you cut the main pieces of
fabric.
As shown in one of the images at the top of this post, I usually keep a pen inside the coil of the notebook. The pen still fits.
If you're wondering why I decided to put the pocket on the back, it's
because I prefer a less cluttered look on the front.
|
| Back view... |
One of the advantages of making the covers fit by trimming them is that the pages are pretty much even with the cover; i.e., the end result is the same essential size as the original book. (I like it this way rather than having the cover extend beyond the pages.)
|
| Front view... |
Isn't this just the neatest fabric? So much detail to catch your interest
and it hides dirt, to boot! (See the "smudges" over parts of the print?
Those are part of the design. The notebook was well handled during our
recent holiday and shows no signs of wear.)
My original purchase of twenty-five of these Tim Holtz fat quarters
from early 2018 is now down to eight (plus assorted scraps). It's somewhat
of an achievement that I've actually used seventeen selections, given how I
had no plans for the bundle. The Eclectic Elements line is still
widely available online (I've seen the Fat Quarter Shop selling yardage at $12.48), even though I think it debuted in 2013.
That's definitely a testament to its lasting appeal. Even simple projects
like this one are so much better when done up in
Eclectic Elements fabric.
'Til next...
Love the pocket! What a great idea! I have piles of notebooks that need covers and now I’ll add a lovely pocket to each one! Thanks for sharing the details!!!
ReplyDeleteMarie
You're so welcome, Marie. I can attest to loving the pocket too, now that I've had the opportunity to use it over a two week period. Good luck with your notebook cover projects!
DeleteGreat notebook cover. The fabric is perfect for its use, and I love the "make it fit" philosophy. (Like showing my sewing machine whose boss!)
ReplyDeleteYes, one should never allow the sewing machine to be the boss. That said, some of us are better at the "make it fit" technique than others. (My other half can be more of a "break it fit" person!)
Delete