Notebook Cover Tutorial

Monday, July 21, 2008 17:32
Posted in category Sewing, Tutorials
53 Comments

That’s notebook as in one of those old skool ones, with paper and lines and stuff, as opposed to the laptop type, does anyone remember them? :P

I churn through notebooks at a furious pace, I have lists constantly on the go and a different notebook for every topic. I drool over the beautiful ones you see in the stationary stores but always hold myself back, notebooks are for me to scribble in, I know I would feel guilty defacing a perfectly clean page in one of the $20 leather lined and gold encrusted books that you can buy at Paperchase, so instead I just stock up on $1 books from the dollar store and make them my own!

What’s great about this is that if you always buy the same brand and size of book you can just keep on transferring the cover to the new book. And the pockets on the inside are super handy for notes of paper and the scraps that I tend to carry around.

You will need

  • A notebook!
  • Enough fabric to cover the outside of your notebook – even for an A4 size the most you’ll need is a fat quarter.
  • A small amount of fabric to line your cover with.
  • A small amount of fabric to create your pockets.
  • A ribbon

There are more precise measurements below, but it depends on the size of notebook you’re covering, I’m using an A6 spiral bound Spirax notepad.

Tutorial behind the jump, I apologise in advance for the poor quality of the photos, it’s not a particularly sunny day in Sydney!

Cut down your fabric! Measure your notebook whilst it’s closed, all the way around from the front to the back. Add an extra 1/4 inch to all sides for your seam allowance and cut your main outer fabric.

Cut a second piece of the same size in your lining fabric, fold it in half and cut 1/2 an inch to the side of the fold, this will leave you with two pieces that when joined are an inch smaller than your outer fabric.

Confused yet? Cut another piece the same size as your lining pieces, fold and cut in half, this will form your two pockets!

Pictured is all my fabric cut up and ready to go, the outer was 11 x 6.5 inches, the lining was 5 x 6.5 inches and the pockets were 5 x 3.25 inches. I hope that makes slightly more sense, this is far too close to algebra for comfort!

Take your pocket fabric, fold over the top edge and top stitch along it to hide the raw edge. Place the pocket fabric on top of the lining fabric, right sides both facing upwards. Fold over the side edge of both fabrics and top stitch once again to hide the raw edge. Do the same with the other piece but on the opposing side. You should end up with two pieces mirroring each other.

Place the lining and pockets on top of the outer fabric, right sides together with the raw edges matched up and the top stitched edges facing inwards. Sew along the red lines marked with a 1/4 inch allowance, back stitch at the start and beginning of your stitching – where the blue circles are marked. Trim off the corners with scissors so they’re neat when turned the right way out.

Flip your cover the right way out! There’s a trick to getting it onto your book, open the book cover as far as you can (obviously much easier if you’re using a spiral bound book) and slip the cover over it, close your book and the fabric will tighten and be firmly attached to your notebook!

To attach the ribbon I simply ran a thin line of PVA glue along the centre of the book and stuck it down. I didn’t make the ribbon long enough to tie a neat bow, so I would recommend making the excess longer than you would imagine and just trimming it down after you’ve tied it for the first time!

This pattern (or formula!) can be applied to any size notebook you choose, it’s also great to make covers for reading books to protect them in your handbag or so you can read dirty stories on public transport without anyone knowing.

Feedback is very much appreciated – particularly as I have a feeling that nothing I just wrote made sense to anyone but me! The simplest tuts are always the hardest to write!

If you made it up and want to share it with us feel free to upload it to the CraftBlog flickr group!

Related posts:

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  2. Knitting Needle Holder Tutorial
  3. Envelope Cushion With Piping Tutorial
  4. Ridiculously Easy Camera Strap Tutorial
  5. Selvedge NeedleBook Tutorial
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53 Responses to “Notebook Cover Tutorial”

  1. Gem says:

    July 21st, 2008 at 6:50 pm

    You must be psychic as this is exactly what I need! The tut seemed really clear and straight forward to me. I’m off to go find some notebooks to cover….

  2. CurlyPops says:

    July 21st, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    Thanks for the great tutorial…I’m going to try that one out for sure!

  3. Fern says:

    July 21st, 2008 at 10:09 pm

    Glad you enjoyed it!

  4. Leah says:

    July 21st, 2008 at 11:45 pm

    I saw this and though ‘Now that’s something I can do’ until after the jump and I saw sewing was involved. I HAVE to learn to sew RIGHT NOW. If I don’t I thin I will burst. So many beautiful fabrics, so little skill. :(

  5. Fern says:

    July 22nd, 2008 at 8:47 am

    I’m sorry Leah! I promise, once you get started it’s the easiest thing in the world, do you want me to come over and give you a sewing lesson? :)

  6. Leslie says:

    July 22nd, 2008 at 12:54 pm

    I’ve done a project similar to this for a book cover and love it to death – I love the pockets on this one, and the I was just wondering if you have any ideas or thoughts on how one could make an *adjustable* cover like this…one that could fit notebooks or books of different sizes.

  7. Fern says:

    July 22nd, 2008 at 1:08 pm

    Ooo, Leslie, I love a challenge, give me a couple of days to think about it and I’ll see if I can work something out :)

  8. Tamsyn says:

    July 23rd, 2008 at 9:30 am

    This is a great tutorial, I don’t think I am going to be able to wait until Christmas to get a sewing machine…. There is so much more that you can do when you can sew!

  9. Jenny says:

    August 2nd, 2008 at 2:11 am

    Fabulous – what a great way to get rid of:
    a) my goregous but not very wearable fabric scraps
    b) the scary number of notebooks I have knocking around

    I know what my friends will be getting for their birthdays this year!!

    PS – “or so you can read dirty stories on public transport without anyone knowing” genius :D

  10. Craft Blog » Blog Archive » Flickr Friday says:

    August 2nd, 2008 at 9:12 am

    [...] Notebooks by me – We were running low on submissions this week so I actually made something just to put into the pool! Football season is on its way and my husband has a list as long as his arm of football themed crafts that he wants me to complete before September. Of course this was following our notebook cover tutorial! [...]

  11. Sew,Mama,Sew! Blog » » Create & Celebrate says:

    August 7th, 2008 at 1:05 am

    [...] a blog dedicated to featuring her tutorials and craft. Some of her recent tutorials include a Notebook Cover (she notes this is a good project for beginners) and a Knitting Needle Holder Tutorial which uses [...]

  12. Baba says:

    August 7th, 2008 at 3:09 am

    Sew simple! Thanks for the great idea.

  13. Mary Beth says:

    August 7th, 2008 at 2:40 pm

    I love this. Thanks so much for the great tutorial–I’ve been pondering notebooks lately and love the idea of making a fabric cover. I’ll definitely be trying this.

  14. Laurie says:

    August 8th, 2008 at 6:48 am

    Too nice! I cut-in a strip of fake leather to go along the “spine” (e.g. – the spiral wires). It looks fabulous! Thanks!

  15. Hannah says:

    August 8th, 2008 at 11:06 am

    Gorgeous notebook covers. I love your tutorial.
    I hope you dont mind if i put a link to your tutorial on my page.

  16. Fern says:

    August 8th, 2008 at 11:15 am

    Laurie – That sounds wonderful! Feel free to show off some photos :D

    Hannah – I don’t mind in the slightest!

  17. Rebekah says:

    August 16th, 2008 at 6:39 pm

    Thanks for this! Very clear instructions! I just made one this afternoon for a blank art book with an embroidered front- to be paired with a packet of crayons for the pocket. It’s for a little girl on her 2nd birthday.

  18. Joyce says:

    August 22nd, 2008 at 7:47 am

    Thanks so much for the clear tutorial. I am making this the first project in my High School Sewing class in Washington state. I think the kids will love it. I know I plan on making some for my sisters for the holidays.
    Joyce

  19. Wiwied says:

    August 22nd, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    Oooh so cutee…!!! This one will definitely be my next project!! Thank you :)

  20. Lacey says:

    August 24th, 2008 at 7:52 am

    I lovvvve these!! Thanks for sharing!!

  21. Lenna Green says:

    September 15th, 2008 at 10:36 pm

    Love this idea, I’m also a list writer and so can never have too many gorgeous fabric covered notebooks lying around.
    Thanks for sharing this with us.

  22. Rebecca says:

    September 18th, 2008 at 9:45 am

    Thanks for the tute – it worked great!

  23. Kilburn-Cauley says:

    October 4th, 2008 at 5:38 am

    Thank you for this layout and how to sew. Excellent project, I will try it. When I was much younger I bought notebooks and other nice and lovely things like this. I LOVE it, and would like to see more.

  24. Make pencil pockets for your notebooks & other notebook cover crafts | MomsBudget says:

    October 24th, 2008 at 7:07 am

    [...] And along the same lines is this Notebook Cover from the Craft Blog. [...]

  25. November Round Up - Craft Blog says:

    December 20th, 2008 at 10:28 pm

    [...] Notebook Cover Tutorial [...]

  26. Melissa Williams says:

    December 29th, 2008 at 1:50 am

    Beautiful fabric. Who is it made by?

  27. Fern says:

    December 29th, 2008 at 6:50 am

    Melissa – It’s actually just from Spotlight, part of their summer range, I can’t remember the name of it now, but they should still have some forthe next couple of months.

  28. Melissa Williams says:

    December 29th, 2008 at 12:35 pm

    Thanks Fern! Have a great day

  29. Anna O'Reilly says:

    January 10th, 2009 at 5:06 am

    Thank you so much! I put a link to your blog on my blog (www.annaoreilly.blogspot.com). I made a notebook cover using your tutorial and showed the finished results on my blog. ^_^ thanks again for the idea!

  30. » Crafty Mum - Notebook Obsession says:

    January 13th, 2009 at 7:05 am

    [...] Notebook Cover Tutorial – Craft Blog [...]

  31. Amy says:

    January 19th, 2009 at 9:50 am

    I just completed a cover for a binder I found. I linked to your tutorial from my blog. Thank you so much for posting.

    Amy

  32. Twala says:

    January 21st, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    Oh Fern, I love it. I want to embroidery on the cover! Thank you!

  33. Robyn says:

    February 11th, 2009 at 1:44 pm

    Have been looking for a journal cover to make for a forum swap and THIS IS IT! This is soooo easy compared to some of the others on the net and it has a pen pocket as well :) . Dyu mind if I modify it by quilting cover and changing pen pocket slightly?

  34. Sandra says:

    March 30th, 2009 at 10:42 am

    What a clever version of a cover! I am, right at this very moment, making four notebook covers of my very own, but now I’m sad that mine don’t have gorgeous pockets like yours! My covers are gifts, but as soon as my friends have received them I’m going to blog about the whole adventurous process, and I hope it’s ok with you if I link to this great tutorial. The post’ll be up in about a week at Pepperberry & Co. Thanks!

  35. Genesis says:

    May 9th, 2009 at 12:37 pm

    I`m a notebook addict and I LOVE this idea! Such a neat way to personalize your cheapie notebooks. Of which I have dozens, drives hubby nuts. Maybe he`d be happier if they were gorgeous. ;)

  36. AnnaYa Shahab says:

    May 30th, 2009 at 4:33 am

    What a wonderful idea..!

  37. gherkin says:

    June 23rd, 2009 at 5:29 am

    Lovely idea and great tutorial. I’ll have to give it a go!

  38. best craft blog says:

    September 8th, 2009 at 10:01 am

    Thanks so much for this tutorial. I used it to help me figure out how to cover some notebooks I bought over at target! This is so cute…and one of my new favorite things to make!

    Anne

  39. Más fundas de libros que puedes hacer | says:

    October 20th, 2009 at 4:35 am

    [...] 2. Craftblog [...]

  40. Craft Candy Blog · MUSEROUND: Duly Noted says:

    October 23rd, 2009 at 12:11 am

    [...] Here’s another slip cover tutorial on CraftBlog. [...]

  41. judik says:

    October 28th, 2009 at 7:45 am

    thanks for the pattern…. made it with a 2″ x 3″ tapestry sewn on the front cover. Now thinking about embellishing one. Thanks so much for setting me off on a new train of thought

  42. Echo says:

    November 25th, 2009 at 3:18 am

    I so loved this, I did something similar last year for my cookbooks. but this is wonderful with the ribbon and the pockets… Thanks!

  43. Lisa says:

    December 9th, 2009 at 1:32 am

    Wonderful idea! How would I make the same notebook cover, but quilting it first?? Any ideas much appreciated!

  44. Patrice says:

    December 21st, 2009 at 10:03 am

    Thank you for this! Great gift idea for journal writers!

  45. Tutorials on how to cover a notebook « Sew Chic and Unique says:

    December 28th, 2009 at 5:54 pm

    [...] this tutorial on Craftblog love the [...]

  46. Craft Blog » What I Create – Week One says:

    January 12th, 2010 at 9:22 am

    [...] blog, I’m not entirely sure why, particularly as some of my quickest and simplest tutorials (The Notebook Cover Tutorial and The Pincushion Tutorial) end up being the most popular, but this year I intend to bring an end [...]

  47. Ania ze Wzgórza says:

    February 10th, 2010 at 7:40 pm

    Hi there! :)

    I love your tutorial, and I posted it on my blog: http://mojezielonewzgorze.blogspot.com/2010/02/kalendarz-w-nowej-odsonie.html

    Thanks for sharing! :) Great blog! :)

  48. Crafters Medley: 20 Neat-O Projects To Make (August 2008) : TipNut.com says:

    March 4th, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    [...] Notebook Cover Tutorial: Another goody from Craft Blog, simple tute for for making a fabric notebook cover. [...]

  49. My Top Ten Sewing and Craft Inspiration | Stuff We Make says:

    March 18th, 2010 at 5:23 am

    [...] Craft Blog is another favourite of mine, tons of tutorials and inspiration – I love the notebook cover tutorial and the cheater’s covered buttons. Craft [...]

  50. Suzanna Maas » Blog Archive » notebook covers says:

    April 20th, 2010 at 11:05 pm

    [...] notebook covers as per this tutorial by CraftBlog. One present, one for [...]

  51. Stitchin’ Heaven Howdy » Cha Cha Challenge #4 says:

    April 24th, 2010 at 3:01 am

    [...] Notebook Cover Tutorial [...]

  52. Stuff I want to try (by category) « Lindsay Brunson's Blog says:

    May 12th, 2010 at 6:12 am

    [...] http://craftblog.com.au/2008/07/21/notebook-cover-tutorial/ [...]

  53. Kerry says:

    June 24th, 2010 at 9:07 am

    I made a cover for smaller notebooks that were much thinner.  I did not cut off the extra inch on the liner, instead just cutting it in half and turning under the edge.  If you are not doing a thick notebook you will not need to cut off the excess on the liner because your spine is not as thick.
    Loved the finished result.  I’m posting this craft with a link back on my blog and pictures of what I made :) Thanks again

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