Enjoy Life

Get Sewing: Floral bespoke notebook cover

This easy but effective project can transform a plain notebook by creating a beautiful handmade cover

Transform any plain A5 notebook with a beautiful bespoke cover using this simple but effective project.

This perfectly girly design would make a great present for a relative or friend. I’ve used some of our Threaders Cotton Glitter Fabric for this project but you can put your own stamp on the notebook by using any fabric that you like.

Supplies

Two fat quarters of Threaders Cotton Glitter Fabric

Fat Quarter of co-ordinating lining fabric

Fat Quarter of wadding

Variegated machine embroidery threads

2in to 3in of 0.5cm elastic

Sara Signature Button Factory

Crafter's Companion Stick and Spray for Fabric

Gemini Die Cutting Machine

Gemini Multimedia Flower dies

A5 notebook

Basic sewing kit

Gemini Stitch sewing machine

To create:

1) Cut a 10in x 15in rectangle of outer glitter fabric, lining fabric and wadding. Next, cut two 10in x 41⁄2in rectangles of lining fabric for the cover flaps

2) Using Stick and Spray, adhere your wadding to the wrong side of the outer fabric

3) Using the multi-media flower dies, cut out a selection of sizes in your co-ordinating glitter fabric. Place the shapes in position on the right side of the outer piece of fabric using Stick and Spray. This will become the front part of the book cover

4) Set up your machine for free motion stitching, using variegated threads to embroider the flowers in place. You can also embellish with free motion by adding stalks and leaves

5) Turn over a small double-folded hem on one long side of each lining flap and stitch in place. Press

6) Fold your piece of elastic in half and place the raw edges together on the front, left, short side of the outer panel. Baste in place

7) To make the cover , layer up the pieces in the following order: the lining fabric right side up; the lining flaps right side up; and the outer panel wrong side up. Pictures 5 and 6

8) Leaving a roughly 4in gap along the bottom edge, stitch all the way round. Trim the corners and, using the gap, turn through to the right side. Use a blunt tool to poke out the corners and press

9) Top stitch all the way round the cover , closing the gap as you go

10) Following the instruction for the Sara Signature Button Factory, make a self-covered button using your co-ordinating glitter fabric and sew it in place. Place the notebook inside your completed cover

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