Covered Notebook

YAY! School’s about to be back in! Well, maybe for parents, but you can help get your kids excited about the impending homework with snazzy covered notebooks.

Supplies you will need:

Composition book or notebook

Patterned fabric

Solid fabric that coordinates with patterned fabric

Iron

Sewing machine

Measuring tape

Erasable fabric marker

Measure:

1. From cover to cover around the binding or spiral of notebook. Then add 1/2”for seam allowance. (Mine measured 15 3/4”)

2. Top to bottom. Then add 1/2” for seam allowance. (Mine Measured 10 1/4”)

3. Inside the cover as deep as you want your pocket inside. Then add 1/2” for seam allowance. (I made a fairly deep pocket so my total was 7 1/2”) Tip, the deeper you make your pocket, the more you have to contort the book to put the cover on.

Cut one piece of patterned fabric that measures your cover to cover measurement by your top to bottom measurement. (Mine was 15 3/4” x 10 1/4”)

Cut two pieces of patterned fabric that measures your top to bottom measurement by your inside cover measurement. (Mine was 10 1/4”x 7 1/2”)

Cut one piece of coordinating fabric 5” by your cover to cover measurement. (Mine was 5”x 15 3/4”)

Fold 1/4” on one of the long sides of your inside pieces and press.

Fold 1” on both long sides of the coordinating fabric and press.

Stitch down your folds on the inside pieces and coordinating piece.

Pin the coordinating piece right side up to your cover piece right side up. Using an erasable fabric marker mark a line down the center of your coordinating piece.

Stitch down your line.

With right sides together, pin your inside pieces to your cover piece making sure to include your coordinating fabric on the edges.

Make 1/4” cuts to your cover piece between the inside pieces.

Flip the cover over and pin the snips down.

Sew the cover piece to the inside pieces with a 1/4” seam. Then sew the snips down as well. Trim the corners. Here is what it should look like when you are finished sewing.

Turn your cover right side out and press. Then, slide the covers of your book into the pockets.

Slip a pen into your fabric strip on the front and you are ready to take notes!

Linked to:

The Shabby Chic Cottage

Somewhat Simple

Everything Etsy

Beyond the Picket Fence

House of Hepworths

Seven Thirty Three

Trendy Treehouse

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Overdue projects

We moved into our house a year and a half ago. I have been wanting to sew shower curtains for our guest bathroom and the kid's bathroom since then. Oh, and also a small curtain for the window next to our front door. A stinking year and a half!!! I have a fully stocked craft room that has been rearranged at least 3 times and I still haven't done the projects. Today that came to an end.

I finished the front curtain.
This one was a pretty easy one. Sorry, I didn't take step but step pics but here's how I did it. I picked some sheer, curtain fabric from the fabric store. My window measured 6' by 1'. The width didn't play too big a role because it bunched. You need at least double the width. I cut it 5" longer than the length of the window. On each side, I put a 1/2" hem in then a 2" rod pocket. I didn't sew the sides because I didn't trim them and the selvages are hidden in the bunches. Add a few tension rods and you are all set. Now I can hide from the solicitors who frequently pay me visits.

I also finished decorating my guest bathroom.

The ceilings in our house are taller than standard which means that we couldn't purchase standard curtains. So I made them! You can't really tell, but the print is a beautiful blue green and brown paisley. The embellishments in the middle are iron on appliques that I cut from the coordinating fabric. I used the heavy duty Heat and Bond so I didn't have to stitch around them. I folded the hem on top over 4 times to make it a little bit stiffer, then I stitched button holes for the curtain rings. ( I used the liner for spacing)

For the towels I used scraps from the curtain. The "non-fuzzy" part about 3" up is about 1" wide. I took a scrap that was the width of the towel by 3" and ironed it into thirds. (sheesh this is hard to describe. Next time more pics.) Then I just stitched on. I considered ruffles, but I wanted to make cleaner lines.
One more bathroom that will have to wait until the 4th of July fabric store sale then I am on to more fun and interesting projects. I don't have to feel guilty about doing them with the house decorating projects finished. (for now)