Making a Journal Cover

I made a cover for my favorite journal with the painted fabric in the previous post.  I included a small pocket on the spine for a pencil.  I needed a place to put the pencil, but clipping it to the pages makes the book flop open and then it's not flat, so the spine seemed like the best place for it.

The first thing is to measure the book and cut a piece of thin batting and some Pellon Decor Bond for the back to stabilize it.  The batting and stabilizer should be at least an inch or so bigger than the total measurement of the journal.  I set the batting on top of the Decor Bond, with the shiny (glue) side of the Decor Bond facing away from the batting.  Then the painted fabric went on top of the batting, right side up.

I auditioned threads and finally went with the shiny rayon variegated thread at the bottom of the picture. I thought that it would complement the metallic paints and I knew that the rayon thread would be easy to sew with.  I quilted the whole thing with wavy lines and pebbles.

After quilting, I pressed with a hot iron from the top to flatten it a bit using a bit of baking parchment underneath the Decor Bond just in case the glue wanted to stick to my ironing board.



I set the book on the quilted piece and drew a chalk line all around.  Then I cut it down by lining up my ruler on the chalk line and trimming it to 3/8 of an inch outside of the chalk line.

I took a spare unquilted piece of the painted fabric and cut it about an inch larger than the measurement of the spine of the book.  I turned the top (short) edge 1/4 and then another 1/4 inch and stitched it.  Then I pressed each long edge under 1/4 inch and put a 1/8 inch pleat down the center.  I used the book to measure where the spine would be and topstitched the pocket down each of the long sides, leaving the bottom edge even with the bottom.

I set that aside while I got the inner flaps ready.

I wanted to use a marbled fabric on the inner flaps because old books were often marbled on the inside covers.  So I dug through my stash of marbles and found this one.  It is one of my favorites and the colors complement the colors on the metallic piece.





I cut two strips that were about an inch longer than the book is high and about half as wide as the book is.  I pressed a quarter inch and then another quarter inch and sewed that down along a long side of each piece.







I cut them down to fit the quilted piece and with right sides together, lined them up with the outer edges.  I put a piece of lining fabric cut exactly the same size as the quilted piece with the right side facing the quilted piece on top of the marbled flaps.  Then I stitched a 1/4 inch all around the edge, leaving a space open at the top for turning.




I trimmed the batting and metallic fabric close to the stitching and clipped the corners.



 After I turned it right side out, I pressed in the seam that was left open and topstitched the edge shut (I used a little glue and some pins to hold it while I stitched.  Then I pressed the lining to the Decor Bond for a neat fit.









Now my favorite writing and drawing journal has a pretty cover and a slick place for my favorite pencil or pen.