SMUDGE: July 2013

I am starting a second job this week, and being an admin job, it's going to keep me busy.

It's the kind of job where you need to remember a large list of things to do each day, and need to check things off as you go along. To keep myself organised, I bought a work diary with a day to a page. It's perfect for work, but unfortunately is not so pretty to look at!

So I decided to make a cover for the diary that IS pretty to look at. Not only that, but decided to have inside pockets for things like receipts and such.

If you have the same dilemma, or just want to make a cover for a diary or journal, feel free to use the method below.

Here is the original diary.

When opened out flat, the book is 21.5cm X 30.5cm. Keeping in mind that when I cut the fabric for the cover, I'm going to give myself a 1cm seam allowance on all sides. I'm then going to give myself an extra 1.5cm for room to breath in height, and an extra 2.5cm in width.

So here we have the 8 pieces you'll need.

On the right, we have two 25cm x 35cm pieces of fabric. The blue fabric being the cover, and the white being the lining.

On the left, we have six 25cm x 13cm pieces of fabric. The two blue pieces and two of the white pieces are for the inside sleeves, and the other two white pieces are for the inside pockets.

I love pockets. Lets start with them.

Separately, fold two of the white pieces in half and stitch the fold closed. These will become the pockets.

We are now going to make a sandwich. Not the food sort.

With right sides up, lay down your two main sleeve pieces. Then on each one, put your pocket that you've just stitched on top of it. Then sandwich it together with the last two white pieces. Pin the outside edge together and stitch it. Make sure you only stitch that one side, and make sure your two sleeves are opposite!

Turn the right way out and press.

To keep it neat, top stitch that same edge, nice and close to the fold, keeping the open edges free.

Now we're going to make an even bigger sandwich!

Lay down your cover lining. Then lay your two sleeves down, at the sides of the lining, keeping all the open edges together. Then sandwich it together with your main cover fabric going right side down, as shown. Pin all the way around, holding it together firmly.