Fabric Covered Notebook

This project revamps any old hardcover notebook! Maybe you still have these little kiddy-design notebooks with empty, useable pages, but want a new unique cover for it! This step-by-step intractable will teach you how to do that using a fabric of your choice.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

This project features Mod Podge products.

You will need:

- A notebook to be covered

- Fabric (preferrably cotton)

- Fabric Scissors

- A clean paintbrush

- Fabric Mod Podge

- A Brayer/Smoothing Tool

Step 2: Prepare Your Fabric

Firstly, make sure your fabric is nicely ironed out

Secondly, you'll want to cut your fabric to size. As shown in the picture above, you will want your fabric to be twice as wide as your notebook, then you would want to include about 4cm of excess fabric around the borders.

Step 3: Mod Podge Your Notebook

Open your notebook out flat.

Then using a clean brush, apply a generous amount of Fabric Mod Podge to the front & back covers.

Step 4: Mod Podge Your Fabric

Moving your book aside, take your fabric and TURN IT OVER so that you will be applying Mod Podge onto the UNDERSIDE of your fabric (i.e. the side without the pattern / the side which you don't want to see)

Again, apply a generous amount.

You may find that the fabric sticks to your work surface, so be prepared to get a little dirty!

Step 5: Lay It On

Cover you book, by placing the notebook down on the fabric, then wrapping the other half of the fabric over the notebook.

Notice how you want to leave a generous gap between the edge of the fabric and the notebook.

Step 6: Smooth It Out

You will want to use your brayer/smoothing tool to make sure your fabric doesn't have any kinks or wrinkles over the cover. Using your hands and fingers to smooth it out can be just as efficient.

Step 7: Secure the Edges

You will need to wrap the edges on the inner cover of the book.

Do this by firstly ensuring you are happy with the outside (e.g. that there are no wrinkles or bits of dust or other things stuck underneath the cover.

Then you want to Mod Podge your inner cover.

After this, take the long edge and wrap it over.

Do the same with the short edges. However, you will need to make a few snips to separate the fabric at the spine of the book.

Flip over to the back cover, and do the same thing. Then trim down the little bits hanging out from the spine section and tuck them in, using your fingernail or smooth tool or something small like a toothpick.

Step 8: Mod Podge It All

Next we'll want to work on the outside of the notebook again, and cover it all in fabric Mod Podge.

*Make sure your brush is clean and doesn't have clumps of Mod Podge or dust

Step 9: Stand to Dry

You'll find now that your notebook is awfully sticky!

Stand it on its pages and let it dry. The best is to leave it for at least 24 hours, however this time may vary depending on how saturated (with Mod Podge) your fabric is. You'll known when it's ready, when it is touch-dry.

(my notebook took about 3 days to fully dry)

Step 10: Neaten Up the Inside

The inside your your book probably looks kind of messy and ugly (as shown). To make your book look more professional, we want to cover the inside cover with the first page in your book.

Do this, by slathering on some Mod Podge and simply sticking it down.

It's useful, to use a brayer/smoothing tool.

Ensure that your edges are smoothed down too to make it as flat as possible. I find using your fingers is pretty effective.

Step 11: Let It All Dry and It's DONE

Once you've done this, let it dry, as before.

After 24-48hours, you're notebook will have a completely new look and it's ready to use!