How to Make a Fabric Covered Journal

A journal contains the personal thoughts and feelings of the writer. The cover should be personal, too. Creating a fabric covered journal is a wonderful way to personalize a journal to reflect the personality of the writer. This project it quick and easy to make and makes a wonderful gift for that difficult to shop for person on your list.

Things You'll Need

• Decorative fabric
• Fabric glue
• Low loft quilt batting
• Lightweight cardboard
• Hot glue gun/glue sticks

Instructions

1. Select a good quality journal that is well-constructed. Check the binding to be sure that it is solid with no weak spots. You can often find blank books perfect for journaling at your local discount goods store.

2. Choose a decorative fabric that suits the tastes of the writer who will use the journal. Select vibrant colors for outgoing teens or soft and subdued prints for a more reserved writer.

3. Open the journal and place it face down on the work area. Measure the entire surface of the covers, including the spine. Add 1 1/2 inches to the measurements on all sides. Cut fabric to these dimensions. Measure the size of the front cover. Cut two pieces of low loft quilt batting to this size. Measure the spine of the book and cut a section of fabric to those dimensions. Glue in place on the spine.

4. Center the opened book on the fabric covering. Run a strip of hot glue around the perimeter of the inside cover. Fold the fabric over the edge of the cover and press in place. Don't worry about raw edges; they will be concealed by the inside cover when it is put in place. Repeat with the back cover.

5. Check to make sure that the book can open and close freely before gluing in place. Trim excess material where the pages meet the spine, leaving just enough to cover the original spine. Fold and add a dab of glue to hold in place.

6. Cut two pieces of cardboard 1/4 inch smaller than the covers. Cut two sections of fabric that are one inch larger than the dimensions of the cardboard. Use the same fabric design as the outside covers, or choose a contrasting solid color for the inside covers to create a more professional look. Cover the cardboard with fabric and glue in place.

7. Open the book and glue the fabric-covered cardboard onto the inside front cover, being sure to cover any raw edges of material from the outside covers. Center the cardboard and press in place. Repeat with the inside back cover. Present as a gift or use as a journal yourself.

Tips & Warnings

• Add lace or other decorative trim to the edges by gluing it in place around the rim of the cover before gluing the inside covers, if desired.