PDA

View Full Version : Midori style notebook cover DONE !



earthdawn
July 17th, 2013, 02:45 AM
Thank you ComfortableShoes & cwent2 for all your help. I would not have been able to do this without them... :wave:

Ill update this when I get some time but it's very late or early depending on how you look at it.

I used white cord as it was all I could find. Leather I got from Amazon the charms from .. I forget but its in another thread.

UPDATE:
Charm ~ Etsy seller Montagesupply http://www.etsy.com/listing/113194435/10-antique-bronze-old-fashioned-fountain?ref=shop_home_active
Leather ~ Amazon seller Dangerous Threads http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=AT1ZN4V2GI50E
Cord I got from AC Moore local.


Here is a quick video I shot for Instagram

http://instagram.com/p/b3CGf-LmPL/

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thevaporcafe/3A0C4C1E-508A-4DBB-BC53-1F015DDCA8AC-9661-000002E2F22BD27D_zps8f7f7e30.jpg (http://s880.photobucket.com/user/thevaporcafe/media/3A0C4C1E-508A-4DBB-BC53-1F015DDCA8AC-9661-000002E2F22BD27D_zps8f7f7e30.jpg.html)

Tony Rex
July 17th, 2013, 03:48 AM
It looks inviting to touch and classy ornament as well. It screams handmade, not store bought.

Well done mate.

Tracy Lee
July 17th, 2013, 04:35 AM
*clapping* *whooping*

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

cwent2
July 17th, 2013, 08:33 AM
Looks great. Are you going to let time age it - or are you going to stain it?

Like how you attached the nib charm, I attached as a book mark dangle, and placed a saying bar on my closer strap. "The Journey Awakens the Soul"

Good Job

Cw

KrazyIvan
July 17th, 2013, 08:39 AM
Good job! I need to get on making one of these.

Toffer
July 17th, 2013, 03:15 PM
Looks great! I love my Davis leather works cover but need to try making some inserts! Where did you get the charm from?

cwent2
July 17th, 2013, 06:26 PM
Looks great! I love my Davis leather works cover but need to try making some inserts! Where did you get the charm from?

from a link from Holly
No, the source is a secret! I bought the pen nib charms on Etsy - Montage Supply Quite inexpensive, quick delivery and a packet of 10 - a lifetime supply I imagine, unless you have lots of projects! I am sure there are other sources as well.

I hope everyone enjoyed the tour and I hope some of you are inspired to make your own wraps.

This small project has taught me that the next time I want a nice leather cover for a notebook or journal, I will be making my own. It won't look as finished and pretty as that made by the professionals, but, it won't cost near as much and it will look just fine and it will last a lifetime, too!

Holly

earthdawn
July 17th, 2013, 11:05 PM
I updated the original post with links to where I got what.

I am going to either stick the cord in a cup with some diluted black ink or another color maybe.

Coloring the leather I am not sure yet. I got a piece big enough to make 3 of the B6 size books and still have a dark brown piece thats 10"x18"

I may make a few and give them away for Fountain Pen Day this year... Different sizes but you get the point.

I will say this. I really liked how Comfortableshoes laced her elastic closure. The way it's done theres no knot in the middle of the leather back. I know it really is not noticed there in the real Midori books until you get to the end of you last notebook, BUT I still really like how she crafted it so it's in the middle.

This was just trial and error to see how it works and what it takes to make one. I was surprised, not at how easy it was but how much I actually enjoyed making it. Of course part of the fun was having it come out really well. Not to pat myself on the back. I had great help and direction. It was just really cool to make something that was actually nice.

The tab thing I made was just a 4am idea. I took a scrap of leather and folded it over. Made a hole going through both ends and then took thread, actually DMC cross stich thread, and sewed around so it felt tight. Then I looped the charm through a couple of times leaving it a little loose and knotted the end. Then I just undid the cord that goes around the cover and threaded it through. EASY... just try it without too much thought and you will get the "ohhhh now I see" cause thats what happened with me.

comfortableshoes
July 18th, 2013, 06:03 AM
That's awesome work. I love that rough leather.

There is nothing quite like that feeling of "Hey, I MADE this!"

If you rub the outside with acrylic paint it will stain it and also give it a smoother appearance. Use a rag apply a small amount of paint to the rag and rub in small circles until you get the appearance you like. i'm not saying that because I think you should do it, just an observation from working with leather. I LOVE that rough leather.

Also the cord you are using is a great color for this leather, matches it perfecting in the photos. If you have a Joanne's fabrics near you they sell black elastic cord. You can also look in the kids beading section, in there they have colored round elastic cord in all kinds of colors.

earthdawn
August 8th, 2013, 06:41 PM
A little update...

I made a pocket on each side out of an old manila envelope. It goes through the back so it's the first and last page in my notebook cover.

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thevaporcafe/AB22B2CD-66E0-42F7-9C5C-096E9702EB39-13750-000003B5222758FE_zps9ffc563f.jpg (http://s880.photobucket.com/user/thevaporcafe/media/AB22B2CD-66E0-42F7-9C5C-096E9702EB39-13750-000003B5222758FE_zps9ffc563f.jpg.html)

elderberry
August 10th, 2013, 01:29 AM
Very nice work!

TMac
August 10th, 2013, 05:32 AM
Earthdawn, great job. What is the size of your cover?

I would love to have an A5 Travellers Notebook. I should probably just try to make one, even though I have no previously demonstrated talent for this type of work.

earthdawn
August 10th, 2013, 12:15 PM
Earthdawn, great job. What is the size of your cover?

I would love to have an A5 Travellers Notebook. I should probably just try to make one, even though I have no previously demonstrated talent for this type of work.

Thanks,

The cover was made to hold B6 size notebooks as that was the size that suits me best.

B6 is just about 7 1/8" x 5"

I have ZERO talent... so when I say "If I can do it you can do it", believe me it's true.

earthdawn
August 13th, 2013, 01:37 AM
OK... another update.

I finished the dark brown leather one but made it a bit bigger so it holds A5 notebooks

heres a couple of shots of them side by side.

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thevaporcafe/84D76904-282A-41B8-A1C2-CA514DCA7D4E-4443-00000119C9DE720F_zps6974d3aa.jpg (http://s880.photobucket.com/user/thevaporcafe/media/84D76904-282A-41B8-A1C2-CA514DCA7D4E-4443-00000119C9DE720F_zps6974d3aa.jpg.html)
http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thevaporcafe/FC99A0BF-BB9C-4694-A858-0DE807B2FD10-4443-0000011A2A7FE695_zpscab94b6b.jpg (http://s880.photobucket.com/user/thevaporcafe/media/FC99A0BF-BB9C-4694-A858-0DE807B2FD10-4443-0000011A2A7FE695_zpscab94b6b.jpg.html)