This tutorial will show you how to make a customized fabric journal cover by creating an original one to fit a book or journal of your choice. 

Measure the width and height of the cover and then measure the width of the binding. If you have a traditionally bound journal, just measure how wide the binding is. If it’s a spiral bound journal, measure the width of the spiral binding and be sure to at least double the amount. Once you have the length of the journal (including binding), add additional length for the interior flaps. Add an amount you feel will help hold the cover in place but won’t be too long or difficult to slide the cover into. We went with 2” flaps for our journal cover. Be sure to add in seam allowance to your measurements for the height and length. Our journal was 8.25” high by 12.5” wide, so we added another inch to the height and length to be 9.25” high and 17.5” wide. If the cover of your journal isn’t very flexible, you may want to add an extra ½” to the height for a little extra room to insert the sides.

Mark the journal measurements on the fabric using a marking tool, keeping in mind to mark where the spine or binding is. If it is easier, you can trace the outline of the journal when it is open to help with placement. Add lines to show the length of your flaps on either side. For this example, we did 2” flaps plus an additional ½” on each side for the seam allowance. 

Cut out and place the template on the area that will be the front cover, keeping in mind the edges of the cover and the spine. It may help when planning to loosely wrap the fabric around the journal to figure out placement.

Once you’ve found where you want the design to be, use a removable marking pen to mark the registration lines on the fabric. You can also use tape to help mark registration, just be sure to remove it before you start to embroider.

Once you’ve found where you want the design to be, use a removable marking pen to mark the registration lines on the fabric. You can also use tape to help mark registration, just be sure to remove it before you start to embroider.

Use the registration marks on the fabric to line up the file on the machine.

Once you have the placement where you want it, stitch out the file.

After the embroidery is complete, unhoop the design. Press the design using an iron and pressing cloth.

Trim away the excess stabilizer using a pair of scissors. At this point, if you are doing more than one design you would repeat the process for the second design.

Lay your exterior fabric on your lining fabric and use it to cut out a piece of the interior fabric the same size. You can also use the measurements from earlier to cut another rectangle of the same size from the lining fabric.

Take the exterior and interior fabric pieces and pin or clip them with right sides together. 

Sew with a ½” seam allowance around the edges, being sure to leave a 3-4” opening on one of the short sides.

Trim the corners with scissors so it is easier to push out the corners. This reduces the bulk when it comes time to turn out the cover.

Take your rectangle and turn it right side out through the opening. Be sure to push out all the corners using a point tool or a tool of your choice.

Press the entire cover using an iron and a pressing cloth. This will help the seams lay flat and clean.

Topstitch a ¼” seam down the short side with the opening to close it. Repeat this on the other short side so that both sides are now topstitched.

To figure out your cover pockets, wrap the cover around the journal and fold the extra material towards the inside of the cover. Keep the design centered and adjust as needed to make sure that the pockets are the same width. This should be close to the original length you added back when the journal was measured.

Pin or clip one side down and see how it measures up with the other pocket. Adjust as needed to get them as even as possible. Check the fit of the cover with the journal open and closed. It will seem a little loose when opened, but if it’s too tight the journal won’t close properly.

Once everything is pinned and fitted correctly, remove the journal. Check to make sure nothing shifted after the journal was removed.

Topstitch close to the edge around the entire journal cover, securing the pockets in place.

Enjoy your newly covered journal. This project makes a great gift, too!