DIY No-Sew Fabric Covered Journal/Planner

I’ve been using Pen+Gear’s Lay Flat Journal that I found at Wal-Mart for my planner for about a year now. It’s a little smaller than the planners that I’ve used in the past but, for some reason, the smaller size works better for me. One of things that drew me to this journal was the fact it lays flay. I also liked that the pages aren’t white but a nice light craft-paper brown and they’re acid-free, which is a plus for me since I use it as a sort of scrapbook/memory keeper and not just a standard planner

Sadly, I reached the last page and had to get a new one. I ordered one on-line thinking I was going to get the cute little gold dot cover that I had before. Unfortunately, this one had a horrid looking hot pink cover that was so loud it was practically screaming. Yeah, that wasn’t going to work. So, I browsed around and ended up ordering a dot journal from Etsy. It was cute but the dot/grid paper just really isn’t my style and I just couldn’t get into planning my layouts in it.

So, I decided to get creative and transform my screaming hot pink journal into something more me.

 

Supplies Needed

Pen+Gear Lay Flat Journal

Heat ‘n Bond Ultrahold iron-on adhesive

Fat Quarter of Fabric (I used Creative Cuts in pattern PCQ Words Onyx)

Superglue (I used the gel type because it doesn’t run or leak through the fabric/paper)

Stick glue ( I used Sticky Thumb because it offers a two-way bond)

Iron

Method

1—Gently remove the front and back covers from the journal’s binding tape then remove the decorative covers from both covers. Both covers should be blank pieces of cardboard.

2—Iron fabric and cut two panels leaving about an1 inch of fabric around the covers.

3—Cut out two pieces of iron-on adhesive the same size as the fabric panels. Iron adhesive to the back of the fabric per adhesive package instructions. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. 

4—Iron fabric on to the correct sides of the covers per adhesive package instructions. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes.

5—Flip covers over and iron down the remaining fabric to the back of the covers creating neat tucked in edges. Allow to cool 3-5 minutes.

6—Lift up the edge of the binding tape, run a line of superglue on down the back and attach to the page beneath it. Then add lines of superglue along the perimeter of the journal including on the binding tape. Apply stick glue in the middle of the page. Then carefully place on the fabric-covered cover and press down. Allow to dry for 5-10 minutes.

7—Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining cover and allow to dry overnight.

Cost of project under $10.

Supplies: What they are and where I bought them.

Pen+Gear’s Lay Flat Journal: Available at Wal-Mart of Wal-Mart.com for under $5.

Fat Quarters: are taken from one yard of fabric,cut in half lengthwise, and then in half width-wise and are approximately 18" x 22". I bought mine from Wal-Mart for 97cents. You can also find them on Amazon, Etsy, or your local fabric/craft shop.

Heat ‘n Bond Ultrahold Iron-on Adhesive: I had this left over from a Renaissance outfit I’m working on and I probably pick it up at Wal-Mart or my local craft store. It’s available in most stores that have a craft department and runs under $3. Because the fabric is being attached to cardboard, it’s important to use the Ultrahold that comes in the red package because it’s a fixed bond.

Sticky Thumb 2-Way Glue Pen: I bought this during the Summer for a foil project and ended up liking the way the glue pen worked and the fact it can be used on just about any surface. It has a wide tip and a 2-way bond: permanent with wet/white or repositionable when sticky/clear. The tip is also reversible, which is another plus. I purchased it at Pat Catan’s for around $5.

      What type of planner do you use?