Introduction: Leather Notebook Cover

About: In 2020, at the age of 42 I had a stroke in my left hemisphere which left me with a disability called aphasia which means difficulty with speaking and understanding. Reading and writing are also challenging an…

This is a great project for learning how to do nice straight lines and piecing different pieces of leather together.

Step 1: Measuring for Your Note Book

This project should work for any notebook you want to use. I prefer to use the Moleskine chashier plain Pocket Kraft set of 3

Tools:

  1. Leather Fork or Punch
  2. Hammer if your using a fork
  3. X-acto Knife
  4. Two leather working needles
  5. Waxed Thread
  6. Ruler
  7. Scratching device, I used a small flat head screw driver

Use paper to create your template before transferring to the leather. For measurements take your notebook measurements while open and add 3/8th of an inch including to your spine measurement! If you don't include the spine then you will need to clip a 1/4 of an inch from you Moleskine paper covers... Just Saying. Also add a few inches for the cover flap if you want one, I used an edge piece of leather so that I got a contour part of the raw hide for a more interesting flap.

On the inside of your Notebook cover I used some scrap suede or use thinner leather to sew and hold the notebook covers 2.5 to 3 inches should do it depending on the size of your notebook.

Step 2: Mark and Make Your Sewing Holes

Now you will want to layout your Leather after you cut it and mark an 1/8 inch in from the edge to guide your fork when you punch holes. You can either punch all the way around or just over the edge of your cover holders. Its up to you to be creative with your own design.

I use double sided tape to hold my pieces of leather together before doing my hole punches.

TIP: To help keep your line straight use the last hole from your previous punch to pivot your fork to your line.

Step 3: Stitching Time

Once you have completed your hole punching its time to Stitch. For thread length I take the measurement of what I need to stitch and then multiply that number by 4 or 4.5. Don't forget to back stitch by half an inch on either side and tie a double knot at the end.

Cross stitch, the needles pass through the same hole from either side give a light pull so the stitch is tight and repeat, over and over and over again.

Step 4: Finishing Your Notebook Cover

I cut a small tab for mine so that I can use a pencil to hold the cover down.

Place you Notebook inside your cover and your done! Nice work!

Tandy Leather Contest 2016

Participated in the
Tandy Leather Contest 2016