Sew Selena: A few Jazzy Journal Covers and their stories

I love making journal covers.

But not your ordinary, everyday journal covers.

Covers with a difference. Unique covers. Covers made especially from preloved fabric. Covers with a tale to tell.

Each journal cover was purposely designed to hold the Your Body Speaks journal by Dr Kathleen DesMaisons. In fact, Dr DesMaisons was one of the first to purchase one of my journal covers!

Here are a few of the padded journal covers I have been working on recently followed by their stories:

Blue and Pink

This journal cover was created from a beautiful top that I discovered on one of my many jaunts to a local charity shop.

I just loved the pattern and how the colours work so well together. This has got to be my favourite shade of blue.

I made the magnetic tab from the contrasting frill at the bottom. You can just see it in the picture above.

And the interior is lined with a matching blue heart print.

Peacock

The Peacock journal cover was made from a teal coloured baby cord jacket. It didn't fit me, but I bought it anyway.

If I like the look of a particular design or texture of clothing, I tend to buy it and THEN find a use for it. It's surprising how often I discover that I already have just the right fabric for a project!

Being baby cord it's just so tactile!

The interior is lined with lime green silk which I bought from a lady who was selling the off-cuts from her daughter's fashion design course.

You can read more about that story here

Sanderson

Sanderson was created from a pair of curtains that I discovered languishing in a charity shop. I do love looking in charity shops. You never know what you might find.

There's this one particular charity shop in a small town that I frequent every so often that I can guarantee I will find some fabric of interest. And it's right opposite my favourite independent fabric shop. What a combination! That always makes me smile!

How did I know it was made by Sanderson? Well, it told me so along the edge of the curtains when I was removing the lining!! And besides, a friend has since told me that her Nan used to have some curtains identical to this.

The interior was lined with dark bronze cotton which I also used to make a Roman blind many moons ago. I never throw away fabric. I never know when it is going to come in useful!

Tropicana

Tropicana was made from a gorgeous multi-coloured skirt that I found. I love colour of all descriptions. The brigher, the better!

The interior was made from blue satin which gives it an even more tropical feel.

Spring-Time

Another find in my favourite charity shop - a cushion. I could see its potential from a mile away.

It reminds me of a spring-time garden bursting into a riot of colour.

I bought some matching orange fabric for the interior. And the eagle-eyed among you may notice that the daffodil can be matched up across the cover too. My daughter pointed that one out!