Harris Tweed journal cover

I love taking commissions!

I was asked if I could make a journal cover for somebody with some Harris Tweed that they already had.  Yes, of course, I said!

Harris Tweed is a beautiful fabric.  Especially in this colour.

It's a bit thicker than the fabric I normally use for journal covers, so it was lined with satin rather than tweed.

And here is how it turned out:

With the Harris Tweed label of course!

I thought the satin worked well with the tweed.

Ta-dah - the cover in action!

 

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Latest journal cover creations

You may have noticed that I love sewing. 

But what I REALLY love doing is sewing items that are unique and have different colours/textures/patterns - if I get to use preloved fabrics too, so much the better!

Here are my latest creations.  Each with a different fabric.  Each with a different story.

Let me know what you think!

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I fell in love with this pepper print and just knew that it would be ideal for making a cover!

I found this melon fabric in the same shop as the chillis.  Again, I just knew it would work!

This Union flag fabric was taken from the dress that my daughter wore to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee picnic in our street last year.  She'd grown out of it in the meantime, but I just know that someone, somewhere will love it!  Especially with the blue polka dot lining!

This beautifully delicate bluebell print fabric was discovered in a shop in Goldhawk Road in London on my latest visit.  I fell in love with it.  It reminds me of a Liberty print.  I teamed it with small blue and white polka dots.  Yum!

This funky retro fabric was taken from a preloved top which I bought specifically for this purpose!  The lining was created from a pair of purple palazzo pants.

Another funky geometric print caught my eye in a preloved shop.  I just adored the colour combination of dusky rose and gold and the soft texture always appeals to me too!  The cover was lined with matching dusky rose satin to finish it off.

I just adore campervans!  So this fabric had to come home with me and be used straight away!  The journal cover is lined with matching bottle green cotton lining.

Blue camo anyone?  How could I not use this fabric?  I teamed it with a small blue and white polka dot fabric.

Purple and lime - what a combination!  This fabric was purchased when I was on holiday in Pembrokeshire.  I remember the quaint little sewing shop that I discovered it in.  I just loved the contrasting colours!  I lined the journal cover with the same fabric.

Pink and sparkly?  This fabric is always a winner because it has rainbow shimmers whenever the light touches it.  The delicate pink outer was lined with fabric from a preloved pink and white stripe sheet :)

I even found a gold version of the fabric too so was able to make a cover with gold sparkles!  The cover is lined with gold satin from a throw.  Very elegant!

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Zipped journal cover

I feel honoured when I am entrusted with somebody's much-loved fabric and asked to create something new with it. 

On this occasion I was asked to create a zippered journal cover with four internal card pockets from a tea-towel.

Sure, no problem, I said. I could tell that the owner didn't really want to part with it, but she had faith in my ability to make it.

After many, many different versions/notes/attempts, I was able to create the following journal cover:

Here are just a few of my notes that I made during the creative process.  I also made two different fabric versions first to see if I had figured it out correctly.  I think 'tenacious' is my middle name!

But it was so worth it!

 

 

It fits the journal it was designed for beautifully!

 

I added a matching piece of ribbon as the zip pull.



 

 

I added polka dot bias binding to the edges of the journal cover.  The binding I used wasn't as stretchy as most I've used so I gathered the edges and I think it works really well!

On the inside cover there are also four slots for credit/library cards.

 I'm really happy with the way it turned out :)

And, of course, now I have figured out how to make one of them, I can make more.  Excellent!  (Off to make sure my notes are up to date!)

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A journal cover for Samuel

I was asked to make a journal cover for Samuel.

Denim and green were to be the colours.  With his name on it.

Now, preloved denim I already had.  But 'Samuel' is quite a long name to put on the front of a journal.  So, how to make it work *taps chin thoughtfully*...

Easy peasy - write 'Samuel', hand sew over the top of it with a contrasting colour and then applique it to the front of the journal cover.  Result!

All beautifully top-stitched with lime green thread!

I do hope Samuel likes it!

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Bronze and gold journal cover

You know how much I love using fabric with a soul!

I was asked if I could make a journal cover from a beloved piece of bronze two-tone fabric.  Sure, I said!  Well, the person who asked me was clutching it to her at the time so I had an inkling of how much she liked it :)

So I added some gold satin and this is how it turned out...

 

It fits the journal nicely!

 



The outside was created from both fabrics which just so happened to wrap the spine in an effortless hug!

 I do hope the recipient likes the two-tone effect cover!

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Merry Christmas!!

Here's one I made earlier...

Wishing everyone who reads this a totally wonderful Christmas and an utterly fabulous 2013!!

Blue silk journal cover

London.  December. 2012.  Lunch with friends.  Charity shop.  Blue silk top.  Preloved.  Yum!

French designer top, no less.

Suitably purchased.  Everyone happy.

Bias binding from the neck used on a caftan.

Majority used on a journal cover.

100% silk cover.

100% cotton lining.

From the lining of the top.

Perfect colour combination :)

UPDATE -

The new recipient of the journal cover asked me if I could add a pen holder to the cover. 

So I used the sizing ribbon from the silk top and added it into the seam (I do love using as much of the original garment as possible!).

With the pen in place it does look to me as if the journal cover is giving the pen a big hug!

 

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