Rainbow Scrappy: Journal Covers

Have you gotten the scrappy covered journal bug that Rachel from Stitched in Color is infecting sewers with? Because I sure got it! Fabric covered composition books are fast, rewarding, useful & beautiful. Who wouldn’t want them in each color of the rainbow. Or how about a rainbow scrappy version?
Yes, please you say. Well alrighty then, because you asked so nicely

But first a little back story! When I began making these covered journal sleeves I used a few different tutorials as I describe in this post. It worked but it wasn’t very slick. I had to adjust each time and I wasn’t entirely happy with it – especially not enough to post a tutorial about it. But then earlier this summer Rachel had a great how to published in Stitched magazine and then just a few short weeks ago she gave us all access to the nitty gritty how to stitch up a journal cover tutorial. And with that info I asked her if I could post my own little cover how to with a link to the final steps in making it a sleeve and she graciously agreed, cause she’s cool like that.

So with that let’s get started! Let’s talk materials. What you’ll need is:

1/4 yard linen
1 scrap of text 12″x1.5″
1 rainbow scrappy panel 7″x8″
1 composition book
Sewing machine, rotary cutter, thread – the usual sewing suspects.

Begin by creating the rainbow scrappy panel. I did this in two different way, first I used a left over panel of crazy rainbow goodness when I made the rainbow scrappy potholder. The second way I made up a panel was to take my scraps and sew them into strips in color order and all wonky. I made 3 sections 8″ long and varying widths wide and then stitched those together to create a 7″x8″ rainbow panel. Pretty easy, huh?

Next cut out the linen pieces and one strip of text fabric…because after all this is a journal cover. You can see the measurements in the picture and here they are in a nice little list form, cause I like lists:

(1) 3.25″x12″ linen
(1) 3.5″x12″ linen
(1)12″x16.5″ linen
(2) 2.25″x7″ linen
(1) 1.5″x12″ text fabric

Now that the panel is made and fabric strips cut out it’s time to sew it together. First sew with a 1/4″ seam allowance the skinny 12″ long strips together in order and then sew the 2.25″x7″ strips onto the rainbow panel.

Next it’s just two simple 1/4″ seams to join the front and back pieces. Once it’s all together you’ve got a 12″x29.5″ panel ready to be sewed up into a composition cover.
Now’s the time to jump over to Rachel’s tutorial and finish up this bad boy! Check it out here: Stitched in Color: Covered Journal Tutorials

Thanks so much to Rachel for sharing this with us! Stitched in Color is one of the few websites I read every time it’s updated. Just love it. Hope you enjoy and if you make one, or 50 post them to her flickr group too!

Cheers!
Kelly

ps. I’ll be linking up this tutorial all week long on some great blog hops. Check out the link parties I love page for places to be.