Learn how to Sew a Composition Notebook Journal Cover. These journal covers are so fun and easy to make!
How fun (not to mention practical) do you think it would be to make everyone you know a custom fabric journal cover? Well, that’s pretty much exactly what I’ve planned to do!
You can customize these journal covers to the individuals personal style, to reflect their hobbies, or just to have a pretty notebook to journal what’s on their hearts and minds.
Plus, I think anything that we can do to encourage people (regardless of how young or old they are) to write more is worth the effort!
How to Sew Composition Notebook Journal Cover
Table of Contents
- Materials Needed
- Equipment Needed
- Fabric Cuts
- Video Tutorial
- How-To
- Download Pattern
- More Sewing Tutorials
Of course, you can make a fabric cover to fit any size notebook or book, for that matter. But, I like the size of the Composition Notebooks – they’re not too big nor are they too small.
You can embellish these notebook covers or keep them simple. You can make them so that the spine is a contrasting color or make them all one piece. You can even add a button closure or a loop for a pen.
Materials Needed
I recommend cotton fabric for this project, but duck cloth, canvas and heavier weight fabrics will work also.
- cotton fabric for journal cover front and back
- cotton fabric for journal cover spine
- cork fabric for journal cover spine (optional)
- cotton fabric for lining
- fusible fleece
- matching or contrasting thread
- sewing machine needle
- button (optional)
- elastic or hair tie (optional)
Equipment Needed
- scissors
- rotary cutter
- acrylic ruler
- self-healing mat
- pins or clips
- fabric marking pen
- sewing machine
- quilting guide bar (optional)
- walking foot (optional)
Fabric Cuts
For the exact cut measurements, please see the below How-To card.
Video Tutorial
I have created a YouTube video that will walk you through sewing a fabric journal cover for a composition notebook. Simply click here or on the below image to go to this video. While you’re there, be sure to like the video if you found it helpful and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thank you!!
How-To
Sew a Fabric Journal Cover for a Composition Notebook
These fabric journal covers can be made out of any cotton fabric. In fact, you can also use cork, leather, or even canvas. Be creative and have fun! The journal cover also includes a button and loop closure and a pen holder.
Materials
- cotton fabric for journal cover front and back
- cotton fabric for journal cover spine
- cotton fabric for lining
- fusible fleece
- matching or contrasting thread
- sewing machine needle
- button (optional)
- hair tie or elastic (optional)
- Scotch tape (optional)
Tools
- scissors
- rotary cutter
- acrylic ruler
- self-healing mat
- sewing machine
- quilting guide bar (optional)
- teflon presser foot (optional)
- walking foot (optional)
Instructions
Cut:
- Exterior Fabric: (4)-5-1/2"W x 11"H **
- Spine Fabric: (1) 6"W x 11"H
- Lining Fabric: (1) 16"W x 11"H
- Button Loop: (1) 6"W x 1-1/2"H
- Fusible Fleece: (1) 15"W x 10-1/2"H ***
- Fusible Fleece: (2) 5"W x 10-1/2"H ***
- Elastic: 3"
Step One: Assemble Pattern Pieces
Print out the pattern pieces, then cut out along the outside of the solid black lines. Tape the pieces together so that the circles line up, as pictured in the following images.
Step Two: Stitch Front and Back to Spine
Lay spine fabric right side up, lay exterior fabric front piece on top, lining up 11" edges. Pin or clip in place. Stitch using 1/4" seam allowance. Repeat with exterior fabric back piece.
If using all cotton fabrics, press seams open. If using cork for your spine, press seams towards cotton fabric (exterior fabric front and back pieces). 
Step Three: Apply Fusible Fleece
Apply fusible fleece to the wrong side of of exterior pieces following the manufacturer's instructions. Apply fusible fleece to the wrong side of the sleeve pieces.
Step Four: Prepare Button Loop
While you're at your ironing board, let's go ahead and press the button loop fabric. Fold fabric in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Unfold. Fold long edges towards fold and press. Refold along middle fold and press.
Using a 3.0mm stitch length, stitch along both long edges about 1/8" away from the edge. Set aside for now.
Step Five: Quilt or Topstitch Fused Fabric Pieces
Use your fabric marking pen and ruler to mark a diagonal line from the top right corner to the bottom left corner of the cover front. Then mark a diagonal line from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of the cover front. Repeat these marks every 1-2" as desired. Repeat for cover back. Repeat for both sleeve pieces.
Then use your fabric marking pen and ruler to mark a vertical line down the center of the spine fabric. Continue to mark vertical lines every 1-2" on each side of the center across the spine fabric.
Before stitching along the marked lines, use a 3.0-3.5mm stitch length to topstitch 1/8" on both sides of the seams attaching the front and back to the spine.
*** If you are using cork or leather fabric for the spine, do not quilt or mark the spine fabric. Instead, you will simply topstitch 1/8" from the seams that connect the front and back pieces to the spine. Just stitch on the cotton fabric since the seams were pressed towards the fabric. Be sure to use a 3.0-3.5mm stitch length.
Step Six: Sew
With exterior fabric right side up, locate the center of the back raw edge (5-1/2" down from the top of the fabric) and pin or clip button loop with the raw edges even with the exterior fabric. Be sure to fold the fabric loop in half so that you pin both raw edges to the raw edge of the back exterior fabric.
Pin elastic in place 2-1/4" from the top of the back exterior fabric, along the same edge as where you pinned the button loop in place.
Stitch both the elastic and button loop in place using less than 1/4" seam allowance. 
With exterior fabric right side up, lay one fused sleeve fabric piece right side down, lining up raw edges. Repeat with the other sleeve.
Lay the lining piece right side down on top of the layered external fabric and sleeve pieces. Make sure raw edges are lined up. Pin or clip all layers together. 
Starting along the bottom edge, and leaving a 3" opening for turning, stitch all pieces together using a 1/4" seam allowance along the entire perimeter of the fabrics. Clip corners. Turn right side out through the opening. 
Hand stitch the opening closed. Press. 
Step Seven: Sew Button
Measure down along the front edge to locate the center. Marke about 1 to 1-1/2 inches away from the edge for the placement of the button. Sew the button in place.
Step Eight: Insert Composition Notebook
Open up the notebook cover and insert the front cover of the composition book into the front sleeve of the cover.
Fold back the composition book and insert the back cover into the back sleeve of the journal cover.
Notes
** If you are not using a contrasting fabric for the spine, you can cut one piece of exterior fabric that measures 26-1/2"W x 11"H.
*** If you are using cork or leather fabric for the spine, you will not apply fusible fleece to the spine section or quilt the spine section. In this case, you will need (4) 5"W x 10-1/2"H pieces (2 for the exterior front and back and 2 for the interior sleeves).
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Download the Composition Notebook Journal Cover Pattern
If you would like to download a copy of the pattern and full set of instructions without the ads, simply complete the below form to have the pattern sent directly to your email inbox:
More Sewing Tutorials
If you enjoyed learning how to sew a Composition Notebook Journal Cover, you might also enjoy these fun and beginner-friendly sewing tutorials from Hooked On Sewing:
And if you’d like to learn more about making quilted journal covers, here are a couple of beginner-friendly quilted journal cover tutorials from other sites:
Thanks for sharing your pattern! I look forward to making one or two for gifts!
Hi, Marie! You are so welcome! Hope you enjoy making the Composition Notebook Covers!
Love your journal cover! Thank You for being do generous to share it!
Hi, Grace! Thanks so much!!