Tutorial for the fabric covered journal / agenda

As promised, here it is step by step, How to make the fabric covered Agenda:)
Perfect for gift giving!!! You know that my English is not so good, so please bear with me and hope that the pics will talk more than words;) Try not to get confused with some pics showing 2 different agendas, I have tried to take picture of each step, it just that some steps-pics were better from one agenda and some from the other, so I have combined them;)

Needed supply:

1. piece or pieces of fabrics- that will be crossing approx. 1"(2.5 cm) each side when the agenda is open
2. waterbased formula glue - Mod Podge type
3. agenda
4. brush




Step 1

Buy the agenda. The best thing would be if possible, buying it directly from the Mill or the place where they are making them and ask them to sell you the unbinded journal or better say-separately the journal(pages) and separately the covers (possibly made with the cardboard only, which would be cheapest solution too). Keep in mind that there are several types, from plain ones till those having calendar, maps and other great info's included and also when buying be sure to choose those having stronger(heavier)papers attached as the inner covers (as you will have to detach them and the tiny papers can be easily teared). If you tear it when detaching it, you can always cover it with another stronger paper, cut to that same dimension



Step 2

Carefully detach the covers from the pages (center).



Step 3

Create the fabric covers- choose the fabrics that will be combined(you can even use only one fabric if you are not a sewer or don't have the sewing machine), having in mind the dimension of the Agenda





Step 4

After you have attached the fabrics the way you wanted, iron it



Step 5

If you would like to have some sort of the title or anything personalized on the cover, you can:
1. print it on your printer in home on plain paper or sticker paper and after that brush it with a glue making the transparent coat, that will not allow dirt, water and similar to ruin it, and than just sew it on the cover (I did it like this)
2. print it on the plain sturdy piece of fabric (not all the printers can do it) and than sew it on the cover
3. print it on the transfer paper , and heal it with the iron directly on the fabric cover
4. embroider it on the cover, by hand or by the machine





Step 6

In this phase, you can add all the adornments on your ready to glue cover - ribbons, laces, flowers, buttons etc.





Step 7

Place the ready to glue fabric covers under the cardboard covers and just off the edges





Step 8

Glue the cardboard covers with the brush





Step 9

Firmly pressing the fabric covers with your hands(avoiding the airy spots) make sure that it will adhere nicely, and make sure that you will close the agenda while doing it in way to obtain the perfect covers - I suggest doing the center first and than from center, closing it, going toward the edges:)






Step 10

Now we are passing to the inner sides- you will have to attach those remaining edges to the inner side-covers, by gluing and folding the edges, being careful about the corners











Step 11

Now it remains to reattach the jornal/agenda to the covers, gluing the center first and than the sides, still taking care about how it will be spreaded when closing the agenda












Step 12

As this type of the glue is waterbased, I suggest placing some papers to absorb the wetness from the glue, between the finished covers and the journal(center pages), so that you don't get the wavy pages



Step 13

And you are DONE!!!Now you can eventually embellish and personalize that ribbon stopper, if you have it, or if you don't have it you can insert it in the step 11











Please, leave me the comment if you have any thoughts about how to improve my explanations or know some more specific words for any of the things used here;)

Enjoy your new embellished journal!!!
xo, Katarina