Some Sewing for the Book Club

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A few week ago, I joined a Book Club with the local library and am loving it...everything about it...the book selections, the ambiance and especially the company.  There is a great mix of people that enjoy different genres and the love of literature.

Since these are such a wonderful group of people and our discussions become very detailed, I thought it would be nice to have a journal to take notes.  After making a template and liking how it turned out, I preceded to make one for each member in the club.

I used the lined notebooks which were available at Walmart for 94 cents each.  They are hard covered journals....I am sure you have seen them there before.  After school starts, they are reduced to 25 cents so I grabbed enough to fill the fabric covers I planned on making.  I also grabbed a 12 count package of pens for 94 cents to add with the journals.  

My large fabric stash helped and since there are a couple of males within the group, I had to make sure there was a fabric that was more 'manly'.  I used part of a wonderful piece of red corduroy that my good friend Deanne sent me a while back...recognize it Dean? 

First I measured and cut the fabric 11 1/2 inches by 25 inches.  The second piece was 11 1/2 inches by 15 inches.  

Centering the smaller piece against the larger piece facing right sides together I pinned it in place.  

Then I rolled over the two shorter edges and pressed for a clean hem.

I sewed up the shorter edges and ran the stitching along the long edge of the shorter piece to the longer piece....does that make sense?

Then I flipped it right side out.  Pressing the sides again, I then flipped over each side until it made a pocket and met with the shorter part of the fabric.  I pinned those in place.

Now I ran a stitch along each long side which secures the pockets.  

Deciding to add a pocket for a pen on the front, I measured a piece of fabric 3 inches by 8 inches.  Pressing the edges under, I sewed it to the front cover.  Perfect for jotting down those notes!

Using a variety of colors and fabrics, everyone in the group should be able to find one they like. A little bit of time and a little bit of money has allowed me to contribute something useful to a new group of friends and a new hobby.  

Do you think I have a good enough assortment?  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!