Hey there, fellow crafters! Ready to jazz up those plain notebooks lurking in your drawer? Brigitte Heitland, the creative genius behind Zen Chic and a renowned Moda fabric designer has just the project for you. With her refined modern style, Brigitte guides us through crafting chic fabric notebook covers, complete with delightful English Paper Piecing (EPP) hexie embellishments. Let's dive in and add a touch of Zen Chic flair to our boring and bland notebooks!

Materials Needed

• Mini charm pack (or your favorite fabric scraps)
• Cover Fabric (a Fat Quarter usually works, but it depends on the size of your notebook)
• Lining Fabric (again, a Fat Quarter will likely work here)
• Pocket Fabric (Fat Eight or Fat Quarter, depending on the size of your notebook)
• Single Sided fusible interfacing
• Notebook of your choice
• Paper Pieces 1" hexie templates 
• Optional: Paper Pieces 1” hexagon acrylic cutting template
• Heat n' Bond double-sided fusible
• Free templates and advice from Brigitte!
• A sprinkle of creativity!

How to Make a Fabric Notebook Cover

1. Measure Your Notebook:

• Warp a measuring tape around your notebook from the front cover edge to the back cover edge
• Measure your notebook’s height
• Add 1” for seam allowances to these measurements (½” seam allowance around all sides)

2. Cut Your Fabric:

• Using your measurements, cut a piece of fabric for the cover and lining
• Cut two additional pieces for the inner flaps/pockets that will hold the notebook in place. These pieces should be the same measurement as the height of your notebook and whatever size pocket you desire. You will fold this piece in half to create the pocket. Brigitte recommends an 8” width to form a 4” pocket for most medium-large notebooks.
• Cut a piece of fusible interfacing to the exact dimensions of your notebook with no seam allowance

3. Assemble the Cover:

• Iron on fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the front fabric
• Place the pockets on either side with the raw edge facing out
• Place the lining fabric right side down on the top, trim about 2 inces off the edge of your lining fabric or fold it back, this way you can fold your journal cover right side out after sewing
• Pin or clip layers into place
• Sew around the edges using a ½ in seam allowance

4. Turn and Press:

• Turn the cover right side out through the opening in the lining
• Press the cover neatly, ensuring crisp edges.
• Slip your notebook into the cover, and admire your handiwork

Adding Hexie Embellishments

Now, let's elevate your notebook cover with some charming hexie embellishments, a signature touch from Brigitte's modern aesthetic.

1. Prepare Your Hexies:

• Select fabrics from your mini charm pack
• Using the Paper Pieces 1" hexie templates, cut out your hexagon shapes (if using scraps)

2. Baste the Hexies:

• Place the fabric over the hexie paper piece and fold the edges over
• Baste the fabric in place, securing the hexagon shape
• Iron on a 1” square of double sided heat and bond pieces

3. Arrange and Attach:

• Play around with the placement of your hexies on the notebook cover
• You can download a grid from Zen Chic for free that works perfect for 1” hexies
• Once satisfied, remove the backing of the Heat and Bond square on the back of the hexie and iron into place

4. Final Touches:

• Ensure all hexies are securely attached by stitching from corner to coner of each hexie onto the cover fabric
• Give the cover a final press, and voila! Your notebook is now a stylish accessory

More about Brigitte

With Brigitte's expert guidance, you've transformed a simple notebook into a personalized piece of art. Her refined modern style brings a fresh perspective to traditional quilting techniques, making them accessible and fun.

For more inspiring projects and tutorials, be sure to visit Brigitte's website and blog at Zen Chic. Happy crafting!

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