What’s the Project? This fun DIY notebook cover is a fun sewing project to get yourself organized! You can add pockets for notebooks, phones, pens, business cards, to do lists, anything you need to get you organized!
I am so in love with this project. It encompasses so many things that I love in life-bright colored fabric (polka dots are a bonus), pens and notebooks and organization and sewing! Put it all together and what do you get? An On the Go Organizer! This DIY Notebook Cover is a fun sewing project and you can customize it however you want!
Open it up and you’ll find space for so many things! You’ve got pockets for notebooks, cards, your phone, pens, your to do list-whatever else you need!
This could be perfect for taking to conferences or business meetings or for moms who have too much to keep track of to keep it all in one place. Mostly it’s just cute and fun to sew!
But there’s one more thing I love about this that I haven’t told you!
Do you know where I got that fabric? Go on, take a guess. Bet you didn’t get it…
This fabric is from Target!
Oh ya! You read that right. TARGET now carries fabric! And not just any fabric, but this amazing line from Fabric Loft!
Find out if your store carries it here. If not, start shopping online!
On the Go Organizer Notebook Cover Tutorial:
Supplies Needed:
- Fabric: I used 4 different fabrics for mine. You need about 1/4 yard of your main fabric and then smaller amounts (like fat quarters) for your other pieces
- Lightweight iron on interfacing
- Small piece of elastic
Sewing Instructions:
Here is your cutting guide-
From your main fabric cut:
- Two pieces that are 15 inches wide by 10 inches tall
- A small piece to hold your phone-my piece is 5.5″ wide by 6″ tall. That holds my iPhone 5S without a case on it. If you have a case, add at least 1/2″ or if you are using a different phone, size it to fit yours. You will be hemming both sides, so measure your phone’s width and then add about 2 inches.
From accent fabrics cut: (mix and match these as desired with your other fabrics)
- One large piece for a pocket that is 7 inches wide by 10 inches tall (this is the hot pink in the picture)
- One piece for a larger notebook or planner that is 8 inches wide by 9 inches tall (this is the chevron in the picture)
- Pockets-in my pictures I have three pockets in the top left corner. This is a little tricky to sew through this many layers. If your machine struggles at all with sewing through bulk I am going to recommend just 2 pockets here. Cut them 5.5″ wide and then mine are 4, 5, and 6 inches long. Adjust as needed.
Cut your iron on interfacing for all of these pieces as well. Then iron it on to the back of the fabric.
Hem (fold under half inch, fold under again half inch) the top of your notebook pocket piece (the 8″ x 9″ one) and the left side of it. Stitch the top part but don’t stitch the left side, just press the hem for now.
When you hem these, you will want to fold it under towards the side with the interfacing using your fingers:
But press it on the other side so that you don’t melt the interfacing:
Hem the top of your phone pocket and stitch it. On the two sides, hem it under with your iron but don’t stitch yet.
On the 2 or 3 small pockets hem the sides that will be in the center of your organizer (the right side of them). Stitch that part. Hem under with the iron the bottom side of the pockets.
Now, take the largest pocket piece (7″ x 10″) and hem the 10 inch side of that. The part that will be in the center of the organizer.
You are now ready to sew the pockets on to the 7″ x 10″ piece. Place the phone piece so that the bottom is even with the bottom of your large pocket piece. Sew up each side of the phone pocket. (Not across the top or bottom though).
Here is a layout view before I sewed to help you: (but my phone pocket is too far to the left in the picture. Make sure it is at least 1 inch in from the left side.
When you start sewing pockets on the left part you are ONLY sewing them to the large pocket piece (the hot pink in this image) for now. You will sew them to the polka dot piece later.
Place your small pockets in the upper left hand corner so that the top and the left side are even with the top and side of your large pocket piece. Sew them along the bottom edge of them. Set this aside.
Do this same thing-line up the edges and bottom of the notebook pocket with the right side and bottom of one of your MAIN fabric pieces. Sew up the left side.
Last, take a piece of elastic and cut it about 1 1/2 inches long. Sew it into the center of your fabric. You will sew it in place on either ends and then also sew lines down it to form a couple of pen holders:
With all of that done, grab your other main piece and place it on top of all of this, face down, so that right sides of the fabric are together:
Sew all the way around it but leave an opening in the top right side to turn it (above the notebook pocket). The opening should be about 4-5 inches big.
Turn it all right side out:
Then carefully press it all flat. This will take some work. Also, press the opening closed nicely so that you can’t tell it is there.
Top stitch all the way around the outer edge, closing your opening as you do this.
And it’s finished! Did you have fun sewing that?!
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I love all of them……but the Escape line captures the projects I am working on now. The Trapeze looks like so much fun and make me think of things for my grandbabies!
this is just so cute!!!!!<3
I think they are all beautiful, but my favorite was the Escape line. I just love anything that reminds me of nature and I think this one does.
It was very hard to choose just one, but I will say Vogue – One Yard Cotton 1
That peace sign burlap is super cute!
I LOVE the Escape line!
I am in love with the bright colors of the trapeze, but I also love the motley for my house!
Love the escape line, I can’t believe it’s from Target!
It’s a tie between Trapeze and Escape! But really love them all!
I love the Motley line!! :-)
I would mix and match from several lines, but most of my favorites are from Motley.
These are awesome! I hope one of my Targets has them! I absolutely love the Trapeze designs!
This has made me one happy little woman today! My favorite is a tie between motley and escape. More reason to LOVE Target!!!! Thank you for finding this <3
I really like the Escape line.
I like the Vogue canvas 4.
Love those brights! My fav is “trapeze”. Thanks!
It’s a toss up between Trapeze and Vogue.
I love the multicolored polka dots in cotton…would love to work it them.
Love those brightly colored chevrons! Thank You!!!
I love the Trapeze line!
I love the organizer!! It’s so bright, fun and colorful. I wish I could sew, but sadly I can’t. Love it!
I love the motley cotton 7
i love the Motley line! Awesome coolrs!
I love the Escape collection!
I love love love the escape line, especially the burlaps!
I love the Motley line! Awesome colors!
I love the trapeze line…so bright and colorful!
Motley line!!!
Looks really pretty in those colors, and easy enough for a beginner like myself.
it would be a hard decision between motley and vogue. Both of them are such great colors!
I love the Motley line :)
I love the Trapeze Canvas!!! The second from the left – they look like hydrangea flowers to me ;)
I love them all but my favorite is Trapeze. Love the colors! Hope my WPB Target starts carrying the fabric!
Love the chevrons!!!!!
Love the Escape Burlap how gorgeous is that??? Thanks for the giveaway :)
I love the Escape and Trapeze lines.
I love the motley fabrics in cotton.
Love the printed burlap, especially the Motley print. Thanks for the chance!
ap_lemos at yahoo dot com
It hard to choose just one. I like the Trapeze colorway and the Vogue colorway
i like the one you used but I also like Escape!!! Thanks!
I’m having a hard time choosing just one favorite fabric line. I really like Trapeze and Escape, but if I absolutely had to pick one, I guess it would be Trapeze.
Love the Escape Line.
My favorite pattern looks like colorful doilies
Motley is my favorite. They are a great combination of sophisticated and fun, in terms of pattern and color.
Love the escape burlap 2nd one really pretty and fallish!
I love the Trapeze. We’ll need all those wonderful colors when winter sets in.
I like the Vogue line. And there is a store close to me. I may need to make a detour on the way home tonight.
I really like the Vogue line; sophisticated enough for a woman yet masculine enough to make the organizer for a man.
I love the “Escape”
I love the Trapeze line. I would make one of the organizers from it.
I like the Trapeze Line, hopefully the Target by my house will be selling it soon..
I can’t choose, I love them all!
I love the Trapeze the best, but can see using all of them.
I love Motley!!! SO cute!
I love the Escape line for myself, but the Trapeze line would be so cute for my girls…or if I’m feeling in a particularly fun mood! Actually, the Trapeze line probably matches most of my purse-type items at the moment. These are so pretty!
I love the Trapeze line!!!
i’m loving trapeze
Escape and trapeze are both great!
What a great collection of fabric. It is hard to find just one to like. I guess I’ll go for Trapeze canvas 1. What fun!
Love the Trapeze large medallions and the Escape Birds prints.
She flies through the air with the greatest of ease … that beautiful gal on the flying TRAPEZE. Love it!!
I love the trapeze collection. I know all my clients would love it too
I would have to buy one of each for my 3 daughters and myself- I prefer the Vogue collection for me!
I love the trapeze line!
I love the Trapeze line. Thinking of my granddaughters when I look at it.
The trapeze is definitely my favourite. I love colour!
I love the Trapeze collection.
If I had to pick ONE, I’d have to pick the Trapeze Burlap numbers.
I like the chevron and polka dots from the trapeze line
I’m torn between Escape and Vogue – too difficult to choose one or the other!
I would love to redo our library in the escape line.. just lovely
I like a lot of them but I think for my favorite I am leaning toward the vogue line. I really like the gray feather canvas print
I LOVE the Escape line: blue, green, and brown combined, my favorite! My daughter will LOVE Trapeze too :)
I loved the different colors and types of materials there were.
I loved the pink, blue, and yellow zigzag.
I love the escape line, so my colours :)
I love the colors in the escape line for my own items and the trapeze line for my granddaughters as well. Very impressed
I love the Escape collection (though Trapeze would be perfect for my daughter).
Love the Escape line
I really like the Escape, the Motley, and the Vogue! Tough choices! Too bad there isn’t a Target in my town. I guess I may need to order online! :-)
The canvas from de Escape collection is really pretty, I love the colors
I love this idea.Every morn I wake up looking forward to seeing what project Crazy Little Projects are up too! I love your Pinterest board too. Keep up the great patterns and sewing. I love all the patterns. The trapeeze line is pretty and we dont have a target close so I have to order online. Love CRAZY LITTLE PROJECTS! TY!
Thank you!!! :)
All of the groups are attractive, but I am in love with all components of “Trapeze”!
I love the motley, especially the canvas
I love the colors of the Escape line!!
Thank you so much for sharing tutorial and information about awesome fabric!! Thank you for the give away!
I LOVE the entire cotton Motley line! And I’m so excited Target is carrying fabric now!!
The vogue line is my favorite!
The Trapeze is my favorite! Love the fun, bright colors! :)
My fav would be the MOTLEY line!
I love the colors and patterns in the MOTLEY line.
How exciting! Cute organizer, I’ll have to work on this. I really love the Motley line in that fabric. Thanks for sharing!
Love the Motley line!
I like the Vogue line!
I love these fabrics and like the way they work for each other. Chevrons with Polka Dots!
motley or vogue canvas…to hard to choose just one
I LOVE the Motley line. Especially the cotton and canvas that has all the colors in that mismatched floral.
I love the vibrant blues and oranges of the Motley! So much fun!
I LOVE the Trapeze! What a fun way to be organized and it is bright enough even I could find it. :)
I like the Escape line…
I love the Escape Cotton fabric. Love the color scheme and nature design of it all.
I love the escape line….can not wait to get home to my target, which it says now carries fabric….alot can happen when you have been gone from home for 3 weeks…lol!
HI, love the polka dots!
Thanks for sharing!
I really like the trapeze line; the prints are so fun!
I am loving the “Escape” line- especially the burlap.
I love all of them! Bright colors make me happy :)
I like the Vogue Line, specifically the flower pattern under the canvas fabric.
I like the Vogue Arrow Feathers. Lucky for me, there are no Targets carrying this line in MI…or I’d be in trouble! ;)
The colors in the Escape palette are more my style, but the Trapeze palette is perfect for my daughter’s room… And to be honest, I’m not sure when I’ll get back to sewing stuff for myself again. Baby Girl stuff is just so darn cute and fun to make.
I love the Escape line, although all the lines are beautiful.
I would usually pick Vogue for the colors, but I really liked Trapeze best. Thanks so much for the chance to win.
Trapeze for my girls and Vogue for me!
Vogue cotton is so pretty!
Escape – Canvas 2 is my favorite but there are several I find very appealing to the eye.
I am absolutely loving the motley collection!
Love Escape and Trapeze. Thanks for the giveaway!
I like the Trapeze line the best!
Love the cheerful colors from Trapeze.. especially the chevron
Love the Trapeze colors!!!
I would have to say Escape. I’m so excited Target is carrying fabric!!!
Love the Escape!
I love Escape! I hope my Target is next on the list to carry your fabric!
I really like the trapeze line.
I love the escape line, although the trapeze is super cute as well.
Fabric Loft Trapeze Large Chevron Fabric – Pink
I’m loving Escape! (Es-cah-pay as Dori would say. ;)
My favorite line is Trapeze. I love the bright and fun colors!! Be especially blessed…
I really like the Motley fabric.
Could Target get any better!? Really wish they had fabric at mine, but that might be waaaay too dangerous. I love the Escape collection– the blues are beautiful! Thanks for the chance to win!
Tough choice, but I think the Escape collection.
I like the escape and the motley lines!
I love them all – guess if had to pick -escape
Pick one?? Escape I think…
I love the Vogue line–especially the floral.
What great fabric and I love this project. I think I like the Escape colors the best, although they are all really pretty.
I really like the Escape line and most of the Trapeze line.
I really like the Escape line.
I love the Escape line! Those little birds are too sweet!
My favorite is Escape! I really wish this fabric was in my Target!
I love the Trapeze Burlap Ribbon and Trapeze cotton :) I’m a lover of chevron :)
I love,love,love the escape collection!
Love them all!!!! My favorite would be the prints & colors of the Vogue line. :)
I adore the Escape Burlap! Wowsers!!
I like the vogue line
Current fave is Escape Canvas 4, but that could change as soon as my mood does
LOVE Trapeze! That’s my style–bright & fun!
My favorite line is the Escape line of fabric. Such cute fabric! cdahlgren at live dot com
I like the blue hummingbird pattern in the escape line.
l love the motley one it’s so cute
I love all the beautiful fabric, but my favorite is the Trapeze.
Love the Trapeze Collection!!
Love the browns and blues of the Escape line!
Escape!
My favorite is the Trapeze cotton — especially the golden background with colorful dots.
My favourite is Vogue Canvas -2. I really like the feather-like design.
The Escape cotton in browns and greens is lovely!
Wow I have to choose! I love Escape , and a close second is Vogue.
I love the colors of the fabrics shown.
Pink chevron with a wave going through it.
I think my favourite is trapeze!
I love the Trapeze line!! Those colors are so girly and fun!!
I really love the bright colors of Trapeze. Thanks so much for the giveaway. I was just looking at your project and thinking, wow, she gets all the best fabric and I couldn’t believe it when you said where it was from!
The Escape line is gorgeous!
I’m loving them all, but I probably like the vogue line best.
I love all the polka dots!
I like the escape ones…
I love them all, but especially Trapeze (what I refer to as bright pastels). My favorite fabric in the line is the high tops.
Motley motley motley! So gorgeous, will be needing some!
I love the Escape line!
I like Vogue!
I like the Escape line!
WHAT??? Fabric at Target??? Be still my heart!!!!! :) And it’s beautiful too! I like the Motley collection…will be looking for these the next time I’m at Target!
This is an awesome tutorial too by the way! Thanks for sharing!
I really like the ‘city collection’.
I really like the birds on blue in canvas. Fabric at Target–holy cow!
All of them!
I like the Trapeze style fabric line
I love those happy Trapeze cottons to make some childrens’ quilts
Escape catches my eye!! Love those colours and prints!!
Ooooh I Love Love LOOOOOVE the Trapeze line very Best!! (But Escape comes in second, due to being my Daughter’s favorite colors! lol)
I love the Trapeze line!! Lots of PINK!!! :)
I like the motley pattern! Nice year-round colors…
Nice project and tutorial. I like the Escape line.
I love the Trapeze collection. It is so bright anf joyful!
I love Motley, such great colours
I love the Motley line!!
Escape is my fav OMG doesn’t it just take you away what wonderful items you could make with this material! I am off to target for sure
I love the Escape line of Fabric Loft. It has a good mix of patterns but keeps a professional theme that I can be comfortable taking with me to work.
I love the ESCAPE!
I love the large damask and large medallion patterns.
I like them all. Trapeze looks like fun.
I’m really digging the Escape Line right now ..
I like the Trapeze line best.
I wish our target had fabric! I’d snatch up some of the escape line!
I love Escape… or maybe I just want to escape. Nah! I really do love the Escape line :)
Escape is my favorite and if I don’t win, I will. Just have to order some. Thanks for the giveaway.
I really like the designs in the Motley collection.
I love the Escape cottons. I can see a quilt in these gorgeous fabrics.
It was really hard to pick a favorite, I would have to say that I like the Escape line the best!
If I want it to make it for me, the Escape fabric is the line. But if I’m making it for the girls’…. I would definately pick Trapeze!
I especially like the Trapeze canvas line. Such bright fun colors!
I like the Motley line the best!
I love the hearts on the white background
The trapeze line
For myself I like the selections in the Escape group best but the Trapeze group would make some really adorable doll clothes for my granddaughter.
WoW! They are all so lovely! But I especially love the Trapeze selection! Would make some beautifully bright and bold things! Love it! :)
Vogue is my fav!
I really like the Trapeze selection! Such fun bright colors!
Escape is my favorite of that line.
They are all beautiful, Escape and Motley would be great for these small projects. I also make small change purses with 3 slots for cards, money etc. All of these will work wonderfuly
I really like the Vogue fabrics but they’re all great!
I like Escape !!
I like Trapeze.
I love the Trapeze line. I am all about the bright colors right now!
I love Trapeze and Vogue :)
The Escape collection would fir very nicely with the decorating scheme of my house. But. . . the Trapeze collection makes the five year old girl that lives inside me do cartwheels.
I love the polka dots! Fun fun fun!
I really like the Vogue line, and the Trapeze is pretty dawn cute. My little girl love all the pinks
That project and fabric looks amazing. I love the trapeze line fabrics
Love the motley!
LOVE the Escape line – those are amazing colors together
I like the Vogue fabrics.
Love the vogue and motley :)
I love them all but my favourite woukd be the bright, vibrant Trapeze!
I personally like the Trapeze line, There’s so many bright colors and cute patterns.
The Trapeze line would be really fun to use for my daughter. I also really like the colors in the Escape line.
The hummingbird cotton is my favorite — it’s all so fun!
I love the trapeze colors! So fresh and colorful!
Love all the Trapeze line!
I absolutely LOVE the Trapeze line. So bright and funky!
My favorite is Trapeze. Especially the chevron. Thanks
The Escape line, hands down– I love hummingbirds (and penguins) so naturally I’m drawn to the Escape line because of the hummingbird pattern. That said, I adore the earthy tones in this particular line.
My second choice is the Trapeze line because it is just so happy and bright.
I love the Vogue, so pretty.
Thanks for the chance.
ncjeepster@aol.com
Anything from the trapeze section…I LOVE all the bright colors & patterns!
Hi Amber!
Always love ur CLP posts especially the monthly project challenge, it’s inspiration pool for what to sew next ;) Anyway for this one, my favorite would be ALL the Trapeze line, so refreshing, young,& fun :)
Love the Trapeze, especially the polka dot. So many fun, vibrant patterns!
I love Escape all of them. They are the colors I’ve used most in my home.
The hummingbird designs in the Escape group are great! Our family has a special connection to hummingbirds so I have several projects I could use those fabrics for.
I love the trapeze and motley collection. Thanks for the tutorial and the intro to the target fabric!
I love this tutorial. Motley is my favorite line and I wish our Target carried fabric.
I like vogue
Motley are my favorite!
Love Motley!
Escape collection, the ferns, hummingbirds especially.
I love them all!! I can’t choose between the Escape and the Trapeze Those are my favorites I have to say if I had to choose but I do love them all.
Burlap (expecially 2 and 3) is awesome! *___*
I love the trapeze and motley collections
Trapeze cotton polka dots
They are all beautiful, but if I had to choose one, it would be VOGUE.
Such great fabrics! How fun. I think my favorite is the cotton in Motley.
I like the chevrons.
Lol you should call it a GOrganizer or gOrganizer… heh..
Thanks for the tutorial! I pinned you!
XOX
LOVE this organizer. I’ve made 3 in the last 2 days. One for me, my sister and my sister in law. Need to do one more for my daughter. Love it!!
Hi there! Love this tutorial! Just wondering if this has an option for a hard cover? From what you’ve said up there I cant see any option so as to make it sort of binder like, perhaps putting something along the lines of cardboard between the layers of the outside and inside. One piece slightly smaller than that of the material (to give it a snug look) on each side leaving the middle floppy (Depending on the material?) so the “folder” is able to close. Or is the material such that you don’t need anything to support it?
Sorry to bother :)
I think you could do that. Just be careful about not getting it dirty then because I don’t know how it would hold up in the wash.
They are all beautiful
Those are some beautiful colours and designs I mike make one myself. Well if I can fined the fabric.
love it!
Thank you for the idea!
That Is So Cool You Are Brilliant
I love Escape and Motley. Thanks!
DON’T PRINT THIS PATTERN!!! FIGURE OUT A WAY OF NOT PRINTING ALL 81 PAGES OF JUNK – COMMENTS!!!! :( I made that mistake!! Please save yourself the expense and use http://www.printfriendly.com
I love the designers that have this button on their web sites. It’ so so helpful!
Hope this helps someone save themselves…learn from my stupidity :(
It was never intended to be printed. :) Sorry that you tried.
Jennifer, this is a little late, but I just highlight the part I want to print, then right click, and choose “copy” (or “print”) to put it into a word document. Then I can save it and/or print it. You may have figured this out by now though.
Won’t this be a super flimsy cover anyway to make it sturdier
Yes, it’s just a soft cover. Maybe add some stiff interfacing if you want it stiff?
Will one of those large yellow memo pads fit into the left largest pocket on this? I do not have one to measure it but I am wanting to make this as a gift for my dad who I know uses them for work. Thanks in advance for your reply!!
Sorry-I don’t have one handy either so I don’t know. Maybe google the size of them and the adjust accordingly?
I love the polka dots. Great pattern. I will put it on my long list of projects l want to make.
Are there printable instruction sheet for your projects?
I simply love your planner design. My favourite is colour dots.
I love this Amber! I’m wondering if you know the finish size? I’m hoping to modify the right hand pocket to open on the left side so I can slip a note book back cover into it if that makes sense! I’d like to fit an 8″l x 6″w notebook. Thank you for any measurements you might be able to give!
It should be just an inch or so shy of what your dimensions on each side are if you sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. So you can tweak accordingly to make it any size you want. :)