Fabrics and Beads and Yarns... Oh, My!

I like making journal covers like this one. It's a great project for using up fabric scraps, plus I can practice free-motion machine quilting on them fairly successfully. I used the pattern instructions from Angela McEntyre of Laughing Cat Designs.

The journal is a donation for a local silent auction to benefit juvenile diabetes. The book inside is a standard composition book, so it can be refilled and reused. I like Angela's instructions... they're easy to follow and clearly illustrated. My pet peeve is patterns that don't provide full directions and leave you to figure things out on your own. This one doesn't do that... the pattern is very helpful.

The project also provides a place for couching yarns and adding a small amount of beading, which was fun. Everything is in moderation, so it's a quick project, too. Very satisfying to make. And I especially love combining batiks this way.

No beading on the back so the notebook will lie flat for writing.

Another notebook cover appears in this post and and the first journal made using this pattern is shown here. I think I'll make some more!