(Happy New Year) notebooks

Happy New Year

Hello lovely readers. I hope you've all had a good festive week.

We are in slight shock over the fact we easily managed to eat a huge ham between us (the us being mainly just the hubby and me, with some assistance from three little girls), as well as plenty of turkey, chocolates, and sweets. But the ham. Oh. I do believe we've slipped in another new tradition for our house that will demand to be repeated year after year from now on. Is it a little over the top to admit I feel a bit sad going to the fridge now that that treacle glazed lump of meat is not inside it for me to pick at each time I reach for the milk to put in my tea?

With the hubby off work and the carefree timetable that the holidays bring, I did a spot of sewing over the last week. Fabric covered notebooks, to be precise.

I bought the notebooks back in the summer. And then Charlotte was born the next day, which kind of explains why most of them had been unused ever since. I made three - one for each girl to use for colouring in, story writing and general written insults to each other (I take the stance that you have to embrace any writing they are doing as good practise). I've had a couple of grown up versions I've wanted to make, using favourite fabrics for specific people, and also one for myself, too. I am intending to start writing things down in a notebook (one of the three I made is for me) and the start of a year seems like as good a time as any to begin a new habit.

Even if the notebooks are only ever used for lists or handing to a small child to scribble on to buy yourself some peace when you need it, I figure beautiful stationary is always a Good Thing and worth the effort of making it if it brings you pleasure.

Here's how to make your own:

Cut a piece of fabric 40 cm by 25 cm and interface it.

Fold it around your notebook so that you get a nice snug fit, and iron the creases in place.

Hem the side seams.

Trim the top and bottom edges with pinking shears, and then you only need to turn the fabric under once.

Iron the creases at the top and bottom edges, so they creep over the edge of your notebook by about 2 mm.

Time for your best straight stitching to make a line al the way along the top and then bottom about 2 mm from the edge.

These notebooks are so simple, but only look good if the stitching is neat, so take your time over this step - any wobbly stitching will be glaring up at you as you look down at your finished notebook. Yes, stitches can either smile or glare.

Fold the side flaps under and get ready to sew as close to the edge of the doubled up fabric as you dare so that you can squish the notebook into its cover once you are done.

Again, neatness is key. And go over the start of the flap a few times so that it is strong enough to hold together.

Embellish away to your heart's content. This sentiment was bought to you by a simple chain of crochet and then hand stitched in place.

Here's another one.

 And another...

This is what else I have been making in the last week as we've all been relaxing on the sofa together watching films and eating chocolates.

The original thunder thighs version has gone down a treat with baby Charlotte. I'd like to think it is because somehow, even in her little five month old baby brain, she gets that her very own mummy took hours making it for her. But no, it is the chunky hair she likes to chew and dribble over. And the shoes. She likes those, too. I am glad I stitched them on, as otherwise that would have been an endless task putting them back on and worrying she would swallow one.

But look - just like I say to the lovely people who come on my beginners' sewing classes, you learn from mistakes and everything gets better the more you do it. Even my crochet. The second dolly looks a lot more like the one in the picture.

Writing this post has provided me with a good distraction from thoughts about the back surgery I am due to have tomorrow. And, with just half an hour to go before my midnight nil by mouth deadline, I am off to scoff some more cake before heading to bed. Good night, all.