Hi all! Terri from Lizard Creek Quilting here. Today, I am going to help you create some DIY organization (and handmade gifting) with these super speedy composition journal covers. Composition notebooks are something I use on a daily basis, as I still like to go old school and write out my thoughts with paper and pen. Customizing these gifts will be easy with the GO! Classic 2" Alphabet Uppercase die (55559). Let's get started!

Dies Used:

GO! Qube English Paper Piecing-1" Finished Sides (55825)

• GO! English Paper Piecing-Half Hexagon 1" finished sides-Fabric #55828
• GO! English Paper Piecing-Half Hexagon 1" finished sides-Paper #55829
• GO! English Paper Piecing-Equilateral Triangle 1" finished sides-Fabric #55830
• GO! English Paper Piecing-Equilateral Triangle 1" finished sides-Paper #55831
• GO! English Paper Piecing-Diamond 60 degree 1" finished sides-Fabric #55832
• GO! English Paper Piecing-Diamond 60 degree 1" finished sides-Paper #55833

GO! Classic 2" Alphabet Uppercase (55559)

 

Materials Needed:

• Light gray: ⅓ yard
• Medium gray: ¼ yard
• Dark gray: 10" x 10" square
• 6 Assorted colors: Fat Quarter each color
• Lightweight batting: 11" x 17"
• Cardstock
• Heavy weight thread for big stitch quilting (I used Aurifil 12 wt)
• Fusible web: ¼ yard
• Optional: Glue basting pen

Cutting:

Wreath Cover:

• 6 pink and 6 green diamonds
• 12 cardstock diamond
• 6 blue equilateral triangles
• 6 cardstock equilateral triangles

 

Diamond Stack Cover:

• 2 pink, 2 green and 1 orange diamonds
• 5 cardstock diamonds
• 4 dark blue and 4 light blue half hexagons
• 8 cardstock half hexagons

 

Remaining units for 2 journal covers:

Light Gray:

• One strip 10½" x width of fabric (WOF) subcut into two 10½" x 10" rectangles, two 10½" x 3½" rectangles and four 10½" x 4½" inner flap rectangles

Medium Gray:

• One strip 3½" x WOF, subcut into two 3½" x 10½" rectangles

Assorted Color:

• Two 10½" x 16" inside lining

Assembly:

Use preferred method for basting the fabrics to the cardstock pieces. Refer to the pattern booklet in the English Paper Piecing Qube for amazing instructions regarding basting and stitching the shapes. 

 

Arrange and sew units following photos into the wreath and diamond stack motif.

 

Step by step videos can be found HERE.

 

Stitching the units together was so relaxing! A bamboo point turner was used to remove the cardstock pieces The die cut hole made this process a snap!

 

Pin and sew light gray and medium gray cover rectangles together as shown with a ¼" seam. Press seams open. Make one cover unit for each journal.

 

Layer cover unit with batting. Place English Paper Pieced motifs as desired. Secure to cover unit with narrow zig zag stitch using invisible thread.

 

Quilt around motif through cover unit and batting with a 12 wt thread.

 

Die cut appropriate letters for the gifts. Remember to place fabric right side to die board so the letter will be facing the correct direction! Fuse letter in place on journal cover. Secure with narrow zig zag stitch using invisible thread.

 

Press a ¼" double fold hem along one long edge of each inner flap rectangle. Stitch hem down. Layer journal cover right side up, inner flap right side down on each edge and lining right side down. Pin all layers together. Stitch around perimeter leaving 3" unstitched.

 

Turn cover right side out through unstitched opening. Press edges well. Hand-stitch opening closed.

 

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart." William Wordsworth

 

I hope this inspires you to create some journal notebooks for those you love this holiday season. I would love to see your finished project so be sure to share your creations with us on social media. Tag me @lizardcreekquilting and @AccuQuilt on Instagram and always use the #AccuQuilt hashtag so we can see them! If you're not on Instagram, share with us on Facebook, too! Give us a follow while you're there and you'll be the first to know what we're making.

 

Peacefully Quilting,

Terri