VERSION N°1 - SIMPLE AND ELEGANT SEAMLESS
SUPPLIES IN DETAIL:
To complete this tutorial, you will need:
- 1 piece of fairly firm leather, about 1.4 mm thick
Size estimate: one piece of 20 x 30 cm for an A6 notebook, one piece of 30 x 40 cm for an A5 notebook. One leather skin for an A4 notebook (approximately 0.40 m2) . - 1 VELVET suede pigskin crust skin (approximately 0.30 m2) .
- 1.50m of elastic cord - Diameter 1.5 mm
- 1 clip for leather loop
- Neoprene glue
OPTIONAL: Tokonole leather finishing eraser OR edge finishing
And the following material:
- 1 cutter
- 1 corner template
- 1 pressure roller
- 1 round cookie cutter Ø 2 mm and Ø 3 mm
Little extras
Using the 4 elastic bands inside you can slip in several notebooks, a passport or even add our transparent card holder (on sale on our website - Ref. ) ! You can also personalize your leather with a marking or add a piece of tricolor ribbon.
Video
1. Patronage
Calculating dimensions : Ideally, you should add at least 1 cm of margin in height (i.e. 0.5 cm at the top and bottom) and add 2x the width and 2x the thickness + 7 cm. We recommend testing before cutting.
For A6 format:
Our notebook is 10.5 x 14.8 cm and 1 cm thick.
For the height: add 1 cm margin (i.e. 15.8 cm height in total).
For the width: 30 cm will be necessary ( 10.5 + 10.5 +1 +1 + 7 = 30 cm ). These 30 cm include the internal return (small flap) of approximately 6 cm.
Our cutout therefore measures 15.8 cm x 30 cm. This version fits into a piece of leather measuring 20 x 30 cm.
SMALL LEATHER TAB (on the front of the notebook).
There is also a second piece of 9 x 2 cm to cut from the leather scraps.
For A5 format:
Our notebook is 14.8 x 21 cm and 1 cm thick.
For the height: add 1 cm margin (i.e. 22 cm height in total).
For the width: 39 cm will be necessary ( 14.8 + 14.8 + 1 +1 + 7 = 39 cm ). These 39 cm include the internal return (small flap) of approximately 6.5 cm.
Our cutout therefore measures 22 cm x 40 cm. This version fits into a piece of leather measuring 30 x 40 cm.
SMALL LEATHER TAB (on the front of the notebook).
There is also a second piece of 9 x 2 cm to cut from the leather scraps.
AS AN ASIDE
Do you have an A5 notebook and want a notebook cover that's effortless and affordable? Treat yourself to one of our leather die-cuts!
For A4 format:
Our notebook is 21 x 29.7 cm and 1 cm thick.
For the height: add 1 cm margin (i.e. 31 cm height in total).
For the width: 51 cm will be necessary ( 21 + 21 + 1 +1 + 7 = 51 cm ). These 51 cm include the internal return (small flap) of approximately 6.5 cm.
Our cutout therefore measures 31 cm x 51 cm. This version fits into a leather skin of approximately 0.40 m2.
SMALL LEATHER TAB (on the front of the notebook).
There is also a second piece of 9 x 2 cm to cut from the leather scraps.
For the health record and the pocket book we have chosen version No. 2 with sewing (a little further down in the blog article) but you can very well make a health record cover or a book cover without sewing (version No. 1).
- For a paperback cover (11x18 cm and approximately 350 pages - or 2 cm thick) you will need a piece of approximately 19 x 35 cm and a tab of 2 x 13 cm.
- For a health record book cover (15 x 21 cm and approximately 104 pages - or 0.7 mm thick) you will need a piece of approximately 22 x 40 cm and a tab of 2 x 9 cm.
2. Cut the leather
Using a craft knife (and a new blade), cut out the main rectangle according to the calculated dimensions. Then, also cut the tab from the remaining scraps.
3. OPTION: nourish the leather
If you choose natural vegetable-tanned leather, as in our A6 notebook example, we recommend conditioning the leather with neatsfoot oil. The oil will soften the leather, provide a light layer of protection, and give it a slightly darker shade.
If your leather has mineral tanning or has already been finished, we recommend skipping this step.
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4. Lining the leather with suede
Cut a piece of suede pigskin slightly larger than the main piece. Apply contact cement to the back of the suede pigskin and the back of the leather piece. Wait a few moments for the glue to soak in, then laminate.
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Flatten the collage using a pressure roller.
5. Overcut the leather
Trim the excess suede leather: cut edge to edge using a rotary cutter.
6. Round the corners
Using a template (paper or plexiglass) , round off the corners of the main piece and the tab. Here, we made 8 mm corners.
7. OPTION: work the slices
Optionally (for a more finished result) it is possible to work the edges of the leather.
For vegetable tanned leather:
- Flatten the leather edges.
- Sand the edges with an abrasive sponge or a sanding block (always in the same direction) .
- Apply Tokonole (finishing eraser) to the edge and rub briskly with a cotton cloth or smoothing pad.
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For mineral tanned leather: work the edges with an edge finish (paint).
8. Mark the folds
Take the notebook and place it in the piece of leather: leave about 5 mm of margin all around the notebook. Mark the folds where you want to close the notebook. Use a smoothing tool if necessary.
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9. Attach the elastic
Close the notebook cover and mark a dot in the center of the back of the notebook cover.
Make a Ø 3 mm hole at this location.
Mark the location of the staple legs on each side of the Ø 3 mm hole.
Then make 2/3 mm slits at the markings with a cutter.
Take the tab and make a Ø 2 mm hole at each end of it.
Take an elastic band about 40 cm long and pass it through the holes at the ends of the leather tab.
Fold the elastic in half and pass it through the hole, making sure that both ends are inside the notebook.
Tie a loose knot and check the size by closing the booklet. Adjust the size of the elastic and tie a tight knot.
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Insert the staple into the slots made previously, then fold down the legs of the staple, taking care to wedge the elastic underneath.
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Cut off the excess elastic.
10. Put the elastic bands in the middle
On the edge of the notebook: mark a first point 1 cm from the edge, then a second 2 cm from the edge. Do the same for the bottom of the notebook: a first point 1 cm from the edge and a second point 2 cm from the edge.
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Drill Ø 3 mm holes at these locations.
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Take 40 cm of elastic. Pass the elastic through the first hole (from the inside), then through the second hole. Go to the third hole and out through the last hole. Bring the two ends of the elastic together and tie a double knot.
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Add several elastic threads depending on the number of elements to be fixed in the notebook (here we used 2 elastics of 40 cm) .
11. OPTION: customization
Please note that cold stamping is only possible on vegetable-tanned leather.
Personalize the notebook with marking either on the tab or directly on the leather.
SEE THE LEATHER MARKING GUIDE >
Here we marked a small heart with a stamp (after having evenly moistened the leather) .
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You're done!
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Here is the result for an A5 notebook and leather from our SAUVAGE range:
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VERSION N°2 - WITH SEWN FLAPS
This version allows you to tuck notebook/book or health record covers into the flaps. This version is sewn by hand or with a sewing machine.
Book Cover Video
Health record cover video
The necessary equipment
- 1 piece of leather approximately 1.2 mm/1.3 mm thick, half-soft, half-firm - Minimum size for a health record or paperback: 30 x 40 cm. For our examples we have selected leathers from the SATINATO and SATINLYS ranges.
- 1.50m of elastic cord - Diameter 1.5 mm
- 1 clip for leather loop
And the following material:
- 1 cutter
- 1 round cookie cutter Ø 3 mm
- Machine sewing or hand sewing thread
1. Patronage
Calculation of dimensions:
Height : height of the notebook/book + 1.4 cm (+7 mm at the top + 7 mm at the bottom).
Width : (width of the notebook × 2) + thickness of the notebook + 13 cm flap.
Example for a health record:
The health book is 15 x 21 cm and 0.7 mm thick.
For the height: 21 + 0.7 + 0.7 = 22.4 cm
For the width: 15 + 15 + 0.7 + 13 = 44 cm.
Our leather rectangle is therefore 22.4 cm x 44 cm. This version just fits into our 30 x 40 cm pieces (it is possible to reduce the size of the flaps or to select a hide of approximately 0.40 m2).
SMALL LEATHER TAB (on the front of the notebook).
There is also a second piece of 9 x 2 cm to cut from the leather scraps.
Example for a 350-page paperback:
The book is 11 x 18 cm and 2 mm thick.
For the height: 18 + 0.7 + 0.7 = 19.4 cm
For the width: 11 + 11 + 2 + 13 = 37 cm
Our leather rectangle is therefore 19.4 cm x 37 cm. This version fits into our 30 x 40 cm pieces.
SMALL LEATHER TAB (on the front of the notebook).
There is also a second piece of 13 x 2 cm to cut from the leather scraps.
2. Cut the leather
Cut out the main rectangle according to the calculated dimensions, then cut the tab from the remaining scraps.
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3. Form the flaps
Mark two reference points: one at 6 cm and another at 12 cm, at each end of the main piece. Be sure to check that the length of the flaps is correct by positioning the book or notebook before gluing.
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Form the folds using a smoothing tool and a ruler/set square.
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Apply contact glue to the 6 cm of the fold and the following 6 cm, in order to have glue on both sides to be joined.
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Form the flap by folding the leather over about 6 cm on each side.
4. Sew the lengths
Sew the top and bottom lengths of the notebook cover 3/4 mm from the maximum edge.
Also make a decorative seam all around the tongue 3/4 mm from the edge. This tongue can be doubled (leather on each side) to have a little more hold.
5. Attach the elastic
Close the notebook or book cover, then mark a point in the center of the back.
Drill a Ø 3 mm hole at this location.
Mark the location of the staple legs on each side of the Ø 3 mm hole.
Then make 2/3 mm slits at the markings with a cutter.
Take the tab and drill a Ø 2 mm hole at each end.
Take an elastic band about 40 cm long and pass it through the holes at the ends of the leather tab.
Fold the elastic in half, then thread it through the back hole, making sure both ends come out inside the notebook.
Insert the notebook/book into the notebook cover. Tie a loose knot at the end of the elastic and check the size by closing the notebook. Adjust the size of the elastic and tie a tight knot.
Insert the staple into the slots made earlier, then fold down the tabs, tucking the elastic underneath.
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Cut off the excess elastic.
6. Put the elastic in the middle
On the edge of the notebook: mark a first point 1 cm from the edge, then a second 2 cm from the edge. Do the same for the bottom of the notebook: a first point 1 cm from the edge and a second point 2 cm from the edge.
Drill Ø 3 mm holes at these locations.
Take 40 cm of elastic. Pass the elastic through the first hole (from the inside), then through the second hole. Go to the third hole and out through the last hole. Bring the two ends of the elastic together and tie a double knot.
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Add several elastic threads depending on the number of elements to be fixed in the notebook (in our examples, we used 2 elastics of 40 cm).
11. OPTION: customization
Personalize the notebook with a marking, either on the tab or on a small piece of vegetable-tanned leather.
SEE THE LEATHER MARKING GUIDE >
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To be able to "carry" a vital card, we have slipped a transparent card holder into our book covers:
You're done!
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