Notebooks

Recently over on atcsforall I saw a share on one of the threads about diy Midori notebooks, also called fauxdori. I noticed Fauxdoris on Pinterest and I must admit they had my attention because they just seem to be pretty versatile and customisable. And for someone who can make the inserts themselves customising a notebook like that is easy as pie. I already had everything in my head planned out when I saw them last year, one insert with lined paper for writing, one insert with watercolor paper for painting and drawing, maybe a plain insert. And then I had to stop myself. I am someone who starts a notebook but never finishes it, and the same goes for sketchbooks. So it would really be a shame to make a Fauxdori and then not use it, and also feel guilty about it. 

But there is something I love, and that is crafting, sewing and also in a small way bookbinding. So I put the thinking cap on before Christmas, because I needed some quick Christmas gifts for friends. This is the layering of fabric and batting, with "pockets" on the left and the right side.

This is the outer cover and scrunchie closure of one of the notebook holders I made. I made several different ones, with different fabric for the outside and the inner lining.

And another one of my notebook covers. I really like this fabric with the stained glass Iris design.

This is the inside. You can see the pockets on the left and right sides, the notebooks slip inside easily. One Notebook cover holds 4 of these 120 page notebooks, the notebooks come in lined and math versions. I chose to use these booklets because I love to write in them and I always have a stack of them lying around, they are what my kids use in school and they are quite cheap. So in a way this is my compromise between a true "Fauxdori", the urge to craft and the fact I kind of don't really need a handmade notebook. But as it turns out, I am regularly using the bought notebook in my diy holder. It could be altered with strong elastic to work like a fauxdori, and these notebooks could be used as inserts, but for now I am happy with just the way the covers work.