Mydori

[my63]

The Elephant has been dyed black one my favourite colours it will be lined in fine black pig suede sewn together with black linen thread.

 

IMG_8264 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I am very happy with the elephant it has come out really well I think this was because the design was simple and easy to carve.

 

The dragonfly is now oxblood

 

IMG_8266 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I have to be honest I am not too happy with the dragonfly it was very difficult to carve even though my wife had simplified the design for me I will wait until it is dry and see how it looks then

 

Thanks

 

Michael

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

I think they look wonderful

[graystranger]

I just found this and have to say that your work is outstanding Michael! Well done. I love how I followed you through your succession of covers. I think your earliest covers were wonderful and your latest are fantastic. I hope there are more developments from you to come.

[my63]

I just found this and have to say that your work is outstanding Michael! Well done. I love how I followed you through your succession of covers. I think your earliest covers were wonderful and your latest are fantastic. I hope there are more developments from you to come.

Thanks for taking the time to reply it is some time since I made a notebook cover I have been concentrating on other projects

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/255117-making-a-pen-case/

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/270392-restoring-and-customising-a-briefcase/

 

These links might help you to catch up on my other projects

[erredierre]

I wanted to start my own thread to share my notebook covers so far they have all been midori style for family and friends.

This one is for my daughters friend who liked Anna's notebook so I have made her a passport size notebook.

Open book

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7040/13164966935_2fc408cc44_o.jpg

IMG_6845_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Front

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3679/13164963165_e3a8b66712_o.jpg

IMG_6843_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is the cone that covers the knots in the elastic these are made from Aztec silver what ever that is

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3703/13164954815_465073804c_o.jpg

IMG_6841_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is a little charm for the end of the page marker

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7229/13164951375_7cd29bc05c_o.jpg

IMG_6839_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I will add more covers soon

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

 

Hello,

I am from Belgium. I have recently seen one of your covers from Pen&Inkwell bloge, the green one. I would gladly know how much cost acover like that to fit Field Notes and other similar in size, and the shipping to Belgium and, eventually which choice of color is available. I would also know if the cover can be made without any type of hardware, simple and plain. Thanks

[my63]

It is some time since I made a notebook cover so I re read this thread to get re acquainted with the idea.

 

As ever I have a clear idea of what I want to make I wanted to use kip leather but it was too thin the alternative was to use a thicker leather but that does not have the same texture.

My solution is to laminate two pieces of kip together so here is the starting point

 

DSC_1664[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I am going to dye it .................................... maybe I will tell you next time.

 

Thanks for looking

[my63]

I cut the piece of leather shown above in half and then glued the pieces together before starting to apply the dye I squared up the edges but larger that the desired size.

 

I have started applying the dye for some reason I had two half bottles which I mixed and applied to the cover.

 

DSC_1666[1] by my0771, on Flickr

[my63]

To Achieve the desired colour takes time and many coats of dye. I actually stopped counting at 20 coats I think the final number must have been closer to 30 now that it has dried thoroughly I can start to restore the soft feel of the leather by adding wax.

 

This colour will continue to darken over time

 

DSC_1752[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

The inside is next

[Ted A]

I presume that only Baystate Blue can be used in that. Wow that is a beauty.

[my63]

Thanks Ted

The inside took a little time to figure out.

The inside of the front is going to be for card storage while the inside of the rear is to be for paper storage.

I started with the front.

 

This is the background leather

 

DSC_1823[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I cut some card to give an idea of the size of the card pockets.

 

DSC_1826[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is the top piece and the first pocket. the top piece provides the back of the first pocket and the first for the second all of the way down.

The end "Ts" are folded over to secure each one. In order for the ends to be folded under they have to be skived (thinned down).

 

DSC_1850[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

This knife is old but it is very sharp and I have the scars to prove it the leather is 0.7 mm thick so removing half of the thickness is very difficult.

 

DSC_1851[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

This yellow is very bright I have sewn down the right hand edge the top bottom and left edges will all be sewn when the front and back pieces are brought together.

 

DSC_1862[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[my63]

A custom notebook requires a custom pen holder this is where I started I had dyed this piece of leather at the same time as the rest of the notebook.

 

DSC_1855[1] by my0771, on Flick

 

I attached the elastic to this piece, rather than just leaving the elastic visible I made a sleeve from the yellow leather which I attached via the same stitching as the leather this allows different sized pens to be carried.

 

DSC_1869 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[my63]

The blue and yellow note book cover is coming along I have been thinking about remaking the card slots however I have not been able to come up with a better solution so I will put it together tomorrow.

 

I have accepted a commission to make a Hobonichi planner and a pen wrap the planner cover is going to have a carving of a bird on the front.

Here is my first practice piece.

 

DSC_1880[1] by my0771, on Flickr.

 

The leather is soaked in cold water and placed in a plastic sheet overnight before it is ready for carving which is done with a swivel knife.

[gordonhooker]

very nice work on these covers... thanks for sharing....

[my63]

Almost there. Today I have joined the inner and outer pieces together using latex adhesive and linen thread

 

DSC_1887[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I still need to tidy up the edges the card holder and the back section are not fixed at the inside so documents and even smaller note books may be stored behind.

 

DSC_1888[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[my63]

While I am working out the best way to finish the edges on the blue and yellow cover. I started looking through my box of templates for the hobonichi cover I have been asked to make I did not find a suitable template so I made a new one

 

DSC_1895[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

But I did find this midori style cover in red embossed nappa leather I was sure I had sold this cover

 

DSC_1896 by my0771, on Flickr

[my63]

Final pictures of the completed midori style cover.

 

DSC_1930[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

DSC_1934[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

DSC_1938[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[stonezebra]

Love the blue-yellow color scheme. And the yellow stitching and ...... well all of it! Is this a cover for your own use or a commission?

[my63]

Thanks Stonezebra

It is one of my favourite colour pairings. The case is a commission for a Lady in the USA who bought the blue and yellow pen case and wanted a midori style notebook cover to go with it.

The blue is actually a turquoise dye with more than 25 coats to get the colour the phone pictures do not do the colours justice as the yellow really pops.