Mydori, Or My Fauxdori - Handmade Mtn

[TeaHive]

I just discovered the wonders of Midori and fell absolutely in love with everything about it! Except the price. Wowee! So I tucked the idea in the back of my mind before going to my local Hobby Lobby, thinking I could make a cover with some stiff felt or leather, if they had any.

 

The felt was a flop--literally, there was only soft flimsy felt--but I found a piece of 8.5" x 11" veg-tan tooling leather, found some elastic cord, picked up some scrap leather for good measure, and went home to create.

 

Because I already had the paper, clips, beads, pendants, and hole punch at home, this only cost me $15.00 to make. Now those are some savings I can croon to.

 

Here are the results:

 

 

 

 

Inside the front cover:

 

 

 

Inside the back cover:

 

 

 

I used two elastic cords in the middle, so I can put six booklets/signatures in, depending on paper weight. Right now, I have three signatures, seven sheets each (for 84 total front-and-back pages), of some Hammermill Coverstock Bristol, which I use for drawing paper. Next time, I'll have to cut the width just a bit shorter, so the edges don't peak out so much. But I still like the rustic look.

 

In THEORY, making use of two smaller inside bands resulting from weaving the elastic in and out, I could fit up two twelve booklets/signatures. It would have to be pretty thin paper though, either Tomoe River or tracing, with stiff covers to keep the paper from getting crumpled up. Wouldn't that be something, though? Quite the chunk-book!

 

I'm also going to be buying some Clairefontaine notebooks, sized 4.25" x 6.75" to fit onto the empty main strap, so I'll have writing and sketching all in one book. Yay!

 

I made little origami pocket corners for the covers, and stuck them on with some glue-dot adhesive that comes on a tape roller (Herma). It seems to hold them in well enough, for now. No telling how long they'll stay in though. Suggestions for a light adhesive that sticks to leather would be much appreciated!

 

The scrap leather I mentioned was used with a binder clip to make the pen loop. I made it big enough to fit a Noodler's Neponset, my widest pen, but any pen that's slimmer that has a good clip will stay in place as well. The extra binder clips are to keep pages open flat while doing artwork.

 

I'm excited to fill this baby up!! And when I do, I'll coptic-bind the signatures together into books, put them on my shelf, and admire them for years to come. <3

[Hallel]

Very nice. I would be interested in seeing how the leather wears. And $15 is a far cry from $60 so good job!

[slippery when wet]

Great effort TeaHive and your Parker 51 Vac caught my eye. The origami corner sleeves have my interest, is there a reference to the way you make them somewhere?

[Joe in Seattle]

Very nice. Love the fabric pockets

[TeaHive]

Very nice. I would be interested in seeing how the leather wears. And $15 is a far cry from $60 so good job!

 

I just coated the front with a beeswax/oil bar, and it looks like it's a shade or two darker, but still the fawn color. I'm looking forward to seeing how it changes with use!

 

For the origami pockets, I used the basic tutorial from this link: http://www.ctbakerintheacres.com/2012/02/14-lovely-days-day-2.html It's for "monster" bookmarks, but I just left out the rest of the steps after folding, and tucked the last corner inside to make these pockets. The origami paper I got from Barnes & Noble some time ago! But you can always use a square of whatever paper you wish.

 

Thanks all for the kind compliments!

[webgeckos]

Really nice!

[flummoxed]

Congratulations! That looks nice. I might have to end up making something that is inspired by the Midori as in tired of carrying a Kindle, passport/ticket holder/case and a notebook everytime I travel. I've only heard about the Midori recently and fallen in love with the idea, it's a shame I can't buy it locally. I think I can get a hold of some processed leather, it would be really great if you could post some of your sketches/measurement markers for the holes and bands for me to follow suit.

[PaperDarts]

That's really impressive - beautiful and functional! I love the origami corners.

[fireant]

Great effort TeaHive and your Parker 51 Vac caught my eye. The origami corner sleeves have my interest, is there a reference to the way you make them somewhere?

 

 

I love your fauxdori, especially the origami corners as well! I also like your pen loop.

 

Bravo!

[TeaHive]

For measurements, just to either side of the center of the spine, I put the topmost and bottom-most holes 1/4" from the edges of the leather, about a 1/4" apart from side to side. The top and bottom holes were the only ones I measured, haha. The inner set of holes are about an inch further in from those. The paper I cut is 7 1/2" x 10", to make 7 1/2" x 5" signatures when folded. But I'm thinking I need to cut it to 7 1/2" x 9" so that the edges don't stick out so much from the cover next time.

 

If you were to punch your top and bottom holes further in from the edge, or closer, it will affect your paper size, so you can make it fit slightly shorter or longer books. For the size of the leather I purchased, I could have trimmed it in half and made two pocket-sized Fauxdori!

[TeaHive]

Thanks again to all for the kind words. Y'all are making me blush over here!

[flummoxed]

Thanks for the details, will give it a shot soon.

[pen2paper]

Blush some more.. I love this. So clever.

Every thing about this is useful, charming, and very nicely made.

[TeaHive]

Aww, thanks!

[pepsiplease69]

This is AWESOME!

 

I didn't know they sell leather at Hobby Lobby. I have to check them out.

 

I tried to ask the person on the phone when I called Hobby Lobby: Does this leather get darker and develop a patina as it ages, and they didn't know.

 

Would be interested to find out how yours is getting on.

[visvamitra]

Cool !

[TeaHive]

Thanks!

 

As for the leather darkening, it will darken with sunlight and the oils in your hands overtime, or from purposely oiling and tanning it. It's a good idea to coat the veg-tan leather with some kind of leather sealant or protector to help it from getting dirty, and to keep the leather soft and pliable (it was once skin, after all, and needs to be cared for, or it will get dry and brittle/flaky.)

 

I used a homemade lotion bar that I use on my own hands to treat my Mydori cover--the lotion bar is made with equal parts beeswax and coconut oil. So far, no real color change. Maybe a shade or two darker just from being moisturized. But it feels, looks, and smells good. I imagine the more I take it out and about, and the more applications of the wax/oil, it will eventually darken.

[GatzBcn]

This is lovely!! Is this chiyogami paper?

[TeaHive]

This is lovely!! Is this chiyogami paper?

 

 

Thanks! The origami corners are indeed made of chiyogami.

[pepsiplease69]

Thanks!

 

As for the leather darkening, it will darken with sunlight and the oils in your hands overtime, or from purposely oiling and tanning it. It's a good idea to coat the veg-tan leather with some kind of leather sealant or protector to help it from getting dirty, and to keep the leather soft and pliable (it was once skin, after all, and needs to be cared for, or it will get dry and brittle/flaky.)

 

I used a homemade lotion bar that I use on my own hands to treat my Mydori cover--the lotion bar is made with equal parts beeswax and coconut oil. So far, no real color change. Maybe a shade or two darker just from being moisturized. But it feels, looks, and smells good. I imagine the more I take it out and about, and the more applications of the wax/oil, it will eventually darken.

 

 

Hi TeaHive.

I stopped by the HobbyLobby near my work here in Concord. I checked out their leather options but they had leather sheets in small sizes. Biggest one is 8" x 10" and they didn't have them in the color I was looking for.

 

I picked up a larger leather sheet that was not cut to size, but it was a lot thinner and a bit flimsy for using as a leather Midori style cover. I want to make one for my A5 sized Clairefontaine or Fabriano notebooks.

 

While I was there I also got a tool to punch holes into leather and some elastic lace. But I think I'll return this leather and go for something thicker.

 

I'm thinking about this one on amazon:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Scrap-Leather-Medium-Brown-Cowhide/dp/B006UUHUDO/ref=pd_sbs_ac_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Y9XBEDG66E3ZNYK1DWV

 

I might also check Michaels or Joannes craft stores to see if they have any I like.