Hello, creative friend! Are you looking for a fun and fast sewing project? Maybe you have some beautiful fabric scraps you can’t bear to part with, or you want to make a special handmade gift. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we are going to learn how to sew a fabric checkbook cover.
This project is perfect for beginners and so satisfying to make. You don’t need a lot of material, and it comes together in no time at all. You can use it for your checkbook, a small notebook, or even a pocket calendar.
Don’t worry if you’re new to sewing. We will walk through every step together. Think of this as a simple and easy-to-follow fabric checkbook cover pattern. Before you know it, you’ll have a beautiful new accessory that you made yourself!
What You’ll Need: Gathering Your Supplies
The best part about this project is how few supplies it needs. You probably have most of these things in your sewing room already. Here is a simple list of everything you will need to get started.
| Item | Size / Quantity | What It’s For |
|---|---|---|
| Outer Fabric | One piece, 7″ x 7 ⅝” | This is the pretty fabric that will be on the outside. |
| Lining Fabric | One piece, 6″ x 7″ | This will be the inside lining of your cover. |
| Pocket Fabric | Two pieces, 6″ x 7″ | These will form the two pockets that hold the checkbook. |
| Stabilizer | One piece, 6 ¼” x 6 ⅞” | This gives the cover its shape. A product like Deco-Magic is perfect. |
| Basic Sewing Tools | N/A | Your sewing machine, thread, scissors, an iron, and a fabric-safe glue stick. |
For the stabilizer, a thin but firm non-woven material works best. It gives the cover a nice, professional feel without being too stiff. If you don’t have Deco-Magic, another fusible stabilizer like Pellon Shape-Flex will also work well.
Step 1: Preparing Your Fabric and Stabilizer
Getting your pieces ready is the first and most important step. A little prep work here will make sewing your DIY checkbook cover smooth and easy.
Cut Your Pieces
First, carefully cut all your fabric pieces and the stabilizer to the sizes listed in the table above. Double-check your measurements to make sure everything is just right.
A Pro Tip for Perfect Corners
For a truly professional look, you’ll want to round the corners of your stabilizer piece. You don’t need a fancy tool for this. Just grab a bobbin or even a bottle cap, place it on a corner, and trace around it with a pencil. Then, carefully cut along the line you drew. Do this for all four corners. This simple trick makes a huge difference in the final look!
Fusing the Stabilizer
Now, take your main outer fabric piece and lay it with the wrong side (the not-so-pretty side) facing up. Place your stabilizer piece on top of it, centered. The stabilizer should have a shiny side—that’s the fusible glue. Make sure the shiny side is down, touching the fabric.
Follow the instructions for your stabilizer and press it with a hot iron. This will glue it to the fabric, making it one sturdy piece.
Press Your Pockets
Next, take your two pocket pieces. Fold each one in half the long way, so they become 3″ x 7″ rectangles. Press them flat with your iron. You will have a nice, crisp fold on one long edge and two raw edges on the other.
Step 2: Assembling Your Checkbook Cover
This is where the magic happens! We are going to layer all our pieces together like a sandwich and get them ready for sewing.
Layering the Pieces
Start by laying your main outer piece on your table with the pretty side facing up. The stabilizer you fused will be on the bottom.
Next, take one of your folded pocket pieces. Place it on the right side of the main piece. Make sure the raw edges of the pocket line up with the raw edges of the main piece. The folded edge of the pocket should be toward the center.
Now, do the same thing with the second pocket on the left side. Again, line up the raw edges. The two folded edges of your pockets should be facing each other in the middle.
Finally, place your inner lining piece on top of everything. It should cover the pockets completely.
A Secret to Keep Things from Shifting
You could use pins to hold all these layers together, but pins can sometimes create small puckers in the fabric. A wonderful trick is to use a fabric-safe glue stick! Just run a thin line of glue along the raw edges of the pockets to hold them in place on the main piece. Then, do the same for the lining on top. The glue holds everything perfectly flat and washes out later. It also dries quickly, so it won’t gum up your sewing needle.
Time to Sew!
It’s finally time to sew your fabric checkbook cover! We are going to stitch all the way around the stabilizer piece.
Take your layered project to the machine. You will be sewing with the stabilizer side facing up so you can see its edge. Here is a very important tip: do not sew right on the edge of the stabilizer. Instead, stitch about ⅛ of an inch away from the edge, on the fabric. This leaves a little extra room, so when you turn the cover right-side out, it will lay flat and not be too tight.
Set your machine to a standard straight stitch. As you sew, go slowly around the rounded corners. Using your machine’s needle-down feature is very helpful here, as it lets you stop and pivot without losing your place. Stitch all the way around your piece, overlapping your stitches where you started.
Step 3: Finishing Your DIY Checkbook Cover
You are so close to being done! These last few steps will turn your project from a stitched piece of fabric into a beautiful, finished checkbook cover.
Trim Your Seams
After sewing, you need to trim the extra fabric from the outside of your seam. Use your scissors to trim the fabric about ¼ inch away from the stitches you just made. Be extra careful around the corners. Trimming away this extra bulk is key to getting sharp, clean corners when you turn it.
Turning It Right-Side Out
This part is like a little bit of magic. Reach in between the outer piece and the lining. Gently pull the cover right-side out through the opening in the center. Don’t pull too hard!
Once it’s turned, you will need to carefully poke out the corners. You can use your finger or a special turning tool. Be gentle so you don’t poke a hole through the fabric. Your pockets and lining will now be perfectly tucked inside.
Press for a Professional Look
The final step is to give your new checkbook cover a good press with the iron. This will make all the seams flat and crisp. Fold the cover in half along the center and press it again to give it its final shape. The stabilizer will warm up and mold into the fold, helping it stay closed.
Ideas to Make Your Checkbook Cover Unique
Now that you know how to sew a basic fabric checkbook cover, you can get creative! This is a wonderful scrap buster project.
- Use a Quilt Block: Do you have a single, leftover quilt block? This is the perfect place to show it off.
- Add Embroidery: A beautiful embroidery design or a simple monogram can make your cover truly special.
- Show Off Decorative Stitches: Use your sewing machine’s fun decorative stitches to create your own unique fabric.
- Pick Bold Fabrics: A large, bold print looks fantastic on this project because you have a nice, flat area to feature it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to make a fabric book cover out of fabric?
Making a fabric book cover is very easy. It is a lot like this checkbook cover project. First, measure your book when it is open. Add extra fabric for the seams. Cut your fabric and a lining piece. Sew them together, leaving openings to slide the book cover in.
How to sew a fabric gift bag?
A fabric gift bag is a great beginner project. Take two rectangles of fabric. Place their pretty sides together. Sew along the sides and the bottom. Leave the top open. Fold the top edge down to create a small tunnel. Sew it in place. Then, thread a ribbon through the tunnel for a drawstring.
How to sew fabric that slips?
Slippery fabric can be tricky. Use a lot of sharp pins to hold it in place. A new, sharp sewing machine needle is a must. You should also sew slowly. A walking foot attachment for your machine helps a lot. It will grip the fabric from the top and bottom.
How to sew a torn cloth?
You can easily fix a small tear. Turn the clothing inside out. Place a small fabric patch over the torn area. You can use an iron-on patch to hold it. Then, use your sewing machine to stitch back and forth over the tear. A zigzag stitch works best to make it strong.
How to make a fabric table cover?
Making a table cover is mostly measuring and cutting. First, measure the top of your table. Decide how far you want the fabric to hang down. Add this measurement to all sides. Cut your fabric to this size. To finish, simply fold the raw edge over twice to create a hem. Iron it flat, then sew all the way around.
You Did It!
Look at that! You just learned how to sew a fabric checkbook cover from start to finish. It’s a fast, fun, and easy sewing project that makes a wonderful and thoughtful handmade gift for birthdays, holidays, or just because.
Now that you know the steps, you can make a whole stack of them. What fabric will you choose for your first one? Let us know in the comments below! Happy sewing