Clover Needlecraft

Binder Pages, Pockets & Greeting Cards – Sewing Project

Dori Troutman

Hello friends! Have you started your list yet on who you are going to write a sweet note to this month? I’ve got my list in place for February and I’m so excited to get some note cards dropped in the mail. I’m determined to stay committed to my goal of keeping in touch this year!

This is part 2 of our binder series and if you missed my post a couple weeks ago how to make a beautiful custom cover for a binder, you can read it here. But today I’m so excited about this next step! We are going to be making a really beautiful pocket page for our home made cards as well as our calendar pages where we can keep track of who we plan to write to each month! 

This is another great tutorial with a lot of pictures and step by step instructions. Don’t be intimidated by the number of steps… that’s just to make it easier for you! 

Necessary Supplies:

Instructions for Binder Pocket Page:

Step 1: Fabric Selection: In my last post (here) when we made the Binder Cover I talked about the option of piecing the cover with fabric scraps in any design that you would like. So once again you have that option for the front of the Binder Pocket. If you choose to go that route you will piece your fabric scraps however you would like, ending with an approximate size of 8″ x 10″. 

Or you can make it simple with one piece of fabric for the front that contrasts with the back of the pocket. Or you can even go simpler than that and have all four fabric pieces be the same!

Step 2: Cut fabric and interfacing as follows:

Step 3: Adhere interfacing to the wrong side of your pocket front fabric and to the wrong side of two of the other fabric pieces. Press with hot iron until fully adhered.

Step 4: Optional: If you would like to embellish the back of your pocket this is the time to do that. I used some left over selvedge that I cut to fit and sewed that in place. If you do choose to embellish your pocket back, be sure it is something that lies flat.

Step 5: Take two of your pocket back pieces and place them right sides together (make sure both of these have interfacing on the back). Use Wonder Clips to hold them in place. Sew a 1/4 inch seam around three sides, leaving the bottom open. Carefully clip the corners and then turn the pocket back right sides out. Carefully push the corners out. Fold the bottom opening 1/2 inch to the inside of the pocket back. Press firmly in place. Do NOT sew closed. Set aside for now. 

Step 6: Take your front pocket piece and turn it over with wrong side facing up. Using a ruler and a fabric pen you will place two marks as follows: On the upper left side you will measure from the top and place a mark at 1 inch. Then you will measure from the upper right side and place a mark 5 inches from the top. Then you will take your ruler and draw a diagonal line from one mark to the other. 

Step 7: Place the marked pocket front on top of the remaining pocket back piece; right sides together. Carefully place your ruler on the marked diagonal line and use a Rotary Cutter to cut through both pieces of fabric. Use Wonder Clips to hold the pieces together. 

Step 8: Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the three sides, leaving the bottom open. Carefully clip the corners and turn the pocket front to the outside. Push the corners out and press. Fold the bottom edges 1/2 inch to the inside and press in place. Do NOT sew the opening closed at this time.

Step 9: Place pocket front on top of pocket back, line up the bottom edges and use Wonder Clips to hold in place. I used a lot of Wonder Clips along the bottom since those edges are open I didn’t want any slippage as I sewed. (*NOTE: Wonder Clips are really amazing for a project like this because it is just thick enough that trying to hold it in place with pins is very difficult.)

Step 10: Sew pocket front and back together using a 1/8 inch top stitch seam along the three sides of the pocket front. Be sure to leave the diagonal top open, as this creates your pocket.

Step 11: Now that your pocket page is complete you will mark it for punching holes so that it will fit on the binder rings. Place a ruler next to the pocket and starting from the top edge place marks at 1.5 inches, 4.25 inches, and 7 inches. Use your fabric marker pen to make the marks very clear. Set this aside for now, we will punch the holes later.

Instructions for Binder Calendar Pages:

Step 1: To print your calendar pages, you will go to the link here. Print, on white card stock, as many months as you plan to put in your binder. After printing, you will trim your pages to 5″ x 8″. (*NOTE: I save dull rotary cutter blades and use them for cutting paper and card stock! Do not cut with a sharp blade or it will instantly be dull.) Cut 13 pages of colored card stock paper 6.25″ x 8.5″. Set both calendar pages and colored card stock pages aside for now. 

Step 2: Using fabric scraps, cut 26 strips 3/4″ x 8.5″. Do the same using Clover Wonder Fuse. Now you will adhere the Wonder Fuse to the back of your fabric strips simply by pressing with a hot iron. Set aside to cool.

Step 3: Remove the paper backing from the fabric strips and place them alongside the long edge of your colored card stock. Using a warm iron, press them to the paper. (YES! You can iron to paper!) It only takes a few seconds to adhere to the card stock. Repeat on the front and back of each piece of card stock, making sure that the card stock is sandwiched between two fabric strips. Now you will set your sewing machine to a zig zag stitch and you will sew the fabric strips to the card stock. If you’ve never sewn on paper before you will love this step! Sew both edges of the fabric strips. If you have placed your fabric correctly, when you sew the front strip, you will be sewing the back strip at the same time!

Step 4: Using any method of glue or tape that you prefer, adhere all calendar pages to the card stock. You will be adhering to both the front and the back. I laid mine out on the table as I went so that I adhered them properly. There are no month names on these calendar pages yet, so there is no order that they need to go at this time. After you have all the pages complete you will now mark along the fabric edge the same way you marked the pocket page: using your fabric pen mark from the top edge down: 1″, 4.25″, and 7″.

Step 5: We will now be punching holes through the fabric and card stock so that you can place these pages in your binder. I have an eyelet punch and setter but there are many ways that you can do this. A good sharp hole punch will work for this as well. You would not even necessarily need to use any eyelets as the fabric makes the card stock stronger and will not tear out of the binder. Do the same with your completed pocket page. (Hint: Clover Scissors are sharp enough that you can actually punch and cut the binder ring holes with scissors.) 

Now lets quickly make some super fun home-made cards! I’ve been making little greeting cards like this for years and they are always, always a big hit. 

Instructions for Greeting Cards:

Step 1: Cut white card stock exactly in half measuring 8.5″ x 5.5″. Cut as many as you plan to make. Place a ruler at 4.25″ of each card and using the Clover Hera marker simply run a line along the ruler. This creates an amazing fold line. Fold your card in half and run the flat edge of the Hera Marker along the fold. This makes a very crisp fold edge.

Step 2: Cut fabric scraps 1″ wide x any length that you want. Open up your card and place these on the front in any layout that you’d like. Carefully lay your card on your sewing machine table and sew in place with a straight stitch! It’s simple, it’s fun and the end result is so custom! Let your creativity shine through on this step and don’t strive for perfection! You’ll be amazed at how sweet these cards are! Clip your threads and your cards are good to go! 

I purchased envelopes off of Amazon here and they fit these cards perfectly. Tuck them in your binder pocket page and they are ready for your month of note writing. 

Here is my tip on writing notes: they don’t have to be long, they just have to come from the heart. Sometimes a few sentences is all that you need to make someone’s day.

Thank you so much for following along as we create beautiful binders to help us keep in touch this year! 

In two weeks I’ll be back here with the final step in this little Binder series! 

~ Dori ~

Catch up on the series here: 

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