Book of Secrets...using your scraps

This is a great way to use up all those scraps of fabrics we have lying around. I’m not a person who likes to write in a journal on a daily basis but sometimes I like to save ephemera or write about a special occasion. Why not make a book of pockets where I can store all these memories? The idea came upon reading an article in Quilting Arts magazine and I modified it to discover a great way to sew all those pockets easily.

Let's get started:

Sort in four different piles similar colors of fabric scraps together. Rip in pieces of different sizes and cover 4 pieces of 9” by 12”of “Eco-felt”.

 I don’t use any spray but if you need to you can pin the pieces in place. Take them to the sewing machine and sew them any way you want trying to secure every piece.

Cut each felt lengthwise.You will end up with 8 long pieces measuring 4.5” by 12” each. This is enough for two books.

With the help of a small plate, cut one end of each strip.

On the rounded end make a small buttonhole or attach a piece of string on each end. Decorate the pockets as you wish; you can sew a paper or a small envelope or sew a piece of vinyl to make a pocket. Sew decorative yarns or flowers--this is the moment to use up all those beautiful decorations you have been saving.

Once you are satisfied with it, sew the sides.

How to make the cover
Note: This is only for one book, if you want to do two books be sure to cut double of everything!

Cut a 13" by 5" piece of Pellon 808 craft fuse and iron on a piece of fabric on the glue side. Cover the other side with a piece of paper-cloth or another piece of fabric and sew it any way you want making sure to attach securely the paper fabric or piece of fabric to the pellon, since only one side is glued down. Sew at each end a 1" by 8" piece of fabric for the closure.

How to sew the pockets the easy way

 Cut a 1” by 12” piece of fabric

Sew leaving a 1" flap, very close to the middle of one pocket, turn around and draw a line at 1" from the sewing line as the picture suggests:

Put the next pocket on the line, wrap and sew from the other side very close.

This is the look from the back side of all the pockets:

Put all your pockets sewn together on the interior of your cover and start sewing in between:
 

This is how the book looks open:

And this is the cover: