Making a removeable fabric book cover ...

A new year & I am always ready to start a new project. My visiting cousin suggested that she would like to make a fabric book cover for her boring new diary. 

She had seen inspiration for one in a book I had put out for her to browse - 

I had seen one done in a recent workshop, though I did not have the time to make one at that time so I suggested we make one together following the guidelines I could remember. It is easier to do than to explain most of the time. 

I found a length of cream calico fabric that was large enough for both our books that were a similar A5 size. 

The technique is to lay the book on the fabric so there is about 3 inches to the side for the flaps. 

The fabric to the top & bottom of the book needs to be long enough to fold over the book with extra to join it up. 

This folded up fabric will form the backing of the moveable book cover to cover up the reverse stitching once completed. 

It can be trimmed to size but better to have more than less fabric. 

We laid the book on the backing fabric with the extra fabric around & drew around the open book to get the shape of the cover that will be needed. This is the part that we will add fabric bits to & embellish. 

It is easier to work on a shape & not adding fabric to the flaps would make it easier to finish of the completed cover because it won't be too bulky. 

We used a box of my fabric pieces & decided we were not going to overthink the selections - I was drawn to the pinks that I have used in other pieces, placing a few pieces that went together & then decided on 2 different pink threads. We started stitching & did not do many photos of the early process.  

A simple running stitch is your best friend because it can be used in many ways by varying the length, the direction, the width of the stitches etc. It is a very useful starting stitch. 

I overstitched all the edges to keep the fabrics in place & to give it a form that would be sturdy for the next stage. 

Slow stitching is the term used to describe intuitive stitching, just letting the needle & thread go where it wants to, you relax. It is a known form of mindfulness, because there is no pattern to be followed, no right or wrong, just intuitive stitching. 

Slow stitching is just going where the creative process takes you, adding fabrics & stitching in any way you feel across the fabric.  It is often stitching purely for stitching's sake, it does not have to be useful or functional. 

This is a very good explanation of that slow stitching is ...

However, in our case the stitching will be part of our book cover - the stitches give it more rigidity & structure so it is very useful.

After the stitching it is time to assemble the book cover.

I first trimmed the fabric - the backing for the main part comes from folding over the additional fabric to the middle & trimming it to size with a seam allowance for the joins. Iron to the centre, pin the two pieces & then machine stitched them. 

The tube shape is turned right way around & seams pressed flat. I decided that the side flaps were too plain so I stitched some vintage linen & lace fabric to make each flap. 

The completed cover - it is a snug fit but makes the notebook look a lot brighter. 

The inside slip in side sleeve with vintage trim. 

The completed cover in vibrant colours that will be well used. 

This has been an interesting project. I used limited colours because I was working with my cousin & didn't want to be bogged down in all the details. I love adding stitching & running stitch is very versatile, & seed stitch is useful for details too. I added a few French knots too. I chose to use only 2 different threads - pale & dark pink. 

Do let me know if you are tempted to make one too or if you need any further advice. Thank you for stopping by, 

Dee 🪡🧵📍📚

A girl on the train to Settle ...

I love how being a passenger affords you the luxury of viewing passing things that you might otherwise miss, especially if that vantage point is from a train on a track up high, looking in on people's lives ... 

 

Years ago I watched a restoration programme & one of the challenges was converting a water tower in to a home. It was absolutely fascinating & I did not really take notice of the town because it was unfamiliar places so it meant little to me. 

I digress, I am getting ahead of myself, let me start at the beginning ... 

This past week, while visiting up north near the Scottish borders, the topic of the Settle to Carlisle railway came up again. The steam railway is a luxurious but expensive trip.

However (don't you love however's) I was told that the route is also served by the standard Carlisle to Leeds railway at a very reasonable cost. 

I was absolutely delighted by this news because I have always loved exploring new places. 

The Settle to Carlisle line was saved from being shelved some years back & it is an important link to the Yorkshire Dales. It is the line walkers use to access the Yorkshire Dales & they could be seen in the hills on the way. 

The lovely station at Carlisle was our starting point - it is Victorian with a domed glass roof & interesting metal supports. It is open at both ends that the lines run through. I imagine it is bracing in mid winter.  

It is the starting & end point for the Carlisle to Settle (Leeds) train trip, as well as being a major rail hub for trains heading to Scotland. The ordinary service was comfortable & we found seats with a table, the large window affording a good outlook across the changing scenery. 

It left smoothly & we were soon taking in outer Carlisle with some long gardens then out in to the open countryside. 

       

I have visited some of the places along the way - the iconic Appleby in Westmoreland where my Elective Home Education students frequent for the horse fairs. The Appleby horse fair's charter dates back to 1685 & it is held for a week every June.

The Appleby railway station was alighted by several people on their way to shopping in Leeds (judging by their attire) . It is a red brick building rather than a sandstone one & has a very long platform of 200 yards, from a time when it served some of the steam trains. 

   

The stations along the way are quaint with pretty offices & original lamp posts with the station name etched on them. They all look very inviting & are lovely to look at from the train window.  The original lamps, luggage racks, benches all give an authentic look to the stations as you view them from the train window while picking up passengers at these lovely platforms. Several had pretty Christmas wreaths hung on doors or posts & it is a welcoming look with the heritage colours. 

We passed Dent , which is known for ... 

At an altitude of 1,150 ft (350 m) and situated between Blea Moor Tunnel and Rise Hill Tunnel immediately to its north, Dent is the highest operational railway station on the National Rail network in England

       

As we alighted in Settle, I looked up & immediately recognised the restored water tower. It was one of those moments that I was not expecting & it was strange because I felt as if I knew the house so well from the programme.  

The water tower is the only one along the line to have been restored & saved & the programme followed the trials & tribulations to turn it in to a family space. 

The glass addition on the top was craned in & it must have commanding views over the whole town, the railways & the mountains surrounding the town of Settle.  Strange to see something so familiar yet unknown ... 

Settle is a pretty Yorkshire town with 76 listed buildings. It is small enough to wander around the sandstone buildings & take in the offerings. Being just after Christmas, many were closed but it was interesting never the less. 

We wandered the quiet, post Christmas streets to find a rather imposing building, The Folly which hosts a museum & a coffee shop. 

The Folly is a Grade1 listed building with thick walls, a massive staircase stretching up several floors & beautiful windows with generous sills.  Festive greenery & foliage created a welcoming space & we enjoyed browsing after our hot tea & scones. 

The museum in the same building provided some good background to an area we knew little of - a very good choice for refreshments. 

Settle railway station is particularly pretty with the name on the bench, some Christmas trees in the waiting room & shop & original luggage carts decorated. 

Being mindful of our return train times, we had a quick look around the shops & made our way back to the station, on the metal bridge, over the lines to a warm waiting room with a fire. The train was soon back & the return trip was just as lovely watching the beautiful landscape from the lofty train line as it crossed a tall aqueduct & made its way through several tunnels. 

               

After 90 minutes, we were back where we started in Carlisle. I love visiting new places & this was such a treat for me. I might be tempted to continue on to Leeds another time because I enjoyed it so much. 

I hope you are tempted to do things quite ordinary but that bring a lightness to your step & a sparkle to your eyes. 

Thank you for stopping by & spending time here. Each visit, comment or share is greatly appreciated, 

Dee 🚂🚞💺🗻⛰️🚞

2024 is almost done & dusted ...

... and just like that, another year winds down quickly & it is always a time to just take some moments to reflect on the year & how it has been. Do you find yourself evaluating how your year went? I think it is natural to review your year, mentally at least. After a year of highs & lows, striving & surviving, breathe & sit with the passing year.  

Resist the urge to hurry this year out before its time, let it linger a little longer while you think about all the lessons it has brought with it; at least 365 lessons, which is only one a day in the greater scheme of things.  Take note of the missed opportunities, the challenges, the things that did not go as planned.  

It is important that you weathered the storms with resilience & fortitude. Life will always be a series of adventures & misfortunes & none will define us indefinitely, they are just natural bumps & delays requiring adjusting to the unexpected. 

Life is meant to be experienced, not controlled so it is in the quiet moments when we catch our breath that we learn. 

Some chapters don't need revisiting, you don't need a reason for everything that happened, you don't need to untangle it all - just let it go. 

I will once again enter the new year with intent  rather than resolutions, to invite growth & knowledge in to the coming year, to ease gently in to it all.  There is no rush, it does not have to be hurried along, just a little movement towards a new day. 

As time marches on, I am aware that I have less time ahead than the time I have already lived to it is natural to guard my time & energy more.

There is a need to make sure that friendships & other relationships are on even keel & that you are not always giving more than you are receiving.  Carry the ones forward to those who loved & stood by you, who believed in you even when you didn't. They are your people, your tribe. 

Let the others go, release what no longer serves you out of courage not defeat. 

Life is never perfect, it is not meant to be; no one has it all figured out, we are all just making it up as we go along so don't let comparison be the thief of joy in your life.  Carry only the lessons forward, not the weight of them. 

I am joining a daily journaling group to give focus, reflection, & curiosity to another year, hoping it will bring clarity, freedom, purpose & understanding to my life.  Some chapters will end, because they are done, the lesson is delivered & not every thing is meant to go forward with you each year.  

Make peace with the year that is ending & look forward to the new year, trusting that you will figure it out, one day at a time ... 

Thank you to each & every one who visits my blog, however briefly & for whatever reason. May 2025 be good to you, 

Dee ⏳🕰️🥳⏰

A very special & beautiful hand beaded book ...

 I am so blessed with a lovely neighbour who is also a good friend.  We bonded over our shared love of house rabbits & looked after each others lion head rabbits when the other went away.  

Tea with Di is always special because she is a lady of many talents & is generous with her help. 

She took special beading classes for some years & her work is so intricate & beautiful. It really is something that is special to follow complicated patterns with tiny beads. Many of the items take 20-50 00 tiny beads in specific colours & she works away with a magnifying lamp & glass. 

Over the years I have been gifted some really special items & over tea this week, she popped a tiny box in my hand & in it is this most exquisite little book that is smaller than a standard match stick. 

It is the 12 days of Christmas - a miniature that is perfect. The little printable book comes with the beading pattern. You can (with glasses) read the pages & marvel at the detail. 

The book has a little gold clasp & tiny gold beads. "I pushed the boat out & ordered gold clasps" she confided. 

I feel so thankful to receive the gift of her time & her considerable skill. It is something I will treasure for ever. 

I lit the Advent candles that are still burning down & arranged my beaded ones together, giving up a thank you for friends who make you feel special & whose friendship I value highly. 

I can do many things but do not have a particularly special talent like this & pattern reading has never been my strong point. However, the gift of time is very special & I feel abundantly blessed by her immense kindness. 

I hope you have friends that embrace you with their love & thoughtfulness too, 

Dee 🎁🧵🪡🙏

And an update - the other little beaded books that Di gifted but I didn’t want to share before Christmas. Are these not adorable? 

Peaceful & Joyful Christmas wishes

Before the busyness of Christmas day, I just want to thank each & everyone who stops by, reads the updates & comments - you are all much appreciated & very welcome. 

I would love you to invite others to join my blog too - that would be a wonderful blessing for me. 

I have visited many amazing National Trust homes this December again & marvelled at the glorious decorations & trees that fill every room & space. The space that always excites me the most is cosy libraries with seats that you can sink in to & with shelves lined with the most beautiful leather books.  

However, as lovely as those are, I never lose sight of how blessed I am to have a lovely home of my own that is a motley collection of a life lived in many places, now far from where I started but I keep traces of it all about me. It will never be a show home because my life is lived with all that entails from various countries & cultures ... 

So this Christmas, be thankful for those who have made it to the festive season with you, those who will find it difficult & those who lend you their wings when yours have trouble holding you up. Not everyone wears their heart on their sleeves but everyone has things they don't speak about & that weighs heavily on their minds.  Special wishes to all with health niggles that will follow them in to the new year.

I always toast absent friends & family - they are never far from my mind & especially my Mother who was a Christmas babe. She is missed greatly at Christmas. However, there is a party up there that will be amazing because my parents are reunited ... 

I toast the land I live in & the one I came from - grateful to both for the richness in my life. 

I toast friends & family, especially the lovely daughters & their partners & family - may they always know my love goes everywhere with them. 

Have a blessed festive season, and thank you for stopping by & visiting with me. 

Dee 🌲🕯️❤️