Oh how I love making a new midori for my Moleskine notebooks to mark the start of a new season.
This midori love of mine all started in Spring of this year with the very first midori, a Felt one, I made in March. I was absolutely smitten with this wonderful way to carry notebooks, ideas, all in one tidy and cute place. For Summer, I made a super bright and cheery pineapple one and I carried it around with me everywhere. I can totally relate to those people who are planner, midori fanatics. How did I live without one, organizing my schedule and creative thoughts?
For my Fall Midori, I wanted to see if I could make one that would not only hold my Moleskine Cahier Journal (Set of 3), Large, Ruled, Kraft Brown, Soft Cover (5 x 8.25): set of 3 Ruled Journals
So, I set to task with the following materials on my craft table.
Crochet iPad Mini and Notebook Midori
Materials:
Cotton Yarn in the following colors: Grey, Off White, Sea Foam, Turquoise, Kelly Green, and Navy.
Grey Felt
Size “G” crochet hook
A Typewriter Fabric Square by Melody Miller. ( NOTE: If you are interested in purchasing Melody Miller fabric, take a look at Playful Fat Quarter Bundle (0999-10) by Melody Miller for Cotton Steel
Needle and thread
Embroidery Floss
Elastic Cord
Crochet It!
First measure how large you need your cover to be. I decided that I was fine with one – two notebooks and the iPad mini. So, 13 inches across would be fine for my crochet midori cover to wrap around my notebooks. (NOTE: Feel free to adjust to what you plan to carry in your own midori.)
Ch with main color ( grey ) for cover a chain that measures 13 inches, about 50 chs or so.
Sc in second ch from hook and across, turn Sc across until the piece measures 3 inches in height. Fasten off.
With sea foam, join and sc across. Fasten off at end of row.
( NOTE: This is where I stopped for a quick break and to play with some of the lace embellishments that I was getting really excited about using to decorate my crochet midori cover. I just love this aspect of the creative process…dreamy!)
After playing with the lace trimmings, I got my head out of the clouds and back to my making!
With cornflower blue yarn, join and sc across. Fasten off at end of row.
With the kelly green yarn, join and sc across. Fasten off at end of row.
With navy yarn, join and sc across for three rows. Fasten off at end of third row.
With off white yarn , join and sc across. Fasten off at end of row.
With sea foam, join and sc across. Fasten off at end of row.
With grey, join and sc until grey part measures 2 1/2 inches.
With navy yarn, join and sc across until navy part measures 2 inches. Fasten off.
With off white/cream, crochet a Sc edging to each of the short side edges of the
crochet cover. Sc two rows. Sl st across to finish.
Measure grey felt to inside of crochet cover, allowing a 1/4 inch seam all around.
I decided to embroider the felt to add an interesting design detail. I chose green hearts to draw out the green heart on the Melody Miller typewriter fabric I decided to stitch onto the cover. (NOTE: This step is optional.)
With water soluable marking pencil, mark on felt where the hearts will be stitched.
I wanted the heart stitching to have an ombre effect, so I chose the colors below for the hearts.
With needle and green embroidery floss, begin to embroider hearts on the grey felt.
I used this embroidery tutorial to teach me the how-to of heart embroidery. ( NOTE: I had to practice on a separate piece of fabric, until I got the hang of heart stitching.)
When finished, set aside.
Take your fabric square for the front and cut out typewriter and stitch onto a contrasting piece of fabric.
Onto right side of crochet cover stitch on lace and typewriter fabric embellishment.
Sew on black buttons (optional).
With embroidered felt, stitch felt lining, right side facing outwards to back side of crochet cover. (NOTE: Keep one side of felt backing open.) Make one hole at the top of lining and another at the bottom for the elastic bands.
Cut elastic to size ( around 24 inches or so) and thread through felt.
Knot elastic bands (2) together and place knot on underside of felt lining to secure elastic bands.
Finish stitching felt lining to back of crochet cover.
Place iPad and notebook through elastic bands.
Cut 30 inches of different color of string. Secure to midori and braid the strings together. Knot at end.
Wrap braided tie around midori to hold all those precious ideas, scribblings of dreams, and stuff together. I just love a good midori, and this one has me singing like a happy lark!
Enjoy!
x-o,
Mona
This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a very small commission if you make a purchase using these links.
The commission received, makes the operation of this blog possible. Hope you understand and ask that if you are thinking of making a purchase, you’ll consider using one of the links found here on the Love2Bloom blog.
Thank you.