DIY Faux Leather Mini Notebook Covers
This project is part of my Faux Falloween Crafting Event where I’m sharing a new Fall or Halloween Cricut craft every day for 10 days.
Learn how to make a Faux Leather Mini Notebook Covers with a Cricut
Learn how to make your own mini faux leather notebook covers using a Cricut. Use faux leather and snap closures to complete this easy faux leather DIY project. Add optional charms for extra decoration!
You can make this project with the Cricut Maker, Maker 3, Explore Air 2, Explore 3, the Cricut Joy Xtra – or any cutting machine that cuts heat transfer (iron on) vinyl.
The key to this project is using KamSnap closures for the cover, and I’ll show you how easy it is to add snaps to the notebook cover.
Ready to dive into this easy and fun project? Let’s go!
Want to watch a video tutorial instead? Check it out below!
See the full step by step video tutorial
Click the image below to watch the video on my YouTube channel, or click here.
How to make Faux Leather Mini Notebook Covers with a Cricut Step by Step
This page contains some affiliate links (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you). Read my full disclosure policy here.
Materials you’ll need to make Faux Leather Mini Notebook Covers with a Cricut
🛒 To shop many of these supplies below in my Amazon storefront, click here. 🛒
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Choose a print or patterned faux leather of your choice. All of the prints I used in this project from The Polka Dotted Peach, but you can use any faux leather you’d like.
Choose your mini notebooks for the inside, too. There are lots of fun colored and neutral options on Amazon.
Step 2: Start by unzipping the download folder. Then open a blank canvas in Cricut Design Space and upload the SVG files for this project by clicking on the Upload button on the left hand size and choosing the unzipped SVG file.
The design will load on your canvas. Click the MAKE IT button.
Step 3: When the mat preview loads, toggle the MIRROR button ON because faux leather cuts in reverse. Click Continue.
Step 4: Choose the Faux Leather (Paper Thin) setting with “more” pressure for the faux leather mat.
Step 5: Next, cut the faux leather mat. Trim your faux leather to a size just slightly larger than the shape that needs to cut.
Place your faux leather pretty side down on the purple strong grip mat and press it down firmly. Secure the edges with blue painter’s tape to prevent any movement during the cut.
Step 6: Press the Cut button to begin the cut. When the cut is finished, don’t unload the mat. Check the edge of the cut with your sharp weeding tool to see if the cut went all the way through.
If it didn’t, repeat the cut by pressing the cut button again.
Remove the faux leather from the mat and poke out the pre-cut holes. Set aside and return to Design Space to cut the heat transfer vinyl mat.
Step 7: Now add Kam Snaps to the cover to create the snap closure. Each snap requires four parts: two caps, one stud, and one socket.
Here’s a great guide on how to apply the Kam Snaps that I find super helpful to refer to. I like to take each of the four pieces out of the snaps box and line them as shown in the guide below on my work table.
Arrange your snap pieces as follows:
- Cover Tab: Cap on the outside, socket on the inside
- Cover Front: Cap on the inside, stud on the outside (with the bumps facing down)
Use your Kam Snap pliers to press each snap into place. Ensure the black part of the pliers covers the cap, and the white part presses down on the corresponding piece. Squeeze firmly to secure each snap.
Once both sides are done, fold the notebook cover and snap it closed.
Step 8: Cut a 12 inch piece of 2mm elastic cord and thread it up and down through the vertical holes down the center of the notebook cover. The cord should come out of the cover through the back of the holes.
If you are adding a charm, add a 6mm jump ring now to the top cord before folding the cover over.
Turn the cover over and place a mini notebook inside the cover. Tie the cords together in the center of the notebook.
If desired, you can add one to two more notebooks. To do this, tie another 12 inch piece of elastic around the front and back of the first notebook.
Then slide the second and third notebooks under the front and back elastics.
Finally, add an optional charm to the jump ring you’ve already threaded through the elastic using jewelry making pliers.
That’s it! The Faux Leather Mini Notebook Cover is complete!
Answers to your questions about making Faux Leather Mini Notebook Covers with a Cricut
Q: Which Cricut machines will cut faux leather?
A: You can cut faux leather with any of the current Cricut machines because they all cut faux leather with the standard fine point blade included with each machine. For this project you can use the Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Explore Air 2, the Cricut Joy Xtra, or the Cricut Joy with the 12 inch long mat.
Q: What do I need to press heat transfer vinyl onto faux leather?
A: To press heat transfer vinyl onto faux leather you’ll need a traditional heat press, Cricut EasyPress, or Cricut EasyPress Mini.
Q: How do I get the SVG template for this project?
A: The SVG template for this project is part of my Faux Falloween Crafting Event. Learn more and get all of the SVG files and tutorials for the event projects here.
If you loved this project, you’ll love these projects too:
Easy Faux Leather Pumpkin Pie Earrings with a Cricut
Will you make this project?
I would love to see what you have created! Please join my free faux leather crafting making Facebook group and share your creations with me and all of my crafting friends!
Until next time… and happy creating!
Want to remember this project? Save this tutorial to your favorite Pinterest board!
Want instant access to my Free Resource Library full of SVG files?
Just Enter your name and email Below!
By signing up, you’ll get instant access to my FREE SVG Library with hundreds of crafting SVG templates! You’ll also get my weekly newsletter full of crafting ideas, tutorials, and inspiration! Unsubscribe anytime.
Thank you for such a great project! I plan to make these for teacher gifts! The planner clips will go great with it as well! I am so excited to get started!
These would make great gifts for a girls slumber party. Cut them out and let the girls decorate them.
They are nice to put in Halloween treat bags I think
So cute and easy💜
What a fantastic, simple project! Stocking stuffers here you come! Thank you for creating the design and video.
Appreciate your thorough tutorial on putting the notebook together. I’m a visual learner.
I love these little notebooks. They will make gifts. Thanks Amy.
I am looking forward to making these later! Thank you 😊
What a great idea for using up some faux leather that you already have and didn’t have any idea what to do with it.
The prints on the faux leather are adorable.
These notebooks are so cute! Thank you Amy!
Great project and tutorial!
Cannot wait to get materials in to try this! Thanks again.
I love these so cute notebook covers and thank you Amy!
I am loving all of these projects! Thank you so much 😊
I love Halloween, I love all things paper (I may mor may not have a huge paper stash). This is such a cute project, not just with a faux leather cover, but heavy cardstock would work also. Thanks for sharing!!
Very cute notebook covers. It’s such a great idea to add some personality to an otherwise borning notebook. I can’t wait to make one.
Adorable little notebooks. Thank you, Amy!
I really like these cute little notebooks.
So excited to make some in this size!
so awesome
Love these little covers. My husband uses these mini notebooks daily to track his garden progress. The cover would be great to protect his notebooks from dirt and moisture.
Can’t wait to make some of these cute mini notebooks.
Interesting
so adorbs
I love the wide tab. These notebooks are great for gifts!
Great idea need to make one to put in my purse
I love these so much! I love that you can use different designs for the different seasons too! SO cute!
These will make adorable stocking stuffers! Looks like I’ll be busy from now until Christmas!
Includes a nice little demo on how to use Kam Snaps
I absolutely have to make several of these!!! Thank you.
these are so adorable. I bet they are a big seller
I love these little notebook covers and once again you have left me with so many ideas. I have three questions for you. First, could this pattern be enlarged to cover bigger notebooks? Second question, to make these more sturdy could we glue another piece of faux leather on the inside like we do with the keychains and stuff? Third question, if we could use the second piece on the inside could we put the elastic that holds the notebooks in between the layers of faux leather?
Hi, Tiffany! Great questions! I’ll try to answer them for you.
1. I create my patterns in pieces and then assemble them, so I’m not sure if just enlarging it as is would fit other notebooks. What I mean is the cover size may be the same but then the spine may be too wide or the tab too big/far over. I hope that makes sense. You could always enlarge the pattern in Design Space and then cut it from cardstock just to see how it fits a larger notebook in real life.
2. Yes!
3. If you did that, it might pull the glued pieces of faux leather apart from the tension of the notebooks being pulled and moved around. But you can try it.
I love the faux leather you used for this project! sooo cute!
I Love IT! I’m making these for Christmas. What an awesome stocking stuffer. I have a friend that makes beaded pens, I can give the notebook with a matching pen.
My granddaughter loves journals. She has many of them but when I show her these she will want to make a few. These can be made with all kinds of printable vinyl to make as gifts for all occasions. The charms add the perfect finishing touch.
Great idea for gifts
I love these mini notebooks they will come in handy while out making a run. I love the different themes.
I love these little notebooks and so easy to make …Thanks Amy
These are some cute mini notebook covers I’ve never made one but excited to make some now, thank you
Quick Cute little gift for children who love to write. Great for them to use at church. Great Halloween gifts instead of sweets.
These would be great also for phone numbers or to keep track of car maintenance.
Absolutely love the Faux Leather prints! They make great little notebooks.
Thanks. Very informative blog post, I learned a lot. I have not used faux leather or KamSnap closures before. I will have to try cutting faux leather on my Cricut Maker 3.
Amy you find the perfect faux leather, love the book covers 🙂
Love all the different faux leather projects available.
Cute and not complicated!
Thank you Amy for bring such a great tutor and providing so much in depth information. Love your designs, that’s why I’m a subscriber!
So freaking cute! I love those patterns!
These are going to make awesome stocking stuffers.
Another cute craft! Love all the versatility!
Of all the things I have learned from you these note books are my favorite. Thank You for all of the design, tricks and tips
These are so cute! I’m looking forward to trying them!
This would be a great gift for teachers.
Adorable notebook covers, I love these!!
I love these! Sooo many possibilities! Did you make the mini notebooks? If not where did you get them?
Amy, these are adorable and so fun!! A great practical little gift for kids. Love this!
Amy, these are adorable and so cute! Love them! They are a great practical gifts for kids. Thank you.
My granddaughter is going to love this project! ❤ She loves paper, notebooks and journals. Thank you for this
These notebook covers are so cute and make a practical gift. Such a great pattern that can be used for any occasion. Thank you, Amy! Love this project.
Love all the stuff you make!