Share the love!

Learn how to make a Faux Leather Spring Notebook Cover with a Cricut

This project is Day 9 of The Spring Fling Crafting Event!

I’m Amy Romeu, and in this tutorial I’ll be showing you how to make a faux leather spring notebook cover with a Cricut.

Follow along with this written tutorial including all the materials, SVG files, and tips you need.

Ready to get started with this beginner friendly Spring Cricut craft tutorial?

Let’s dive into the materials and steps!

Want to watch a video tutorial instead? Check it out below!

How to make a Faux Leather Spring Notebook Cover 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 a Faux Leather Spring Notebook Cover with a Cricut

🛒 To shop many of these supplies below in my Amazon storefront, click here. 🛒

Compatible Machines✅: Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Maker 4, Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Explore 4, Cricut Joy Xtra
Not Compatible Machines❌: Cricut Joy
Blade Used: Standard Fine Point Blade
Cut Setting Used✂️: Faux Leather (Paper Thin) with “More” pressure

• Faux Leather
• I used Lavender Mist and Mint Chip solid faux leathers from this collection of solid faux leathers.
• Heat Transfer Vinyl
  • Whatever you want to use! I used Siser Easyweed in Retro Mint and Cricut Foil Iron-On in Rose Gold.
• Other Project Supplies
  • 3.5 x 5.5 inch notebook inserts
  • Kam Snaps, Size 20, with Kam Snap Pliers
  • 2mm Elastic Cord
  • Floral Charms
  • 10mm Jump Rings
  • Kam Snap Pliers
  • Teflon Sheets
  • Blue Painters Tape
  • Small Curved Scissors
• Other Cricut Supplies
  • Purple Strong Grip Mat
  • Weeding Tool like a Pin Pen or like the one in the Cricut Basic Tool Set
  • Cricut EasyPress Mini
  • EasyPress Mat, 8×10 size

• The SVG template for this project is available in my shop here or inside the Spring Fling Crafting Event VIP Pass.

Step by Step Instructions

After both mats are mirrored, drag the shapes apart from the edges a bit.

For the tab closure shape, you may need to rotate the shape on your canvas if your faux leather has a print going in a certain direction and you want the print to cut in a particular way for your notebook cover.

Make a note of where you’ll need to place your faux leather on your mat so the notebook shape will cut completely.

Click the CONTINUE button.

When the material selection screen loads, click on the faux leather mat and then select the Faux Leather (Paper Thin) setting.

If you don’t have that setting bookmarked as a favorite like I do, you can click on Browse All Materials and search for it. (If you are using the Explore Air 2, you’ll need to turn your dial to Custom before you can find that setting in search.)

Then choose “More” from the dropdown Pressure menu.

Step 3 (optional)

Press heat transfer vinyl to the back of your faux leather before cutting if you want to have a pop of color inside the notebook cover.

To press heat transfer vinyl onto the back of the faux leather, cut a piece of each material so that they are the same size. Place them back to back on a heat pressing pad.

Then cover with a Teflon sheet, butcher paper or parchment paper.

Set a large EasyPress to 265 degrees for 15 seconds. Press the heat transfer vinyl all over and let it cool for about a minute.

Then carefully peel the clear carrier sheet. Let the warm sheet cool flat under something like your heat pressing pad for a few minutes before you cut it.

Step 4

Cut your faux leather mat. To do that, place your faux leather pretty side down (heat transfer vinyl side up, if you did that step) on the area of the mat the notebook cover will cut from.

Place blue painter’s tape around all sides of the faux leather. Load the mat into the Cricut and begin the cut.

When the cut is complete, before unloading the mat, lift a small edge of the cut to ensure the cut went through. Repeat the cut if needed by pressing the cut button again.

Once the shapes are cut through, remove the shape from the mat. Use a sharp weeding tool to poke through the holes in the notebook cover.

Return to Design Space and cut the heat transfer vinyl mat using the manufacturer’s recommended cut setting for your brand and type of vinyl.

Remove the vinyl from the mat and weed away the excess.

Step 5

Now it’s time to press the heat transfer vinyl design onto the front of the faux leather notebook cover.

Place your faux leather notebook cover shape on a heat pressing pad. Preheat an EasyPress Mini to the Low setting or a regular EasyPress to 265 degrees.

Place the heat transfer design on top of the notebook cover.

Be sure to check which side is the front of the notebook and make a test fold of the cover with the design resting on top before you press to be sure you like how the final design placement will look.

Then cover with a Teflon sheet, butcher paper, or parchment paper and press for about 10 seconds all over.

Slowly peel away the clear carrier sheet. If the vinyl lifts up, place the carrier sheet back down and press again.

Place the warm pressed notebook cover under your heat pressing pad for a minute so it can cool flat.

Step 6

It’s time to attach the Size 20 Kam Snaps to the notebook cover if you are making the snap closure version. If you are making the elastic closure version, skip ahead to Step 8.

Refer to the Kam Snap directions guide included with your Kam Snap set. I’ve also included a copy in your download folder.

Look for the four elements you need and take them out of the Kam Snap box.

Lay them on your work surface in the order shown on the guide: 1 Cap, 1 Stud, 1 Socket, 1 Cap.

The tab of the notebook will have a CAP on the outside and a STUD on the inside.

The base of the notebook will have a CAP on the inside and a SOCKET on the outside.

Use Kam snap pliers to press down and secure the snaps on both parts of the notebook. Watch the video tutorial for this project to see this process in action.

Step 7

Cut a 16 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 want to add a charm to the top spine of your notebook, you can slide a charm on a jump ring on the top elastic before you fold it over into the center of the notebook.

Turn the cover over and place a 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 a 12 inch piece of elastic around the front and back of the first notebook.

Slide a notebook under the front elastic loop and another under the back elastic loop.

Close up the notebook and snap the cover closed.

Step 8

If you are making the elastic loop version – cut a 30 inch piece of elastic. Fold it in half and push the ends through the center notebook hole from the outside.

Leave a loop outside the notebook that will slide over the cover – you want it not too loose and not too tight.

When the loop is sized right, tie a knot inside the notebook cover at the center.

Then add notebooks inside following the directions in Step 7.

If desired, add a charm to your elastic with a 10mm jump ring and jewelry making pliers.

That’s it! Your Faux Leather Spring Notebook Cover is complete!

Which design will you use to make your Faux Leather Spring Notebook Cover? Let me know in the comments!

Answers to your questions about making a Faux Leather Spring Notebook Cover 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, or the Cricut Joy Xtra. This project is too large for the Cricut Joy.

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. I used a Cricut EasyPress Mini for this project because it’s great with pressing small projects like earrings, keychains, and accessories.

Q: How do I get the SVG template for this project?
A: Get the SVG file from my SVG Shop here, or you can get it as part of 17 brand new Spring faux leather crafting projects in my Spring Fling Crafting Event VIP Pass.

Until next time… and happy creating!

Want to remember this project? Save this tutorial to your favorite Pinterest board!

Share the love!