Day-Timer DIY make your own daytimer cover

DIY! Do it yourself. Here's how to make a cover for your compact Day-Timer (daytimer) wirebound  filler notebooks, the 3 x 5 inch size. Day-Timer is a popular brand of day planner or daybook. I used them back in the pre-phone days, and recently realized that you can do things with a little notebook that you can't with a phone, so I shelled out for a year's worth of wirebound filler notebooks, 2 pages per day. I wouldn't call this a hack; it's just a do-it-yourself cover.

The Day-Timer company wants an arm and a leg for a leather cover and not much less for a "bonded" leather one. They don't sell cheapo vinyl ones any more. THIS design costs less than $2 and will protect your notebook and fit in your pocket or purse.

The cover sewed together. Large rectangle, narrow rectangle,
large rectangle with slightly smaller pocket

How the pocket works

Day-Timer filler in cover

1. Get a sheet of 7 squares/inch needlepoint plastic mesh from Joann.
2. Cut two pieces 35 x 23 squares, making sure to leave the edge on. See enlarged picture to the right below. Scissors work.
3. Cut a piece 35 x 20 squares.
4. Sew the smaller piece (35 x 20) to the edge, top, and bottom of one of the large pieces for a pocket.
5. Cut a piece 35 x 3 squares.
6. Sew the edges so that the narrow piece is the spine and the other two pieces are the cover. Make sure the inner (open) edge of the pocket is toward the spine.
7. Slip the back cover of the notebook into the pocket.
8. Decorate as desired. You could do actual needlepoint on this (there is enough space vertically) or sew beads on especially if you use 10 to the inch mesh.

Cut so that the edge is smooth.