Oilcloth Binder Jacket Tutorial

This project is quick, easy, and fun. I use binders to organize everything. I keep one for recipes, one for my calendar and to-do list, another one for sewing lesson information...the list goes on. Because I use them so much, I decided those binders needed to be a little bit more fun.

Shouldn't things we use everyday be pretty and make us happy? I think so.

With that in mind, here's a new tutorial on how to make your own Oilcloth Binder Jackets. They'll add a little razzle dazzle to your plain ole 3 ring binders.

Oilcloth is awesome. It's a special type of fabric (vinyl with a cotton mesh backing) that is extremely durable. It's waterproof and can be easily wiped clean, making it PERFECT for kitchen projects.

I've been dying to get my hands on some oilcloth ever since I saw Kelly,Miss Modern June herself, at the Country Living Fair. She's the oilcloth expert and she also sells oilcloth by the yard at her other Etsy store, Oilcloth Addict. That's where I got mine.

Look at just some of the selection of oilcloth she sells. I love the vintage look of the patterns and the bright colors.

This is a great "starter project" for working with oilcloth. Let's get started, shall we?

Here's what you'll need to make an Oilcloth Binder Jacket:

• 3 Ring Binder (I used a 2 inch width)
• 1/2 yard of oilcloth
• Yard Stick or Tape Measure
• Pencil
• Painters Tape (Masking Tape would also work)
• Sewing Machine and Coordinating Thread

First, open your binder out flat and measure from edge to edge. We'll call this the width.

Add 10 inches to the width of the binder.

Next, measure your binder from top to bottom. Let's call this the height.

Add 1/2 inch to the height of the binder.

So, now you will use your yard stick to cut out a rectangle of oilcloth that is Width + 10 inches and Height + 1/2 inch. For example if your binder was 26 inches wide and 12 inches tall, you would cut a rectangle that is 36 inches by 12 1/2 inches. Make sense?

Once you've cut your rectangle for the Binder Jacket, it's time to get ready to sew! Lay the rectangle flat with the wrong side facing up. Measure 5 inches from each end of the oilcloth. 

Now tape the flap down using the painter's tape. Pins would make holes in the oilcloth, so we'll be using tape instead.

Do this to both sides.

Now we're ready to sew! You'll need to make a little adjustment to your sewing machine before you sew with oilcloth. The vinyl is a bit sticky and would cling to the metal of the presser foot.

This is our solution via Oilcloth Addict: Simply cover the bottom of the pressure foot with tape. Use an Exacto knife to cut around the shape of the presser foot.

In the picture, I didn't cover the little toes of the presser foot, but I went back and did that later. Cover your toes. It'll help.

Alright, now let's get sewing.

Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew along the bottom and top edges of  the folded-over-five-inch-flap. The sewing is a little bit tough. I had to push and pull the fabric while I was sewing because the oil cloth is so thick. It's possible, though. Don't give up! Onward and upward!

Here's the finished project. Not the prettiest stitches in the world, but mission accomplished. Trim the string-a-lings.

Now, you can slip the Binder Jacket onto your binder.

Ta-to the-Dah.

Fancy schmancy new binder.

These would be really fun for kid's school binders. You could even use the same technique to cover books. It'd be a great way to protect cookbooks from messy spills in the kitchen.

Love ya. Mean it.

Mel

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