Midori Hibino (ミドリ hibino) is an A6-size journal that dedicates two pages, a full spread, to each day of the year (1日2ページ手帳). There are also monthy calendars at the front of the journal, and blank pages in the back. Even though the paper is thin, it certainly has a weight to it, and if you're one to paste in washi, photos and other scraps, it bulks up very fast. The PVC cover it comes with is durable enough, but I prefer a little extra protection on the exposed edges of the pages, storage for page decoration, and at least one pen loop.
To meet these needs, I've designed a cover inspired by Hobonichi's butterfly covers. This is some documentation of the process. Feel free to use and modify anything for your own needs! The pattern as-is should work with most A6 journals of a similar spine width, including the A6 Hobonichi 5-year.
A6 Cloth Covers
I made two of these, both based on hibino, though it also fits Midori's A6 three-year diary. The with of the spine between the two is similar.
Pattern
Hobonichi has the benefit of using some kind of polyester that doesn't fray, so a lot of bulk is cut down by just not finishing any edges, which you can see by pulling back the pockets. I didn't want to do that so my cover is a little bulkier than necessary. Since it's mostly just basic rectangles, the construction is simple enough that some bulk can be afforded.
I've made the cover roughly 2cm taller and 2.5cm wider than the hibino. This is approximately the same the ratio as Hobonichi 5-year and 5-year cover, and it works well. The cover needs to be a little bigger than the journal so that it's easy to put on and remove the cover, and it can shift into place properly when you open and close the journal. The left side pocket to hold the journal is about 2cm wider than the right side so that there's space for storage pockets. But if no additional pockets are added, then making the left and right the same width would be fine.
| Part | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| base | 26.7cm × 16.8cm | ×2 (outer, inner) |
| left side | 20cm × 16.8cm (+ 1cm seam allowance) | fold in half (10cm × 16.8cm) |
| right side | 16cm × 16.8cm (+ 1cm seam allowance) | fold in half (8cm × 16.8cm) |
| basic pocket | 7.5cm × 16.6cm (+ 1cm seam allowance) | fold in half (8cm × 8.3cm), hem however you'd like |
| pen loop | 8.5cm × 5cm | fold in 1.25cm from top and bottom, meeting in the center, hem and then fold in half, raw edge outward |
Pockets and Closure
There are lots of ways to go about adding more storage pockets so I've only included the measurements for a basic pocket comparable to the layered ones in Hobonichi covers, except only one.
Similarly, there are many ways to construct a closure. For butterfly-style as with Hobonichi, make two pen loops. For journals you expect to bulk up over time (typically from pasting things in or using washi tape), then the closure needs to be longer. For these I experimented with both button and magnet but personally I like the magnet more even though its more tedious to get it in.
Notes
Actually for both of these I neglected to use interfacing, ignorantly assuming the journals themselves had enough structure to support the additional cover. This is only true for the 3-year, which has a nice hardcover that I'm not even particular about covering up, or need any additional pockets or pen loops for. I think it's necessary but I didn't have any on hand for these. I'll revisit this in the future.
As for keeping the corners nice and neat and flat, topstitching is probably a good idea. Hobonichi covers definitely aren't inverted anyway so I think the best way to go about remaking it accurately would be using a stiff polyester that's easy to fold.
