Modding the Moleskin

My Moleskins arrived today from MojoLondon which arrived super fast considering I only ordered them on Thursday night.



So I decided to mod the memo pockets notebook into a icPod for my new PoIC system I've been setting up this week.

Here and here is how Hawkexpress converted his moleskin pocket notebook and what I will be basing mine on. I first read how he made it and his comments.
First thing first, I cut off part of the pocket so that it was easier to see the cards, as suggested by Hawkexpress. However, as he said he wished he left a bit more of the card, I decided to not cut it half way down the page, but only take off about 2.5cm of the pages, leaving 8cm entact.


However, I immediately found two problems.... As you can see on the above photo, a) the edges were all fraying and uneven, and b) I had a big cut mark on the backing, as I stupidly didn't put a cutting matt over it.

So I decided to cut a sheet of washi paper (pink and cherry blossom patterned of course), and here is how it looked:


Then I cut 5 strips of the same paper to the side of 1cmx13.7cm (slightly shorter than the width of the diving pages), and folded them exactly down the middle lengthwise, as so:


Applied glue and stucked them each over the cut edges that was looking so rough before (but not the very front one, that's for later):


Next step, the ribbon. The moleskin pocket notebook comes with black ribbons attached to the side at the top to give the pockets some strenth. However these ribbons are taken off when you cut the top of the page. So I decided to glue another one in its place. I first applied small amount of glue on one end of the ribbon and folded a short length of the ribbon back on itself (hold it with bulldog clip while it dries). The using fabric glue I slowed glued the ribbon onto the notebook, working from the back towards the front. It will help if you get something pointy to push the ribbon into the folds. I used a embossing pen for pergamano I happen to have, but anything will do:


When you come to the front with your ribbon, glue an extra bit of the ribbon onto the front panel of the notebook. The ribbon edge doesn't have to be neat as this will get covered up next. Repeat the same ribbon sticking process on the other side:


Then you cover the front panel with the same paper as before (and fold it over the edge again):


And you're done! Here is how it looks from the top:


The notebook closed:


Side view with how the ribbons look like:


And with the index cards and dividers: