I realized I’ve never shared what got me started making planner covers. Last year, I decided I didn’t want to buy a clear cover because I wanted something sturdier to hold my planner.
Originally, I converted a canvas bag I wasn’t using into a planner cover with a pocket. I ended up cutting the wrong part, and while I was able to finish the cover, it was bulky, not sewn particularly well, and the graphic I really liked ended up across the spine, where it wasn’t completely visible. I don’t even want to share a photo of that one, even though this blog is about the journey, including the mistakes along the way.
Next, I decided to try making a cover that hugged the planner snugly so I could throw it in my purse and not worry about it. This one I’m pretty proud of, though the final product ended up being too flimsy for what I needed.
I love Batman, and I love duct tape projects. As luck would have it, I happened to have some glow-in-the-dark Batman duct tape.
I took a piece of fluorescent poster board and went to work, using no pattern other than the planner itself. It took about 20 minutes, and I was so pleased with the result! Except I’d made one tiny mistake with the duct tape. There was an obvious (only obvious to me, of course) spot where I’d doubled up the tape, causing that one little area not to glow.
So, of course, that couldn’t stay.
I wrapped a piece of black duct tape around the cover to act as a utility belt. Then I realized I needed to find a way to hold the planner closed. I 3D printed a Batman logo using some glow-in-the-dark filament I had lying around and used a glue gun to attach it to the “belt.” Then I stuck some Velcro on the back so I could hold the cover closed.
Well…duct tape and glue guns don’t work together for very long. And self-adhesive Velcro doesn’t particularly like sticking to duct tape, either.
Thus, my goal of making something sturdy for my planner had come to an end. I’d considered removing the utility belt and just dealing with that one little spot, but of course, the duct tape wouldn’t come off without taking everything else with it.
And that became my second prototype.
Then I bought that clear cover anyway…
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