"Quilted" Notebooks

I need a spiral notebook to write down stuff at work. Usually I just pick one up at the store and call it good, but this year I wanted something different. This is what I came up with: 

As usual, I learned a lot in making the first one, so look for updates in the future with better versions!
First I found some 6" x 9.5" notebooks at the office supply store. They did not have a glossy cover.

This one happens to be made from leftovers from harvesting sugar cane!

Select your fabric and apply Heat and Bond to the back of it following manufacturers' instructions.
For this design, cut a 2" square out of your favorite fabric. Find a pretty design and make a fussy cut!
Then cut a 2 3/4" square out of a contrasting fabric and a 4" square out of another. You will also need strips to fill in the rest of the cover.

Remove the paper from the fabric backing of the 2" and  2 3/4 " squares. Place the 3 squares together as shown.  Lightly press them to tack them in  place. Take the backing off the 4" square now.

Find the center of the notebook and center the square units on it. Now is time to iron it well. Add strips for borders as desired.
(Confession: This isn't the way I did it. This is the SMARTER way.)

This was my first effort. Though I liked the brownish fabric at first, it just didn't look good. I just cut some triangles out of white and ironed them on.

I covered the back and was done!