Place the Outer and Lining pieces RST.Place each folded Pocket on the right side of the Lining being sure to match raw edges.Topstitch the trim and the pleat in place.Remove the backing from the Wonder Tape and position your trim on each side.Fold up each edge of the pleat and place a strip of Wonder Tape close to the edge.

Turn the Outer piece so the right side is facing up.The 1″ pleats should meet along the center mark on the wrong side of fabric when pressed. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for the marks to the left of the center fold.Press the pleat toward the center mark on the wrong side of the fabric. Create a pleat by folding the fabric with right sides together (RST) along the 1″ mark.With WST, fold the Outer piece along the ½″ mark to the right of center.It is helpful to make these marks on both sides of the fabric. Open the Outer piece back up and place a mark ½″ and 1″ from either side of the center on both long edges.Finger press and mark along the fold using a fabric marker. Fold the Outer checkbook piece in half WST along the width (longest side).Fold both Pocket pieces in half with wrong sides together (WST) to make them 7 ¼″ wide x 3″ long.If you chose to interface the Pockets as well, fuse interfacing to those pieces. After cutting out fabric and interfacing, fuse interfacing to the wrong side of the Outer and Lining pieces.2 pieces of fabric 7 ¼″ wide x 6″ long for the Pockets (if using a lightweight fabric, also cut 2 pieces of interfacing).1 piece each of fabric and interfacing 7 ¼″ wide x 7 ½″ long for the Lining piece.1 piece each of fabric and interfacing 9 ¼″ wide x 7 ½″ long for the Outer piece.Chambray and quilting cotton from the Sun-sational collection by Maude Asbury for Blend Fabrics were used for the other checkbook cover variations shown at the end of the tutorial. For the main one shown in the tutorial below, I used a denim blue yarn-dyed Essex Linen by Robert Kaufman. Pretty much any type of light to medium weight fabric will work well to make a checkbook cover. It’s so quick and easy to sew that you’ll have a half dozen or so made in no time like me! These are ideal to give your mother or any special woman as a gift on Mother’s Day. Add some decorative trim, ric rac, or piping to the pleat detail to give it a unique and fun style. This checkbook cover project can be made with just a fat quarter of fabric and less than a quarter yard of lightweight interfacing. I made my own and wrote a Simple Decorative Checkbook Cover Tutorial to share with you! So I did what any normal, savvy sewing person would do.

I despise those tacky plastic checkbook covers that come with every box of new checks.

Checkbook cover pattern