How to cover an old ring binder with beautiful, vintage fabric

QUICK TIPS no 5 video tutorial How to upcycle an old ring binder to make it pretty and useful

I have a couple of older office ring binders in a smaller size (A5) that I wanted to start using. They’re the regular kind of binder type that has been used in offices and schools for the past 50 years or so in Sweden. Black cover, cloth spine in red, green or brown with a plastic label holder where you can slide in the information of what you’re storing in your binder.

But I want something prettier of course!


Here’s how they looked before I got started covering them with fabric:

Ordinary A5 ring binders ready to be covered in fun thrifted fabrics by iHanna (Photo copyright Hanna Andersson)
Ordinary A5 ring binders ready to be covered in fun thrifted fabrics!

I have covered one ring binder before, using a lovely vintage fabric.

I love love love this fabric!

A5 ring binder spine covered in beautiful flower patterned vintage fabric by iHanna (Photo copyright Hanna Andersson)
A5 ring binder covered in beautiful patterned furniture fabric.

 Isn’t it so pretty?

A5 ring binder spine covered in beautiful flower patterned vintage fabric by iHanna (Photo copyright Hanna Andersson)

 

In this binder I’ve set up my system for Idea Collecting, as you’ll see in the video. It’s like an Commonplace Book and a real Pinterest board all in all.

A5 ring binder covered in beautiful flower patterned vintage fabric by iHanna (Photo copyright Hanna Andersson)

 

How to cover your binder with fabric

When covering my second one, I filmed the process for a little tips video. It’s a quick video tutorial for you – in case you too have ugly/boring ring binders (or boxes or folders) that you want to cover / customize more to your liking.

Here’s the video, I hope you like it!

If you can’t see the video click over to YouTube to watch the video How to cover a ring binder with fabric – then leave a thumbs up & comment there. Thanks.

What a transformation huh? I think it turned out great!

Before and After - How to cover a ring binder with fabric (video tutorial) by iHanna
Before and after transformation!

As you know I love all things polka dot, so this yellow & orange fabric has been waiting for the right project for a while.

A5 ring binder covered in orange polka dot vintage fabric by iHanna (Photo copyright Hanna Andersson)

 Let me know if you try something similar!

Xoxo

1 Response

  1. Your binder turned out so happy! Love the idea of keeping paper copies of projects I want to try or things that spark my interest! I used to do that in high school in an old self-adhesive photo album (clearly it’s been a while), and I kept a pocket folder of projects when I was living in Okinawa, but perhaps I’ll have to make another one in the near future. Maybe one that has all sorts of Christmas ideas in it. :) Thanks for the inspiration!