First Fabric Sewn Fauxdori Travelers' Notebook Cover

For days now I have been looking into an alternative method of making my own artist journals.  I've made accordion and hard bound hand sewn journals.  And I have made a couple leather Travelers' Notebooks.

My new venture is learning to sew and create hand sewn fabric covers along with adding various inserts and embellishments.

I've spent days and days viewing various videos on the subject getting a feel for the different methods people use to create their own.

The following is my very first sewn cover.  From this I've learned quite a bit:

1)  How to set up and use my sewing machine (this was a BIGGIE for me);
2)  What 72F Pellon is and how to use it plus the best way to cut so the fold looks better when cover is folded in half;
3)  How to size material and pellon for the dimensions I wanted my cover to be compared to the size cut watercolor  paper signature insert I wanted (a big thanks to Laure who helped me with that);
4)  How to trim seam allowance edges and corners to look right when material is turned right side out (after making a pocket);
5)  How to get those inside corners to fill out nicely;
6)  Getting a feel for different diameter elastic cords providing enough HOLD and yet not be too tight;
7)  How to better use a Crop a Dile Big Bite hole punch/eyelet setter.  Mainly gauging how to line it up is the trickiest for me but I'm getting better (as my next post will show); and
8)  Where to mark and cut a sheet of watercolor paper for the size pages I wanted making sure the folds were parallel to the grain.

Closed with loop finished cover.  I've left the cords long at the bottom as I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do with them.  Either cut off short or maybe add beads or something.

Would love to find a better way to attach the cover loop rather than having to make a huge knot so it doesn't slip through the eyelet.

Need more practice lining up the holes with the crop a dile punch/setter.

I don't think I did too badly for my first one :-)