Cloth Book Cover : 5 Steps

There are multiple reasons to cover your books. If you are in school and need to cover books that are not yours, you may need a book cover. Your book is special and you want to protect it from the normal things that happen in life, you may need a book cover. The book you are reading you don't want anyone else to know what it is, you may need a book cover. I want to show everyone here how to make one out of cloth. If you are not handy with a sewing machine, don't worry. You can't cut straight, don't worry. All you have is a torn bed sheet, don't worry. This is very easy and simple, and what's more it can be done at any scale. So here's how you make a book cover out of cloth.

Step 1: 1. Get Your Cloth Ready

If you don't have the book you may have to carefully measure it first, but since I had mine I'll show you how to do it. Smooth your cloth as best you can, and find an edge that is straight. You will need enough cloth to cover the front, side, back, have some extra, and then double that. If you don't have that long of a piece of cloth you can sew two pieces together that are long enough. Now how much do you need for the "have some extra" I would advise half of the cover's width because this is what will slip over the covers. Now how long do you need your piece? I would advise about 1/4 inch extra at the top and bottom, since this gives enough for the sewing machine to grip. I would measure, and cut. The last picture shows what you should be left with.

Step 2: 2. Sew One Side

If you are using one piece of cloth skip ahead, if you are sewing two pieces together listen up. Sew only the one side of the cloth all the way so the side you don't want seen are currently out. If you are using a print material you should be seeing the back side of the print. Now you should have one open side you need to pin and sew up only some of it. You need an opening enough to fit the cloth through (about 2 inches).

Step 3: 3. Now for a Preview

Now take your cloth and wrap it around your book. You can make this as tight or as loose as needed, but you should take the ends and tuck it into the cloth. Try to make it even because whatever you tuck into the cloth is what you are going to use to hold onto the book. You should still be seeing the back side of the material. Now pin the cloth together on the edges. Also make note that you have enough cloth where you are going to sew. Remember the cloth can stretch a little so you can make the cover a little tight. Now sew up what will be the top and bottom.

NOTE: If you want a ribbon with the book cover to be used as a book mark put one in while you are pinning it up, here's how. Pick which side you want to be the top, and get a length of ribbon. Put the ribbon on the inside with one end stretching up to the edge. Pin the ribbon near the middle so when you sew the edge it will also sew the ribbon. This is useful for paperback books.

Step 4: 4. You're Covered

Carefully pull the entire cloth inside out through the hole you left in the edge. Now if everything went right you should have something that looks like the first picture here. This would be a good time to check if your cover is the right size. If the cover is too big on the top and bottom turn the cover back inside out and pick an edge and sew a little bit more so it takes up more cloth. If the cover is too big and does not grip the book enough left and right, pick a side that will be the back and with the right side out just sew up the very edge, this will shorten how much grips the book and make it tighter. If you have the size about right sew up the hole that was used and slip the cover over the book. Now you have a cover you can protect/conceal your book. Since this is cloth keep in mind you can use an iron-on to decorate it, or even a patch. You can also take the cover off and wash it (as long as the cloth is pre-shrunk) in a washing machine. Good luck.