This type of cover can be left as is, or made fancier with stamping, painting or decoupaging. You could also use other papers: gift wrapping paper, photocopied design paper, and any other forms of paper that you consider strong enough to form a book cover.
If you are using a paper bag, you will want to cut the paper bag open so that it lays flat. Remove any handles as well. Your paper should be bigger than your book so that you have enough of it to wrap around your book and create pockets for the covers to slide into.
This horizontal line will be your guide for folding your paper to help form your book pockets.
You want to crease the paper on the horizontal lines you’ve just drawn. Note that folds can be made neater and cleaner by using a bone folder. A bone folder is a piece of plastic that looks like a knife. It is used to get perfect folds and creases without cutting the paper.
Make sure that the sides of the paper are of an even length on either side of the book. Then make sure you line up the book so that the top and bottom are flush with your creases.
With the front cover open, take the left side of your paper and fold it over the cover. If you have too much paper and the fold goes too far for your liking, cut the excess paper.
The paper should stay wrapped snugly around the front cover. You may have to reposition the book so that you don’t rip the paper on the book’s spine. If the paper is too tight, move the book to give it more slack. You want to wrap the book without ripping the paper.
Just like you did with the front cover, fold your paper over the back cover. If you have too much paper, cut some off. Close the book to make sure that the paper fits around it.
You’ll notice that the folds and flaps have created a pocket. You can now slide each cover into the pocket for a better hold. Provided the paper has been folded sharply and crisply, and the paper is of substantial heaviness, the cover should not need any taping down. However, you may want to tape the pocket down if you feel it necessary.
Ribbon or braid can be glued down the spine for added effect and strength. This can be nice if the book is for a wedding, guestbook, or another memento. You can also write the name of the book, or the name of your class on the front of the paper to make it easier to differentiate.
Either type of plastic will protect your book. But, the non-adhesive method tends to be less damaging to the book in the long run. should you wish to ever remove the plastic covering, non-adhesive is easier to remove. You can also opt to make a plastic sheet protector book cover. The chemicals in the adhesive may eventually tarnish the book. Additionally, the adhesive method is not an environmentally friendly way to cover a book because recycled versions of it have not yet been created. Regular plastic coverings take a bit more work but can be easily removed. You can also try covering a book with plastic wrap. Contact paper book covering comes in a roll. It is usually available from anywhere that sells stationery or craft supplies. Most rolls will have measurements printed on the backing of the contact paper, which will help you to align the plastic.
Center the book using the lines on the backing of the paper. If there are no guidelines, use a ruler. Think of this part as similar to wrapping a present.
You should now have your book laying on top of a free, flat piece of plastic paper. There should be some excess paper around all sides of the book.
If you’re using sticky contact paper that has a backing, you’ll need to peel away the backing to reveal the adhesive side. When you lay the book back down, lay it on the adhesive side. The plastic will stick to the book.
Bring your plastic paper over to the inside front cover of the book. You will want to apply a small piece of tape to hold the plastic in place. The repeat with the back cover. Don’t tape down the back cover yet.
First cut two slits in the plastic on either side of the book’s spine. Then, cut off the corners of the plastic from the top and bottom of your book. Cut at an angle so that your scissors go up to the corners of your book. You need to cut the corners so that you can easily cut away a layer of plastic inside the book covers. And fold down the extra plastic on the top and bottom of the book.
Cut away these flaps so that you can easily fold down the extra plastic.
Then fold down the spinal tabs toward the center of the paper. Gently lower your book back down over the folded tabs.
Try to tape the plastic together to hold everything in place without taping the book if possible. Tape can be hard to remove from the book, especially without causing damage. Check for air bubbles. Running a ruler across the cover usually dispels these. Then you’re all done.
Either way, covering a book with fabric is a nice way to keep the book in good condition. Fabric can also add a personal touch that makes this book unique and special to you.
Also get some lightweight fusible interfacing. Fusible interfacing is used to add a rigidity or stiffness to a fabric. The interfacing gets applied to the wrong side of the fabric, or underside to help form your fabric. [3] X Research source
Any wrinkles that you have when applying the fabric to your book will stay. Try using a fabric that is made to be wrinkle free to make covering your book easier.
Draw two horizontal lines across the fabric along the top and bottom edges of the book. Extend the edges of the fabric beyond the book to provide adequate space for flaps on each side. For best results, make the flaps at least 2 inches/5cm wide. For larger books, add even more width. Leave a small allowance both above and below the horizontal lines when cutting.
You’ll want to give yourself some extra fabric to work with when cutting. Extra fabric also helps you to apply the fusible interfacing. When applying the interfacing, you’ll want to fold a small bit of the fabric over itself, around the interfacing.
The fusible interfacing will have a bumpy side, the side that attaches to the fabric, and a smooth side. Press it into the fabric with a damp cloth. Then take your iron and iron it for 10 to 15 seconds. If you need to move the iron, pick it up and place it down in a new spot. Don’t glide it to heat another spot of the interfacing.
The interfacing isn’t meant to be shown. When you lay the book down, it will be against the interfaced side of fabric. This means that when you complete your cover, the interfacing will be inside and not exposed.
You want to fold the left edge of the fabric over the book’s cover to create a sort of pocket. Then, using a pin, pin the flaps of fabric together. The top and bottom edges of fabric should extend past the edges of the book cover slightly. The extra fabric allows you to pin the fabric without pinning the book cover.
Repeat the same process for the other cover, pinning the flaps of fabric together.
Fold down any extra fabric that extended passed the vertical edges of the book covers. You want to fold in any extra fabric and pin it to the rest of the fabric.
A topstitch is a method of stitching that has you bringing the thread over the edges of your fabric layers. The stitch will then bring the layers together. [4] X Research source
The top stitching will allow you to connect any flaps or pockets that have been folded over. The ultimate result will be one large pocket for you to slide your cover into. Do this for both sides. You should have two pockets, one for each cover stitched.
You can also reuse this cover on any other book that is the same size as your original one.
If you can, use wool felt in preference to synthetic felt mixes, as it’s a lot easier to work with. However, wool felt tends to be more expensive too.
The sides of the felt need to be adequately large so as to fold over the edges of the book to create flaps.
The book should be centered on the felt, and should be opened and sitting flat.
The extra width that extends past the vertical edges of the covers will turn into the flaps. If using the measurement for the felt provided above, this extra part should measure approximately 2 inches/5cm more each side. Also add a 1/4 inch/6mm edge above and below the marked horizontal lines. This will give you extra felt to cut or fold.
You will now have a piece of felt that is slightly larger than your book.
Center the book onto your fabric so that each edge has an even spacing between book and felt.
You should have excess felt on the top and bottom of your book so that you pin only the felt and not the actual book. Repeat for the right side, pinning the felt in place. This creates the book flaps or slip pockets for your covers. Carefully remove the book from the felt. Slipping the felt off the book carefully without disturbing the pins.
You can either hand stitch or machine stitch, depending on the final look you’re after.
Don’t cut too close to the stitching as you risk cutting the thread and unraveling your stitching.
