If you want to protect the books you love, why not sew a linen book cover?
Year after year, I would wrestle with school textbooks as I tried to wrap them in paper. Now that I’ve discovered this easy trick, I wonder why I wasted my time with paper. The linen lasts so much longer than paper covers and looks a thousand times better.
This is great idea if you like to buy used books like me. With a linen fabric cover, you can prevent older books from falling apart.
Materials:
- linen fabric (the size will depend on the size of the book you wish to cover)
- a book
- measuring tape or ruler
- scissors
- a pencil
- sewing machine
Level of Difficulty: This is a great DIY project if you are new at using a sewing machine or need some practice.
Measure the front of your book to get the height. Then measure the width by starting from the middle of the book’s binding.
Then add an extra two inches to each end of your linen and mark it with your pencil. These will be the extra length that folds over the inside flaps of your book.
Add an extra 1/2 inch to each longer side of your piece of linen and mark it with a pencil or crease.
Now cut your piece of linen according to you measurements.
Hem the shorter ends by folding the linen over twice. This will be about a 1/4 inch wide. Sew this on both sides with your sewing machine.
This is what the finished edges should look like.
Turn the piece of linen over and fold back the same ends you were working on.
The folds should be the same two inches you marked/creased before cutting your fabric.
To make the pocket for your book to slip into, sew the outside edge of your two inch fold. You will sew this on all four corners.
Finish the last egdes of your book cover by heming the bottom and top lengths with a 1/2 inch hem. This is the measurement you made earlier before cutting the fabric. Sewing the edges will give your cover a cleaner, more professional finish.
After you finish sewing all four sides, flip your cover inside out.
This is what your cover should look like before you slip your book into it.
And you’re done! Even a beginner will have fun with this simple and useful DIY project. Now you can read your favorite book in style!
*Let us know how you liked our latest DYI project. You can even share your book covers on our Facebook page! We love hearing all your great ideas and comments!
10 Comments
[…] The finish is consistently impressive, whether it’s matte, gloss, soft-touch, or a classic linen book wrap. Each project leaves the hands of the technicians not just complete, but polished, checked, and […]
Thanks for book cover directions. Can’t wait to try it!
I have 3yds of 4c22 ivy softened. Is it suitable for
making an unlined valance?
Can the material be bleached to make it white?
Is linen suitable for unlined tier curtains?
Do I wash material first-before cutting?
What weight is reccomended?
Hope someone can help!
Thanks
Cloth covers also work for covering “mundane” binders and notebooks (e.g.: for music groups performing at re-enactment events but needing their sheet-music).
Instead of putting pockets on both ends, you can sew a ribbon that runs from top to bottom about 2″ in from where the fold would be if you were making a “pocket”, and make the flap on that end about 2-3″ longer. Then the cover’s adjustable for books that’re the same cover height but of different thicknesses (most modern U.S.-published hardcovers are one of two standard “trim sizes”, and most “mass-market” paperbacks are about 6-7/8″ tall). Just slip the flap-end under the ribbon and adjust to fit your book.
You can also sew a ribbon to the center top edge (where the spine of the book will be) to use as a bookmark…
Everyone has such great ideas! Thanks for sharing! This is a definitely an idea you can have fun with. There are plenty of ways to decorate and embellish your cover once it is made.
I can see this as great small display of your favorite craft, painted, embroidered, appliqued with a calligraphed label in the spine pocket. Thanks for the idea for a gift .
I LOVE this idea! I’m about to got to Pennsic and this is a great idea for my mundane books. From the garb I am making, I always seem to have fabric left over, and this is a GREAT idea to use up every last penney of that linen. Thanks!
Thanks for a good idea on what to do with those leftover pieces of beautiful fabric!
I am looking for luxury linen samples of plain and printed fabrics for making kaftans for my own business. I should be grateful if u would let me know how I can receive them. awaiting yr reply. zizi jones
What a great idea! I will use this to make some of the “more well loved” books on my shelves look better organized (red for children’s books, blue for home decor etc) With the addition of a small clear plastic pocket (on the spine) I can make a book card and I will still be able to see which book is which.