This article will show you how to make a cover from sheet music, old cards, and paper packaging bags. This cover is ideal for protecting books and textbooks. You will also learn how to make cover accessories such as pockets and name badges. This will add personality to your product and make it even more practical. Finally, you will learn how to sew a plain cloth cover to protect your notebooks.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: How to make a paper cover
Step 1. Select the paper you want to wrap the book in
Make a paper cover if you have books without covers or want to protect your textbook from wear and tear. You can wrap books in foreign or old newspapers, old or new cards, sheet music, old wallpaper, brown wrapping paper, and more. If the book you choose is not small, you will need a large piece of cover paper. The paper should be twice the length of the book and 7.5 cm wider in height.
Step 2. Cut a sheet of paper of the desired size, having previously measured the book
To find out the width, place an open book on a table and measure its width with a measuring tape or ruler. Then add 15 cm and another 7.5 cm to wrap the book on both sides. Then measure the height of the book and add 7.5 cm and 3.75 cm to wrap the top and bottom of the book.
- Using a ruler, draw a semi-transparent line with a pencil, marking the required cover size, and then cut off a sheet of paper of the desired size with sharp scissors.
- Do not unfold the book so that the curl of the paper you are using matches the edge of the cover. If the paper is already worn out, it will tear faster if you wrap it around the edges of the book.
Step 3. Fold the paper 6.3 mm at the top and bottom
Close the book and place it in the middle of the sheet of paper. Mark the edges of the top and bottom of the book, then add another 6.3 mm to fit the book into the cover. Set the book aside and fold the paper up towards the mark. Repeat the procedure with the top of the book; fold the paper over to the bottom edge so that the fold is 6.3 mm from the top of the book.
Run along the folds of the paper with a pen or a folding bone. Bends should be well defined, especially if you are using thick paper
Step 4. Glue the top and bottom folds
Use double tape to glue the curves so that they do not wrap. Double tape will help make the cover sturdier. Glue the tape towards the middle of the cover, leaving 7.5 mm on both sides to fit the book into the cover.
Step 5. Make folds on the sides of the book
Place the open book in the middle of the sheet of paper so that there is equal space for the folds on each side. Press down on the paper to keep it from moving, and fold it over the right side of the book cover. Work over the fold with the side of the handle or with the folded bone, but do not press too hard. To make the cover fit the thickness of the book, do not make the folds too sharp.
After making a fold on the right side of the book, close it and wrap it in paper, then mark with a pencil the place of the last fold. Set the book aside and fold the paper so that the fold is on the left side of the book. Walk along the curve with a handle or a folded bone, but do not press too hard
Step 6. Place the cover on the book
Place the book neatly into the back cover. Then wrap the cover around the book and place the top of the book into the cover.
Method 2 of 3: Decorating your cover with accessories
Step 1. Attach your name badge to the cover
You can buy bright and fun name badges at a craft store or stationery department. Write your course or name on your badge in pretty handwriting. Practice writing in pretty handwriting on a piece of paper and choose the font that best suits your needs. Then sign your name badge with a marker or pen. Using a ruler, carefully attach the badge to the front top of the cover.
Step 2. Use punched paper tape to decorate the book cover with horizontal stripes
You can buy colorful paper tapes at a craft store. Remove the cover from the book to glue on the strips, or prepare them ahead of time before making the cover itself. Mark the location for each strip at the top of the book, 2.5-5 cm apart. Take a ruler and mark an equal distance between the stripes. To keep the lines straight, draw faint lines over the cover with a ruler and cover them with strips of paper punched tape.
Step 3. Buy fun stickers and add a twist to your piece
For example, if you've made a blue paper cover with white stripes, you can glue an anchor sticker underneath to create a nautical theme. You can buy any stickers you like; the main thing is that they match the design of your cover.
Step 4. Attach a plastic pocket to the front of the cover
In such a pocket, you can put your school schedule. You can also decorate it and create a more interesting style. Stationery stores offer self-adhesive pockets for business cards and documents, as well as a removable label holder for shipping. Simply attach one of these holders to the front or back of your cover.
Step 5. Attach a paper pocket to the cover
Follow the instructions in the previous method on “how to make a paper cover,” but this time you will need two sheets of paper, not one. The second sheet of paper is needed for a pocket where you can fold documents. You can make a pocket for a cover with two different colored sheets of construction paper. You can also use solid color paper in combination with decorated paper or sheet music. Such a pocket will not only be a wonderful decoration, but also serve as a practical addition to the cover. You can quickly fold documents into a pocket attached to the front cover.
- To prepare the paper with which you will wrap the book, place two sheets of paper one on top of the other, with the bottom sheet extending 5 cm beyond the top.
- Glue the two sheets of paper around the edges with double tape.
Step 6. Attach the notebook holder to your textbook or book cover with rubber bands
If you have a pocket notebook, make an elastic band holder for it. This will help you quickly find your notebook in your bag. Simply grab two large rubber bands and wrap them around the front of the cover along the entire length, keeping the space between them farther than what is required for a notebook.
To attach the notebook to the cover, place it under the elastic near the opening of the book, and then place it on top of the elastic near the spine of the book
Method 3 of 3: How to make a fabric cover
Step 1. Choose one or two types of fabric to make a fabric notebook cover
If you have a sewing machine, it is not difficult to make a fabric cover. Choose fabric for the cover and fabric for the cuffs on the inside of the cover. You can use a plain fabric combined with a patterned fabric, two patterned fabrics, or two plain fabrics in different colors.
- The fabric must be washed beforehand so that it does not wrinkle. Iron it with an iron before use.
- You will need less fabric for the inside of the cover and more for the outside.
Step 2. Calculate the required parameters for the cover
Measure the length and width of the book with a ruler or measuring tape if you need a larger cover. To find the length, measure the length of the notebook and add 2.5 cm. As for the width, you need to multiply the width of the front of the book by two, then add the spine width and add 2.5 cm.
- Let's say the height and width of a book are 20.3 (height) x 31.7 (width of an open book) cm. You need to add another 2.5 cm, and you get 22.8 x 34.2 cm.
- For inner cuffs, use the height parameters - in our example, the height is 22.8 cm. To determine the height of the finished product, divide the width by 3. In our case, divide 34.2 by 3 and get 11.4 cm. This means that the required fabric parameters are 22.8 x 11.4 cm.
Step 3. Cut the fabric according to your measurements
Use sharp scissors and a ruler and draw a faint, straight line across the fabric, then cut the fabric to the size you want. Cut 2 oversized fabrics for the outside and inside of the cover and 2 smaller fabrics for the inside cuffs.
Step 4. Take your iron and double fold
Fold a 6.3mm lapel along one of the longer edges of the interior fabric. Fold the fabric in half and fold it over again so that a second (6.3 mm) forms on top of the first fold. Make a fold on the fold in half and iron it with an iron. Repeat the process on the back of the fabric.
Step 5. Sew the double fold completely
Sew the lapel on the inside of the double fold with a sewing machine. Sew the fabric twice at the top and bottom to keep the seams tight. Repeat the process with both pieces of fabric.
Step 6. Unfold both pieces of fabric and secure them in place with needles
Place the larger piece of fabric with the right side up. Then place the smaller pieces of fabric on top of the larger one so that it is completely covered on the left and right. Sew these pieces of fabric towards the middle of the larger piece of fabric. Place the last piece of fabric on top of the other three with the right side down.
Staple 4 pieces of fabric together. To prevent the fabric from slipping apart while sewing, secure the top and bottom of the fabric with four needles. Three needles are required for the sides
Step 7. Sew the cover along the edges with a 9.5mm inseam
Leave a space of 1.9 cm in the center of the bottom and top of the cover so you can turn the cover inside out when you are finished sewing.
Step 8. Take scissors and round the corners of the fabric, then turn the cover inside out
To round off the corners, trim off the sharp edges on four sides. Then turn the cover inside out. The corners should also be turned inside out.
Step 9. Iron the cover, then stitch the cover on all sides
Iron the cover and sew on all four sides. Use a 9.5mm inner seam. This will help remove the 1.9cm gap you left and give the cover a neat and finished look.