Preparing your Book Cover

• 1). Sketch your front and back fabric book cover design. Make a rough sketch of your design as a road map to refer to while putting your fabric book together. Use color pencils or markers to depict any special treatments such as embellishments, appliques, embroideries or iron-patches. You can also opt to create a quilted book cover from your fabric scraps.
  
  
• 2). Open your book and trace it on your paper pattern. Close your book and measure the width and length of your cover and spine. Add 1/4-inch around your traced pattern for fabric ease. If you are adding batting or foam for a quilted book cover, add the batting thickness width to your tracing as well.
  
  
• 3). Draft your paper pattern clearly marking your open book's outline with your ruler. Add 1 1/2-inch seam allowance to the top, bottom and at each side end of your book's pattern. You can opt to notch your pattern, which is a small marking, indicating your book's original outline. This extra length and width will later become your book's casing.
  
  
• 4). Refer to your initial sketch and choose your fabric, interfacing and trims. You can opt to use knit fabric such as jersey, interlock or fleece as well as pre-made book cloth. Keep in mind the types of trims you included in your design. For example, if you are using pre-made book cloth and are adding an iron-on applique, make sure you are able to iron-on an adhesive to your selected cloth. If you are quilting your book cover, select your batting type or foam. Make sure you are able to stitch your foam directly to your fabric.
  
  
• 5). Pin your paper pattern and cut your fabric and interfacing. If your design includes an applique, cut those parts as well.
  
  
• 6). Iron or stitch your interfacing to your fabric. This will depend on the type of interfacing you have selected. If you are quilting, machine stitch your quilting squares. Once complete, stitch your batting or foam to your quilted fabric part.
  
  
• 7). Construct your embellishments. For example, if your design includes an applique or embroidery, construct these parts separately.
  
  

Making Your Fabric Book Cover

• 1). Fold over your fabric's top and bottom edge. Follow your notches previously made outlining your book's actual size. You can opt to iron the top and bottom edge fold line of your book's cover. Fold the side ends and iron. The side ends will create an encasing in order to insert your book ends.
  
  
• 2). Wrap your cover around your book temporarily and mark your trim's placement with your tailor's chalk. Pin your trims and make any necessary placement adjustments. Remove your cover with the trims. You can opt to machine stitch, hand sew or attach your trim with a double sided fusible directly onto your fabric book.
  
  
• 3). Insert your book into the casing made at each side end. Make sure you can open and close your book comfortably. Re-fold your book cover to make any necessary fit adjustments. You can opt to add decorative ribbon or novelty taping with an acid-free bookbinding glue in order to cover the inside casing border. Add a light coat to avoid any glue seeping into your taping or fabric. Use a bone folder to smooth out the adhesive, taping and fabric.