How to Make Book Covers

Book covers help protect books, especially heavily used books such as text books. Many schools actually require students to cover their text books, which helps cut down the number of books that need to be replaced every year. You can purchase cloth book covers, and many schools give away paper book covers that come with instructions. However, if you want to save some money and put your own spin on the book cover's look, you can make your own book covers.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper Scissors Pencil Tape

1. Cut the paper to size for the book cover. With the book laying flat and open, you should allow an extra 3 inches on the top and bottom and 3 to 6 inches on each side. You can use any number of paper products for a book cover, including wallpaper, heavy wrapping paper, newspaper or brown paper bags.

2. Center the book on the paper and use a pencil to mark the top and bottom. Fold the edges to this mark, so that you have one long rectangle of paper the same height as the book and with flaps at the top and bottom.

3. Center the book on the paper again, and fold the left and right sides so they wrap inside of the book. You may need to do a little cutting here if you've left the flaps too long. Remove the book and side your finger over the creases to make them sharp.

4. Slide the front cover of the book into the pocket created by the left fold. Repeat with the back cover and right fold.

5. Use a small piece of tape to secure the flaps, wrapping the tape around the top and bottom edges of the book.

Tips & Warnings

• After you've covered the book, you can decorate it, using paint, markers and other craft supplies. Write the name of the book on the spine of the cover. That way, you can quickly find the book you need without opening it. If you are good at sewing, you can use this same basic procedure to make a fabric book cover.

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