Handmade Book-Style Cover for an E-Reader
If you've purchased a dedicated e-reader such as Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook, you may want a soft, padded cover to protect the thin, light, often fragile housing of the e-reader. Do-it-yourself covers are an appealing option: You may use an old hardcover book instead of a discreet faux-leather cover. You may make a book-style cover for yourself or as a gift for family and friends using common craft materials.
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Using a Hollowed Book
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Find a hardcover book similar in size and shape to your e-reader — one that's at least as tall and as wide as your e-reader. Cut out all of the pages of the book without severing the binding on the spine. The book hollow should be backed with adhesive felt before attaching a sleeve that holds the e-reader. This may be done by stitching, stapling or gluing the sleeve to the felt. Gluing isn't a preferred method in this case because the texture of the felt doesn't allow for optimum adherence.
Leather Binding
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A leather-bound soft cover may be made in a similar manner to the housing made from a repurposed hardcover book. In this case, the paper or cardboard backing for the leather is cut to fit the exact dimensions of your e-reader. Essentially, you're creating a leather-bound book cover from scratch, using the simple design of two covers and a flexible spine as a guide. Sew or staple the sleeve that holds the e-reader into the adhesive felt, as with the hardcover option.
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Journalist's Notebook-Style Cover
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Another style of case particularly well suited to the e-reader's size and dimensions is the journalist's notebook-style book, with a horizontally oriented, flexible spine that lets you fold the flap back for easy reading. This design is similar to the leather-bound cover design, with the obvious distinction of the orientation of the spine along the top rather than along the side. Much like the custom-sized leather-bound cover, the notebook-style case is constructed based on the dimensions and thickness of your e-reader.
Considerations
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When choosing a style of paper or cardboard as the base for your e-reader case, select a low-acid paper that's easy to work with and remains dry. Certain backing paper may be too stiff for your cover and thus inconvenient to cut, staple or stitch. A low-acid paper is moisture resistant and doesn't warp in humid environments. Attaching an elastic strap to the side of the case with the sleeve keeps the cover closed when you're not using the e-reader. Because the inside of these covers use adhesive felt, weighing them down flat with heavy books for about a day helps the adhesive set.
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