Saturday, November 13, 2010

Denim Book Covers...


A friend recently gave me a denim dress with some pretty designs on it. She knew I made denim quilts from old jeans and thought I could get some use out of HER old dress!


I did! I decided to make a few book covers from it!



First I cut along the hemmed bottom and around the sleeves and neckline saving these pieces for 'handles.'


Then I used my trusty black marker and traced around a book....first open it up and trace around one side and then across the spine and around the other...adding about  5/8" for seam allowances. Sandwich the handles along the edges and then cut two pieces for the inner and back sections. Sew right sides together, trim seams, turn right side out and then straight stitch hem the edge between the front and back facings.



And BEHOLD! Your book cover! I added a slim front pocket to hold my reading glasses.
I have made some with a flap secured with a piece of Velcro to keep the glasses from falling out.
The varieties on this project are endless! You can make covers for paper back novels all the way to your Bible and everything in between! I, personally, carry a book with me EVERYWHERE!! I am NEVER without a BOOK so I use these covers a lot....especially since I tend to be reading more than one book at a time! The sturdy denim from jeans works really well and last forever! Even shabby, these covers look great!



I am never lonely as long as I have a good book!

4 comments:

Luann said...

Those are great. I use to make bible covers but haven't in ages. Thanks for the suggestion and the directions. I need to give this a try when I get my machine fixed. They are beautiful!

peggy said...

Today at a craft show I was talking to a little girl about reading and I told her that very same thing. It is so true, we know it.

I think the book covers are very nice, I like the shabby myself but the lace one is pretty too, maybe you could have a black denim one for mysteries. Enjoying your blog and I am reading In the Company of Others by Jan Karon now.

Blondie's Journal said...

These are fantastic, Linda. You REALLY are creative! I love the shabby ones and like the idea of the pocket for reading glasses! Very nice!

XO,
Jane

Mummers AKA Summer said...

I have so many memories of you reading. When I would walk home from school and turn the corner, you would be in the yard either pulling weeds or sitting your rocking lawn chair reading with a big glass of funky tea. Traveling on vacation and how heavy your book bag would be, plus your needlework bag - can never leave home without them.