Journal and book covers are quick and easy projects and are perfect for showing of your embroidery! They also make great gifts and can be customized for almost anyone of any age.
PROJECT NOTES
For these samples, I used designs from Victorian Crazy Patch in the Hoop. Related YouTube videos are available for stitching the designs and making the cover:
- How to Sew a Journal Cover
- How to Stitch Victorian Crazy Piecing In-the-Hoop
These links were correct at the time of this writing. If they don’t work, please visit my YouTube channel to locate them: https://www.youtube.com/ lindeegvideos
These covers were made for standard composition books but you can make them for just about any book by changing the measurements.
Mine are just basic covers with sleeves on the inside to secure the book covers. I’ve added a ribbon for a book mark, a narrow elastic to secure the book closed, and a wider elastic loop to hold a pen.
The inside sleeves ofer more real estate for extra pockets and personalizing. Plan for any extra embroidery because you may need to complete that before final cutting to size.
SUPPLIES
- Fabrics for project (you’ll need to determine what you need based on how many fabrics you use and how large your book is)
- Cove
- Lining
- Sleeves
- Pockets
- Interfacing. I just used Pellon ShirTailor for mine but you may want something stifer.
- ¾” wide elastic (or a fabric loop) for the pen holder (~2½” or circumference of your pen plus ⅝”)
- ¼” wide elastic to hold the journal closed (height of book + 1”)
- Ribbon for book mark (about 3” longer than height of book)
- Optional: charm for bottom of ribbon
- Basic sewing supplies
START BY MEASURING
You’ll need several measurements:
- Height of your book cover
- Width of book measured around the circumference of the closed book from front edge around the spine to the back edge (not a full circumference)
This book is 9¾” tall by 15½” wide. Add 1” to both the height and width for your cutting size. Cut one piece for the cover and a second one for the lining.
Although we’ll only be using ¼” seams, we’ll need a little extra room for ease. When cutting the front cover fabric, I added a 2” extension to the right side for hooping and an extra ½” on the other sides for squaring up after stitching.
- Inside sleeve depth, which will depend somewhat on how wide your book can open and how thick your book is. The wider your sleeves, the more difcult it will be to get the cover on your book. Also, you need at least a 3” space between the sleeves along the spine to turn the project right side out. (More if your fabrics are thick or heavily interfaced.)
I cut my sleeves to 14” wide by 10¾” tall. Fold each sleeve in half, wrong sides together for a 7” x 10¾ size, then edge stitch along the folded edge.
INTERFACING
While not strictly required, interfacing will make your project look more professional by adding structure and will help it wear longer.
Fusible interfacings are easy to use. Be sure to follow the pressing directions included with your project.
I interfaced the outer cover with Pellon ShirTailor, which is a medium light interfacing, before embroidering. I also interfaced the lining piece and one side of each sleeve. I didn’t interface any of my pockets.
The striped pocket was cut 10” wide and folded just like the sleeve and top stitched along the edge. The top pocket is narrower and was stitched to the striped pocket to form several smaller pockets. (Pockets weren’t interfaced.)
On other journal covers, I’ve just placed one small pocket for business cards. Consider making a larger, clear vinyl pocket for an ID pocket if you’re making a cover for a student.
PREPARING TO SEW
Cut all your pieces to size, interfacing as desired. As mentioned earlier, you’ll want to complete any embroidery before cutting to make sure you have enough fabric for proper hooping. Also, embroidery can distort your fabric so having extra fabric to square up is a good idea.
Sleeves and long pockets are folded in half right sides together and edge stitched along fold. Attach any pockets to the sleeve panels.
Patch pockets are edge stitched in place. Pockets that extend into the seam allowances can be stay-stitched into place.
If you want curved corners, use your book to trace the corners in place. Remember to trace them on the seam line and not just around the book itself.
ASSEMBLING
When I took these step-by-step photos, I was working from the front cover. However, in the video, you’ll see me working from the lining side.
Working from the lining side seems a little easier because you are layering all the elements face up with only the outer cover face down. Plus, you can do all the stay stitching in just one pass. It really makes no diference to the fnal project which way you work.
STAY STITCHING
Stay stitching is another thing the pros do to reinforce various areas that are likely to get more abuse, such as the bookmark ribbon, elastics and pockets.
Stay stitching is done within the seam allowance. On the ribbon and elastics, I stitched forward, back and then forward again for extra security. On the pockets I just stitched them down once Stay stitching in this manner has the added beneft of holding everything in place when you have so many layers to stitch through.
Place your ribbon pretty side face down if applying to the front, face up if working from the lining side.
I only inserted one piece of elastic to hold the book closed. However, you could add a second to the back and then use the elastics to hold the book open to a specifc page.
Finally, layer on the lining, face down and then stitch around the outside edge using a ¼” seam allowance, leaving an opening on the bottom edge between the sleeves for turning.
Trim the corner seam allowances to reduce bulk. Turn right side out through the opening, taking care to push out the corners smoothly. Press well, tucking in the seam allowances at the opening; edge stitch closed.
WHOOPS!
Did your sleeves or pockets end up on the outside instead of the inside? Don’t panic! This can happen during turning. Simply flip them over to the inside.
OPTIONAL
Add a small charm or bead or just tie a knot at the end of the ribbon.
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH!
Now all we need to do is dress our book. Fold back the covers and slide them into the sleeves, then pull on the cover.
NOW THAT YOU’VE MADE ONE, MAKE ANOTHER!
Once you’ve got your measurements worked out, making multiples for books of the same size is pretty speedy.
Having an embroidery machine along with some basic sewing skills makes it easy to make a gift stash so that you always have some little something on hand. Finger tip towels, kitchen towels, and journal covers are perfect for stocking that stash because they’re small, quick and easy to make, and can appeal to a wide range of people without having to deal with sizes!