Book It

Protect summer reading materials from water, dirt and sand by stitching an easy book jacket. Fusible vinyl will make your favorite fabric water-resistant, so your book will look fashionable while staying clean and dry.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1/4 yard of mediumweight fabric
• Two coordinating fabric scraps
• Fusible vinyl
• Matching all-purpose thread
• 3/4"-diameter button
• Fabric-marking pen
• Painter's tape
• Pinking shears
• Hand sewing needle
• Book of your choice

Measure the book width, beginning at the front cover long-edge center and wrapping around to the back cover long-edge center (1). Add 10" to this measurement; record. Measure the book height, using the same method; add 2" to this measurement; record.

Cut a rectangle from the mediumweight fabric the size of the recorded book dimensions. Download the flower and circle templates. Using the fabric-marking pen, trace the templates onto the coordinating fabric scrap wrong sides.

Measure and cut the vinyl to fit over the three fabric pieces. Trim the vinyl pieces 1/8" smaller than the fabric on all sides.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions to fuse the vinyl to the book cover right side, flower and circle fabric pieces.

Fuse vinyl to both sides of the flower and circle for extra strength.

Cut out the flower and circle shapes. Trim 1/4" from both book cover short edges, using pinking shears.

Wrap the book cover around the book, centering the cover. Position the flower and circle on the book cover center front and anchor them with small pieces of painter's tape. Hand stitch the button over the circle and flower center to attach them to the book cover (2). Carefully remove the painter's tape.

Wrap the cover around the book again, centering the flower on the book cover front. Finger-press two creases where the cover folds around the book spine (3). Remove the cover from the book.

Don't wrap the cover too tightly around the book. You'll need a little "wiggle room" for page turning.

Press both book cover long edges 1/4" toward the fabric wrong side. Fold the pinked ends of the cover to the fabric wrong sides, using the creases made in step 7 as a positioning guide (4). The cover should snugly fit the book. Secure the edges using painter's tape.

Stitch around the book cover perimeter, 1/8" from the edge. Slip the book into the cover.

Fusible Vinyl Tips

• Once the vinyl is fused to the fabric, never pin it. The pin will leave a permanent hole. Instead, secure pieces with painter's tape before sewing.
• Don't let the iron touch the vinyl surface. Always use as a press cloth.
• Check the fabric carefully to make sure there aren't any stray threads on the surface before you fuse the vinyl. Once the vinyl is in place, all thread and lint pieces will be trapped.
• Apply a small piece of transparent tape to the underside of the machine foot to prevent the fabric from sticking. The tape will slide easily over the vinyl surface.

RESOURCES

Therm O Web, thermowebonline.com, (800) 323-0799, carries fusible vinyl.

ULINE, uline.com, (800) 958-5463, carries painter's tape.

Appeared in:

August/September 2009 Issue