Sewing a Book Cover

I've been feeding the sewing muse lately. Reading the new Stitch magazine. Playing with shapes (like the enlarged garden patch coasters below). Proceeding to sandwich my Japanese quilt. Staring sessions with my Butler brown-blue squares and then sewing them into different configurations (will they make a quilt? a table runner? a bag?). I want to learn more about free motion, adding dimension to items, and dyeing my own fabric. Some weeks I'm pressed for time and just want to feel fabric in my fingers. And it's true--the stash starts talking to you if you leave it alone for too long.

Last night my play turned into something. I started out making a birthday card and ended up with a book cover (I'm sure the recipient will be much happier!). It was so easy that I did it without a pattern or instructions. It took under an hour which is a happy thing for quick-gratification-loving me.

Here's how:

1. Take a blank book and lay it flat over a piece of fabric. I used a piece I had previously quilted. Cut fabric around book adding a 3/4 inch margin. This is for the book cover.

[here's the front of my quilted fabric cover]

2. Cut another piece of fabric at the same size. This is for the lining.

3. Cut two pieces for the flaps. They should be the same height as the cover and lining. Fold each over so they're two-ply. See how they look when placed.

4. Make a sandwich: first the cover, then the two flaps (folded in half so the right side of the fabric shows), and then the lining. Right sides together for the cover and lining.

5. Sew all around it, leaving a 4-inch opening. I used a quarter-inch stitch.

6. Remove pins and pull right sides out. Poke out corners.

7. Top stitch, catching the open part. I also zig-zagged the perimeter to match the free-motion, sketchy stitching I did on the quilted cover.

8. Ta-da. It's done. Doing this makes me think of other applications–maybe a checkbook cover, billfold or photo album.