I would like to make an easy Bible cover that I can carry my Bible plus a note pad and pens. Anyone that has ideas for an amateur? Thanks in advance.
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I made a cover for mine to really have a working unit that you might like........You need fabric that is easy to work with like cotton (if you are a beginner) and it washes well. I wouldn't use felt cause over time it will stretch. More advanced sewing folks can think about quilt piecing and fancy/harder to work fabrics.
You could even put this together with just needle and thread if you had to, but a machine makes it faster/neater.
Wash and lightly iron your fabric first.
Cut a strip of fabric the width of the height of your Bible PLUS 1" for two seam allowances of 1/2" top and bottom, leave some wiggle room so that your Bible will slide in easily- up to 1/4" if it is a regular hardback copy.
Put a narrow hem in both short sides of the strip. Now working with the strip flat and right side up, work out your inside pockets. The far right end will end up on the inside front cover of your Bible. The far left is inside the back cover, then the flap area times two. (I made a double pocket- two different heights stacked on top of each other in the front, and the back pocket is where I slipped in the cardboard on my "legal" pad.) Allow for a turn under on the sides of your pocket and finish the top edges of your pocket with a narrow hem or lace, or rick-rack or such. --- Top-stitch these on up 3/4" from your bottom cut edge. Do the same with what will be the back inside of your Bible's cover.
I used "hook and loop tape" to secure mine, and it needs to be sewn on now. (experience--- I hate to rip out a seam). Wrap the strip around your Bible, inside the front cover -- around the outside-- leave the extra for a flap--- and tuck the finished edge into the back cover the way it will finish (you can see it now! looks cool, right?) -- mark with straight pins, the fold edge of the flap, and on the front outside cover -- where it ends there. You want to put your hook and loop tape horizontally about 1/4" away from the fold edge of the flap and at a matching place on the front cover. Once you have sewn them through one layer of the material you are almost done.
You can use this same idea to make covers or simpler covers, and give them as gifts with hardly any trouble.
I used to make bible covers in bright colors (for kids) that I donated to my church to sell... They are so easy to make & by adding a simple handle, also easy to carry too! You'll get LOTS & LOTS of use out of yours... Here's how I made up the pattern for the ones I made:
Choose the bible you'd like to make the cover for... I liked the student Bible & the NIV Study Bible because these were the most popular at our church. This cover is made kind of the same way you used to cover your books in brown paper bags for school (showing my age!) OKAY: Get yourself some old Christmas wrap or a section of newspaper to make your paper pattern from. Set the closed Bible on the paper & trace around it. Then right next to that, trace the spine (have someone hold the bible up on it's edge while you trace it) then trace the back side... with all 3 sides traced (Touching each other) you now have your main pattern piece after you've added your seam allowance (I like half inch)... for the flaps to hold the cover on to the Bible: Make these half the width (& the same height) of the cover pieces... Now for the fun part, to hold your pencil & pad of paper (on the front) I cut another piece the same size as the front & back but folded down part way so it's at an angle... The angle is important because when you carry the bible with it's handles, The paper pad & pencils won't slide out the top... Also, because of the angle, when you hold the Bible upright nothing will fall out either... Now, cut out 2 strips (the size of your hands) to make handles from....
* You should have 6 (total) pieces of cut out fabric: 1) A large piece that's the size of the front/back & spine... (with the Bible CLOSED!) ...2&3) the 2 inside flaps (front & back)... 4) The front angle piece that holds the pad of paper & pencil (once you stitch down the front a place for them)... 5&6) & the 2 handles... It's also nice to use interfacing to give it some extra strength unless you're using a vinyl/leather-like fabric or a tapestry or upholstery fabric... I mainly used 100% cotton calico when I made mine... Sometimes I added lace to the sides (This was the 1980's!)... But, I think keeping it simple is best... Maybe even matching your purse & shoes or your coat.
---> Basically, if you can make a paper book cover, you can sew the same thing out of fabric, just add handles to the side area where the pages are (opposite of the spine).
* I found that kids like bright colors &multi colored poka-dots, Ladies tend to like tapestry or fabrics with birds or leaves, Men like Bible covers made with denim in black or blue... It's fun to do something different for a teenager & use an old pair of jeans to make their Bible cover with. I know it would be nice to have a picture to show you, but just make it the same way you'd make any paper book cover... In fact, you can just make a paper book cover, then use that as your patern!
Here's a pattern on this site www.edupatterns.com/
Lynne
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