Bible Covers

I was recently asked how I make my Bible covers. Short answer: by hand and with flaws. Here's my long answer. This is subject to revision, because, I've never actually written out how to do it in sequence.

1) Choose a Bible you want to cover.
2) Pick the fabric(s) you want to use to make the cover.
3) Measure the Bible making allowances for seams. This depends on your skills essentially. For some this might be quarter of an inch, for others half an inch. But I'd say half an inch is an adequate starting guess. You'll take two measurements. First measure up and down. Common sizes--with seam allowances--are 10 inches, 10 1/2 inches, 11 inches, 12 inches. Second, measure all around. I start by putting the end of the tape measure a couple of inches in the back of the Bible (for the back flap), and then walking the tape measure all around the Bible and leaving a couple of inches for the front flap. Common sizes--with seam allowances--are 16 inches, 18 inches, 20 inches, 22 inches, etc.

4) Today's example will be a reversible Bible cover. Choose two different fabrics. Cut them with the exact same measurements. (Iron fabric as needed.)
5) Place the right sides of the fabric together. Be as precise as possible, when you're pinning the sides together. (I'd recommend at least nine to twelve pins, maybe more). But don't spend thirty minutes just trying to get it perfectly perfectly perfect either.
6) Sew a seam around three and a half sides. Your seam could be a precise quarter inch. Or whatever seam allowance you want. You'll want to leave an opening big enough for your hand to fit through to turn the fabric around.
7) Turn the project inside out. The right sides should be facing out now. You'll want to close the remaining opening (turning ends in) with a blanket stitch. Before you close everything up, you want to make sure that all four corners are as square and crisp as you can make them. (Again the goal is not absolute perfection at the sacrifice of sanity.)

8) Get your Bible ready. This is where you lay down the nearly-finished-cover and place your Bible on top. You'll want to square everything up and see how many inches each flap should be. Go for a tight but not too tight fit. It's important that you open up the Bible as well as you try it on for size. I'd recommend pinning where you want the flap to go. I have found it is only when I see the Bible in place that I get a true sense of where to make those final seams. Measuring by tape measure alone, it just wasn't working for me.
9) For reversible covers, I like to blanket stitch the flaps. You'll want your stitches to be really secure on the edges especially. Getting your Bible in and out (and in and out) will be hard on stitches. So you might go over the same spot multiple times.
10) Try on your Bible cover. Be prepared to make small adjustments as needed.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible