- 1). Place the cardboard on a flat surface and lay the book cloth or decorative wallpaper of your choice face down on the cardboard. You should be able to flip the book over three times on the length of the paper.
- 2). Open the book to its center pages and lay it face down in the center of the book cloth. Draw four straight lines that are parallel to the top, bottom and sides of the book on the inside of the cloth or paper using the ruler and dress chalk. The lines should be 1 to 2 inches from all four edges of the book. Remove the book and trim the edges of the cloth or paper following the marked lines.
- 3). Place the book on top of the new cover again and center it. Mark two lines on the new cover that extend vertically upward from the edges of the spine in the center of the book and two lines extending downward from the bottom edges of the spine using the chalk. Draw a line between these two lines slightly higher than the edge of the book's binding. Remove the book and cut along these lines to remove the extra cloth from above and below the book's spine.
- 4). Place the book back in the center of the new cover, making sure the distance is equal from all lines. Cut diagonally across the edges at each corner of the new cover, leaving a slight space between the book edge and the edge of the new cover.
- 5). Check the fit of the new cover by folding the flaps you just created over the inside of the front and back of the old cover. Close the book with the flaps still folded over on the front and back cover boards of the book and lay it on its side.
- 6). Press the cloth against the spine using your hand and crease the cloth so it fits tightly against the spine and imprints the spine's shape into the cloth. Remove the book from the cloth.
- 7). Flip the book cloth over. Take the texture hammer, if you prefer a design on your book cover, and press it into the front of the book cloth for an indented design or on the back of the cloth for an inverted design. You can skip this step if you prefer.
- 8). Spread glue evenly along the inside of the new cover's spine and the side creases using the glue stick or the craft glue and glue brush. Holding the book closed, spine down, center the book over the new cover and press the spine into the glue.
- 9). Slide your hand underneath the new cover close to the spine and slowly press the new cover against the book's spine and the side creases. Then, slide your hand upward underneath the book cloth, bringing the cloth against the front board of the book toward the hand still holding the book in place. When you reach the edge of the front board, turn the book over onto the back board of the old cover so it is lying flat.
- 10
Smooth the new cover against the spine and side creases of the book using the flat of the bone folder. Make sure to remove any air bubbles and fit the cloth tightly to the book. Turn the book onto the front cover and repeat the process with the opposite side of the spine. - 11
Flip the new cover away from the book without removing it from the area already glued. - 12
Spread glue on the book's old back cover in an up-and-down motion, making sure you cover the edges of the book as well as the center. Do not allow glue to clump up in any one area. You want even coverage. - 13
Press the new cover down on the back of the book using your hand and pressing down and out starting from the spine and moving forward toward the front edge of the book, then pressing from the center of the back cover to the top and bottom edges. Repeat the process with the flat side of the bone folder. Make sure to remove air bubbles and press the cover down over the edges of the old back board. - 14
Flip the book over and repeat this step with the front cover. Make sure you don't pull the new cover away from the creases in the spine where it was pressed down. - 15
Cut two pieces of wax paper the size of the book and place them between the front and back boards of the book cover and the first and last pages to protect the paper and prevent it from adhering to the inside of the book cover. - 16
Open the front cover of the book slowly. Spread glue along the edges of the new cover's flaps. Fold the top edge of the new cover over the front board and lightly smooth it down with your hand in a sweeping motion from the outer edge toward the center of the board. Use the bone folder to flatten the corner of the new cover against the outer corner of the book. - 17
Repeat the process with the bottom flap of the front cover before folding the left flap in. Smooth and press down the cloth of the outer corners using the bone folder. - 18
Repeat the process with the back cover, then let the glue dry. - 1). Place the cloth or paper face down on the cardboard or craft mat. Place the book in the center.
- 2). Draw a line at the top and bottom of the book on the new cover. Extend this line to the edges of the cloth.
- 3). Fold the cloth or paper along this line, bringing the outer side in, and pressing down firmly.
- 4). Place the book down on the new cover and open the front page.
- 5). Take the front side of the new cover and fold it over the front board of the book, creating a crease. Repeat this step with the back cover of the book.
- 6). Remove the book and press down on all the folds. Then slip the book into the side pockets created by the folds.
- 7). Mark where the side pockets may need to be cut if they are too long. Remove the book and trim the pockets.
- 8). Glue the folds down using the glue stick or glue and brush and press firmly down.
- 9). Wait for the glue to dry before inserting the book.
- 1). Write the name of the book and the author on a bookplate. Glue it to the front cover of the book.
- 2). Write the name of the author and book on a second book plate. Glue it to the spine.
- 3). Add the embellishments to the front, sides and back of the book cover as you see fit using the glue. Allow time for the glue to dry.
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