How to quickly make a fun, geometric book cover

You can quickly make a fun geometric book cover for all your books.  And what’s even better is this book cover has a post it notepad attached to the front for all those quick little notes and reminders you may have!

If the kiddies aren’t back to school yet, they soon will be and with it comes all the papers to sign and the book cover requirements.  You can buy book covers or you make them and personalize them to fit your individual personality. 

Make this book cover using drawing paper or pastel paper or even recycled brown paper bags. 

So, let’s get started!

Materials:

·      Medium weight paper, I used pastel paper but you can substitute drawing paper or even a large brown paper bag.

·      Cardstock in two prints

·      Tacky craft glue

·      Disappearing marker or pencil

·      Ruler and cutting board or cutting mat

·      Stylus (optional)

·      Scissors

·      Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

·      Post it note pad, any size, any color

·      Clear tape

Instructions:

1.     First, gather your materials.

2.     Now measure your book to be covered.  Mine was approximately 9 ¼” x 6 ¼”.  The paper I started with was 18” x 24” and since my book’s vertical measurement was 9 ¼” I wanted at least 3” above the top and bottom edges.  So the first thing I did was cut the larger paper 15” x 24”. 

3.     Next, I measured from the top to the bottom to find the vertical center of the paper and made a mark.  I centered my book spine down on this center mark and folded the paper around the book making sure I had a good 3 inches over both side edges horizontally.  I made a mark and cut my paper 15” x 21”.  (You measure each book this way, which is why I start with a larger piece of paper.)

4.     Now, Placing your book in the center, measure evenly from top of the paper and bottom and draw a line across.  Mine was 2 5/8” from the top and the bottom.

5.     Place the paper on a cutting board and following the lines on the top and bottom score with a stylus.  (This is optional but makes a neater fold)  Fold on the lines top and bottom.

6.     Now place your book in the center and bring the front cover around and stick the cover of the book in the pocket.  Run your fingers along the sides to crease the book cover.  Repeat with the back cover.

7.     You may, if you desire, add a piece of tape to the front and back to secure your book cover. 

Decorate the book cover

8.     Cut two pieces of decorative cardstock 6 ½” x 4 ½”.

9.     Apply tacky craft glue to the back of the cardstock pieces spreading with a piece of scrap cardboard as a squeegee.

10. Add the cardstock to the front one at a time, staggering the placement.

11. Use the hot glue gun to attach the post it notepad in a geometric look design.

12. Add name, subject, etc. with markers to further personalize. Pastel paper comes in colors as well so you can have a different color book cover for every subject.