Book sleeves are one of many brilliant ideas when fabricating a small sewing business. They were effortless and less time-consuming. Apart from the idea, they can be a perfect gift for a bookworm or simply for your personal use.
The list that we need;
Fabric - Linen & Burlap linen
- Most fabrics are suitable for this sewing project. However, delicate and slippery fabrics such as satin and silk should be avoided.
Handmade Button
-Any button would be great if they can hold your elastic well!
Batting
-I use adhesive batting with a thickness of 280g.
Sewing Basics
- Sewing machine, threads, etc
Patterns
- Book sleeves were made accordingly to A5 size.
Add one centimetre of seam allowance to all fabrics except for the batting. Cut the lower lining 0.5cm shorter than the outer layer of fabrics. This will prevent the bulkiness inside the sleeves.
Let us begin,
Cut fabrics accordingly as below:
Batting - 2 pieces
Front pocket (linen cotton bird) x 2 pieces
Front (burlap linen) x 1 piece
Back (linen cotton bird) x 1 piece
Lining (grey heavy cotton) x 2 pieces
Lay both pieces of the book sleeve fabric's outer layer.
Then, cut two pieces of batting without seam allowance. They should be smaller than the outer layer of the fabric. Stick your adhesive batting onto the wrong sides of the fabrics.
Subsequently, we will start with the sleeve's front pocket.
The front pocket size will be your own choice. Combining pockets is easy peasy, so I have excluded this picture. You will need two pieces of fabric for the outer layer and the lining. Attach both, and stitch 1cm on the pocket's opening.
Place the finished pocket on top of the front layer. Clip to secure the pocket, and sew to attach it.
There were two tasks to finish here: attaching the button to the front sleeves and sewing the elastic to the back side of the sleeves.
Adjust the button placement near the pocket's opening or as desired. I use a short elastic band of 1.5 inches to 2 inches. But consider adding the band's length if your book is thicker.
Example: Medium thickness of a book
Sew a lining (grey fabric) to the tops of both outer layers, which are the back and front parts of the sleeves. Remember to iron for a neat outcome.
Now, arrange these fabrics to face right-sided (right side to right side) as in the above picture. Use the arrow for guidance.
Clip to secure around the seam allowance. Mark the lining's opening using chalk or a sewing marker. Ensure your hand can fit through this hole to pull out the fabric later. Now, Sew seam allowance as marked. Make sure the stitching on this fabric opening is firm. Reverse stitch a few times on this part so it won't easily tear when you pull the fabric out later.
Turn the fabric over through the opening we left earlier. Shut this opening using a manual ladder-stitch technique. You can also close the seams using a machine. Sew about 1mm across this opening.
Push and insert the lining into the sleeve. Make sure it's flat and neat (check on the inside of the bag). It is best to iron around this opening and sew after that.
If you have completed this book sleeves project, you can easily modify it to a larger size or add accessories such as top covers. I have also made a laptop sleeve here (as shown in the picture).