Fabric book cover

DS is here for a few days , between directing a show at the Edinburgh Fringe ('Roald Dahl's The Witches' - got a 4 star review) and starting a masters at Birkbeck later this month. Great to have him home, but the downside is that I have had to clear some space in my sewing room - sorry, his bedroom - for him to sleep. Never mind, it's always good to have to clear my sewing room, I usually find some buried 'treasure' which had been forgotten at the bottom of a pile.

While he was here, I asked if he would like a fabric cover for his academic diary. What son could refuse? So I gave him a choice of fabrics.

'Disfunctional family' (to remind him of home), Salad (he eats too little), Guitars (he loves music), Zebra print (this year's must-have?), Famous buildings (to dream about foreign places), Mobile phones (to remind him to keep his bill down), Coffee (he drinks too much) or Paris map (to remind him of a recent trip). It didn't take him long to choose my own favourite, Disfunctional family!

These book covers are really easy to make, and mean you'll always find your diary in your bag and always know which one on the table belongs to you.

Measure your book top to bottom and add 3/4". Measure along the front, spine and back and add 5". Cut a piece of pelmet Vilene that size (the iron-on is best if you can get it, otherwise use 505 spray glue). Cut your fabric that size, iron or stick fabric and Vilene together, and embellish. I just did a bit of machine stitching on this one, but you can add ribbons, lace, buttons, pictures etc. to your heart's content. Then zigzag twice along the short ends, work out where the flaps will be by pinning on the book, and zigzag twice along the top and bottom. Hey presto, one fabric book cover!