Create a Paper Bag Book Cover

If you feel environmentally friendly, or you just don't like to use plastic wrap or fabric covers to cover your books, then a paper bag is a great alternative. Making a book cover with just a brown paper bag is easy, fast, and fun!

Steps

  1. Cut open a brown paper shopping bag along one seam and remove the handles (if it has any).
  2. Remove the flaps formed by the bottom of the bags so that you have one large sheet of brown paper.
  3. Place the book in the center of the paper.
  4. Wrap the paper up across the bottom of the book, and make a crease along the bottom cover.
  5. Repeat Step 4 for the top of the book.
  6. Using a metric ruler make sure that the folds are at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} in length.
  7. Remove the book from the paper.
  8. Fold the paper up at the bottom crease and down at the top crease. You should have a strip of paper big enough to cover the book from top to bottom.
  9. Place the book back in the center of the paper. Wrap the paper across the front of the book from left to right and adjust the book position until the two ends of the paper are even.
  10. Fold the overlap around the front cover of the book and make a crease. Then insert the front cover of the book into the slot created by the paper folded over at the top and the bottom. Slide the paper down over the book until you hit the crease.
  11. Repeat Step 10 for the back cover of the book.
  12. Using a metric ruler make sure that the overlap is at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} in length.
  13. If the cover fits snugly, you can stop at this point. If it seems a little loose or the top and bottom folds are not lying flat, you can use small pieces of tape to pull the front and the inside flap together a little more securely.



Tips

  • Make sure the paper bag is taller than your book by at least two inches, without counting the flaps on the bottom. If it isn't, this may not work.
  • To make the cover more durable, remove it from the book and unfold it so that it lies flat. Cut a piece of clear adhesive covering so that it will cover most of the outer surface of the book cover. Remove the backing from the clear adhesive and carefully apply it to the book cover, smoothing as you go to avoid air bubbles. Now refold the cover and put it back on the book.
  • If your supermarket no longer offers paper bags, buy a roll of the brown paper designed for wrapping parcels and use that instead. Cut a piece long enough to cover the front, back and spine of the book with at least three inches of overlap at either end.
  • Do not tape the paper cover to the actual cover of the book; the paper cover will move a little when the book opens, and you could damage the book cover.
  • If you have a color printer and scanner, copy the cover, back cover, and spine of your book and tape the copies onto the book cover.
  • If you want a little color on your book cover you can paint it....
  • If you want your books to look like every one else's just buy the sticky book cover, you can get it simple or with patterns.
  • If you or your child likes and the teacher allows, feel free to decorate the cover.

Things You'll Need

  • Paper bag or roll of paper
  • Scissors
  • Tape (optional)
  • Things to decorate your book cover (optional)
  • Cardboard to put inside to make it durable (optional)
  • A book

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Sources and Citations

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