How to Make a Book Cover

Step One

Get a paper grocery bag and carefully remove any handles to avoid tearing the bag. The width of the bag should be at least two inches wider than the book to be covered.

Step Two

Open the bag and cut along the edge of a corner from the top of the bag to the bottom of the bag. Then cut around the bottom of the bag until the bottom is removed. Throw the bottom away. You should have a large rectangle spread out in front of you made up of four sections—thin, wide, thin, wide. Cut off the thin section at the edge of the bag otherwise the book cover will be too large.

Step Three

Make sure the unprinted side of the bag is facing down. Center the textbook on the paper so it is equally distant from the edges of the paper top and bottom, left and right. There should be about an inch or more of paper sticking out from underneath the top and bottom of the textbook. Fold the paper against the bottom of the textbook creating a crease that runs the length of the book cover left to right. Fold the paper down and place the bottom edge of the textbook on the crease. There should be an inch or so of cover paper sticking out from underneath the textbook at the top. Crease and fold down the paper at the top so that the textbook is resting on both creases evenly.

Step Four

Fold the paper over the textbook so that both ends of the paper are equal lengths and the spine of the textbook is in the exact center. Lift one textbook cover and fold the paper under and crease the paper along the edge of the textbook. Then, spread the folds of the paper around the textbook cover and tuck in. Do the same with the other side.

Step Five

It is a good idea to tape around the edges of the book cover to keep it from falling off.