Fabric covered books have been on the project radar for ages, but the actual technique felt unclear enough to keep pushing it further down the list. After some research and a genuinely helpful tutorial discovered along the way, the mystery was solved and the results turned out better than anticipated. Here is exactly how the whole thing came together.
What You Need
- Fabric
- A book to cover
- Matte Mod Podge
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- A spare card (an old store loyalty card works perfectly — it will likely get messy)
- Wax paper
A Few Notes on Supplies
- Thrift stores are an excellent source for both fabric and books. A secondhand shirt can yield plenty of usable material as long as there is enough of it to cover the book without running into darts, pockets or buttons in awkward spots. Unless, of course, those details are intentional.
- Books can come straight off the shelf at home or be picked up secondhand for next to nothing.
Instructions
Step 1: Trace and Cut the Fabric
Open the book flat and trace its outline onto the fabric. Fabric chalk is ideal for this, though a regular pencil works perfectly well on most fabric types. Once the outline is drawn, add an extra inch around the entire perimeter to allow for folding over the edges, then cut along that outer line.
Step 2: Apply Mod Podge to the Book
Brush a generous coat of Mod Podge onto one section of the book at a time rather than tackling the whole surface at once. Rinse the brush before the Mod Podge has a chance to dry on it — dried Mod Podge on a brush is very difficult to remove and will ruin it.
Step 3: Smooth the Fabric Into Place
Lay the fabric over the freshly coated surface and press it down firmly, working out any air bubbles or wrinkles as you go. The spare card comes in handy here for pressing the fabric into tight corners and along the spine where fingers cannot reach as easily. Work across the front cover, the spine and the back cover in turn.
Step 4: Score the Spine
Cut small slits in the fabric on either side of the spine. These release the tension in the material and allow the edges to fold over neatly without bunching or puckering.
Step 5: Fold and Secure the Edges
Fold the excess fabric over the inside edges of the cover and adhere each section with a small amount of Mod Podge.
Important tip: Slip a sheet of wax paper between any Mod Podged sections and the pages or inner covers before pressing everything together. This prevents the adhesive from accidentally bonding parts of the book that should stay separate and moveable.
Step 6: Finish the Spine
Trim away most of the excess fabric along the spine, leaving just enough to fold over the edge. Secure that final flap with a dab of Mod Podge and press until it holds.
The finished book is a completely transformed object. What started as something plain and forgettable now has genuine personality, and the whole process was far simpler than expected once the technique clicked into place.
Has Mod Podge featured in any other projects lately? Share your experiences in the comments!