Last Minute Mother's Day Gift: Oilcloth Book Cover

A lovely book with a custom book cover is a thoughtful (yet quick!) gift for mom. And a cookbook with an oil cloth cover is especially handy as it protects from spills and splatters. I made two versions, one that will take you all of five minutes, and one with a tad bit more polish.

Either one will make you look like the thoughtful person who spends lots of time creating personalized gifts that you were before you had kids.

Get the Oilcloth Book Cover DIY after the jump...


Oilcloth Book Cover Last Minute Gift

Assemble Your Materials
You'll need one book and some oilcloth. If you want to make the fancier version, throw in some ribbon as well. For the simpler version I grabbed a first edition Gone With the Wind I picked up at a thrift store for Scarlet. The other book, Notes on Cooking: A Short Guide to an Essential Craft, is a great read and beautifully designed. The oilcloth is Echino by Etsuko Furuya Ornament Oilcloth Turquoise:


Simple Version
Because this is oilcoth it won't fray, so you can create a quick book cover without worrying about finished seams.
1. Lay the book out flat and wrap your oilcloth around both flaps to determine the size and cut it.


2. Fold the ends in so they are right sides facing and sew along the top and bottom of each flap.


3. Trim the edges, clip the corners, and turn right side out. Press flat if you can (not with an iron). Don't stress the flattening, the weight of the book will flatten it soon enough:

Stuff with book. You're done.


Fancier Version

1. Lay your book flat on your oilcloth and cut a piece that's about 3/4" wider on all sides. Cut another piece the same size. Also cut two long lengths of ribbon.


2. Lay one piece right side up and sew your ribbon to the center of each side edge, with the length of the ribbon to the inside:


3. Lay your other piece of oilcloth face down on top, with the length of the ribbon still to the inside. If you pin oilcoth it will leave big holes, but binder clips or paper clips work well (I like the coated ones so there's no chance of poking through):


4. Sew all the way around with 1/4" seam allowance (or less). Leave a hole for turning on one side of the bottom of one long edge, backstitching at the beginning and end:

Turn your piece right side out:

Now if you wanted, you could just slip stitch the hole closed and cut a slit on the inside piece of oil cloth for each side of the book cover to slip into and be done with it, but I wanted to finish it just a little more, so...

5. Cut two flaps, about 3/4 the width of the book cover, one for each side of your book. I finished the edge with a piece of double-fold bias tape, but you could fold over and sew if you want. That can be a little tough with oilcloth and I love the addition of an extra bit of trim so I went for the tape:


6. Lay the two flap pieces face down on the right side of your book cover, edges aligned and the length of ribbon toward the center. Hold in place with paperclips as before:


7. Sew in place around the three edges on each flap with 1/4" or less seam allowance:

Clip your corners and turn right side out, pressing the edges as flat as you can:


Insert book:


Wrap ribbon around and tie in bow! Add card, hope mom tears up...