Make Your Own Bible Cover (Sewing Tutorial)

My Bible is larger than the typical size which made it a pain to find a cover for, especially since I’m picky anyway. Many Bible covers have a strap coming out of the spine end which means that the Bible is resting on its pages when being carried by the strap. For stiff Bibles or those w/ hard covers this probably doesn’t make a difference, but since mine’s soft and I want to keep the pages in good shape, I want the Bible to be resting on its spine while being carried by the straps instead. So I’ve designed it according to that requirement. I also placed a generous sized hidden pocket in it to accommodate my pencil case for underlining, as well as a couple outer pockets b/c it’s nice to have a place to stash a few papers. 

After two previous attempts that were decent but not quite ideal, here is my final Bible Cover project! Instructions are written so you can make the pattern for you particular size Bible. And this is one of the projects that is a lot nicer to do if you have a serger... but you CAN do it without, you’ll just have to adjust the instructions accordingly, hemming fabric under instead of serging. I'll also mention that a serger requires extra seam allowances in order to make a thick seam and to cut off fabric as it serges. So if you're sewing this case rather than serging it, you'll want to take my measurements in a bit to compensate for that. If you plan to make this bible cover, see the tips and answers to FAQ at the bottom of this post. 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OR DOWNLOAD TUTORIAL 

Here are some pictures I've received back from my lovely readers who have used the tutorial to make their own bible covers:

Katie P used this tutorial to make a bible cover for her daughter in law! I love how the embroidery looks on it too! She says she'd like to make another one in the future. 

Elizabeth T. from Missouri used this tutorial to make her own bible cover. Not only did she not have a serger... she didn't even have a sewing machine. She did this entirely by hand!! I think she has much more patience than I do! Didn't it turn out nice? 

Shona Mason used my Bible Cover sewing tutorial to make two pretty bible covers using an assortment of recycled fabric pieces! She didn't use a serger so she cut extra lining and folded it around the inner seams and hand-stitched them for a smooth finish. Here they are:

And here is another pretty one from Mary G in NC... 

Here's one from Linda who made it for her daughter... 

Here's one from Amy H. in Texas who made a cover for her four-year-old son... 

And here's one from Mary who made a cover for her niece... 

Thanks for sharing ladies!!!

TIPS and FAQ:

1. Use sturdy fabric! This is especially important if you have a heavy bible. If your bible is too heavy for your fabric it will pull at the seams where the straps connect to the case. 
2. If you're sewing this case on a sewing machine rather than a serger, you will have to take in the measurements some. When in doubt, cut it a bit on the generous size because you can always trim the excess later on. After the first step on page nine, you can do a "fitting" by pinning the pieces in place and placing your bible inside with the wrong/raw sides OUT. Take it in as needed, cutting the pieces smaller if you need to, then go back to following the directions again. Keep in mind when doing a fitting that you want it to fit your bible with wiggle room... you don't want it tight. 
3. How did I find such a long zipper? The only one I could find long enough for this project was not a delicate or pretty zipper... it was a super heavy-duty one that actually separates on both ends. I just sewed right over the end of it so it wouldn't come apart. 
4. If you take the time to make this project using my tutorial please send me pictures afterwards!! :D