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Free tutorial: Making a book cover for sheet music

6/11/2013

13 Comments

 
charmed Liebling book cover for sheet music
I've been a member of a choir for the last three years but still haven't managed to get a decent folder for my sheet music. Usually I would just cover it up with black paper which isn't really professional and also, I kind of got annoyed by having to buy new paper for every piece of music...
I finally made myself a book cover for my music which is just plain black and makes it perfect for concerts. The pattern is super easy.

--- This tutorial is free but for your convenience I decided to offer the complete tutorial as a PDF for download for only $2, if you prefer to have everything in one structured document ---

First measure the length and width of your music. They come in different sizes but I used the biggest one I have, which measures 10.5 x 15" (26,5 x 38 cm) and has a depth of 1.75" (4,5 cm)…and now imagine holding this thing for 1.5 hours! Pretty exhausting :) Add a lot of seam allowance on all four sides and then cut your rectangular piece of fabric according to these measurements. With a seam allowance of 0.5" on each side, mine ended up being 11.5 x 16". Cut two of these.
measuring your sheet music
measure the length and width of your book or your music and add a lot of seam allowance on ALL four sides.
measuring the sleeves
Now you will need sleeves to put your book in.
Therefore open the cover of the book and measure in from the edge for a little bit more than half the width of the page, in my case it is about 4.5". Again add two lots of seam allowance and for the length use the same measurements as for the main body parts (including seam allowance). This would make it 11.5 x 5.5". Cut four of them.

fabric pieces for book cover
This is what you come up with: four pieces of fabric for the sleeves and two pieces of fabric for the main body.
interfaced sleeve parts

Interface the four sleeve parts with fusible interfacing.


Put two of them right sides together and sew along on of the long edges. Turn right side out, press and topstitch along this edge. Repeat with the remaining two sleeve parts:

making the sleeves
topstitching the sleeve
Take one of the main body parts and put it right side up. This will be the interior body part. Take one of the sleeve parts and put it onto the left hand side of the body part, with the finished edge facing to the inside of the body part. The raw edges of sleeve part and main body part should be aligned. Pin in place and baste all along the raw edges to secure them in place.
Repeat with the other sleeve part on the right hand side of the main body part:
sleeve on lining
Make sure the raw edges of both fabric pieces are aligned.
both sleeves on lining
Both sleeves are basted onto the interior main body part.
interface the exterior


Take the other main body part (which will be the exterior body part) and interface it with heavy stabilizer to add more strength. The heavy stabilizer should not lie on the seam allowances, so before ironing it down cut off 0.5" (1,25 cm) on either side.

exterior and lining right sides together

Place the interfaced main body part right side up and put the interior body part with the sleeves on top of it, right sides together. Make sure all the edges are aligned. Pin in place and stitch all aroung the edges, but leave an opening of about 4" (10 cm) at the bottom center.
Trim down the seam allowance to reduce bulk and clip the corners.


topstitch the openingTopstitch/close the opening at the bottom.

Turn the book cover right side out through the opening. Make sure to poke out the corners and then iron is to make it nice and flat.
At the opening fold the seam allowances down to the inside and topstitch it close.


Put your sheet music into the cover and you're ready for your next concert!
charmed Liebling sheet music cover
charmed Liebling sheet music cover
13 Comments
jeanette duurvoort
7/15/2013 04:33:47 am

Do not like the live traffic feed. Why does everyone need to know your business these days.

Reply
Anna
7/15/2013 04:57:40 am

Jeanette, welcome to my blog and thanks for checking out my book cover tutorial. If you would like to leave a comment on how the tutorial worked out for you, you are happy to do so! I inserted the live traffic feed when I first started out blogging to see where all my visitors come from. It is a fun little element in my opinion. Have a wonderful week :)

Reply
Philomina
7/15/2013 09:43:21 pm

I will definiteky make one of these. Not for music, but for other bools.
Thankyou

Reply
Anna
7/15/2013 11:14:08 pm

Thanks, I am glad you like it. It is super easy to make, I hope you book cover will turn out nicely!

Reply
Deborah Rambach link
8/23/2013 04:39:14 am

Love the idea which is certainly sturdier than most; however, have you thought about elastic on the very edges of the sides to hold your music down while you are playing? Might be asking too much tho while singing have to slip the page under the edge of the elastic. Just a thought. Thx for the tutorial.

Reply
Anna
8/24/2013 09:26:02 am

Hi Deborah, it actually sounds like a great idea! I will try that the next time I make a book cover, thanks for the tip :)

Reply
annita
8/2/2014 02:19:24 am

Love this, will try to follow this to make for my daughters bible. May need to add handles for her and a ribbon for a book mark :)

Reply
Anna
8/13/2014 12:37:17 am

Fabulous idea Annita! Glad you like my tutorial, hope your bible book cover wil turn out nicely :)

Reply
Terry Mooney (Male)
12/11/2015 07:24:51 am

Wonderful idea. I am a 72 year old male that cannot hardly move. However, I have inherited a 1916 Singer treadle sewing machine that I can use. I find this pattern a wonderful way to make gifts for me few remaining friends. I welcome e-mails and answers. Thank You, Terry

Reply
Holly Hold
1/29/2018 05:01:31 pm

You are a trouper, Terry!! I admire your gumption and attitude.

Reply
Anna
8/14/2018 06:30:38 pm

Thank you so much for your comment Terry. I am glad you enjoy using the pattern and hope you have been making a lot of gifts for your friends :)

Reply
Brigitte
7/30/2018 12:43:28 pm

Haydns Jahreszeiten mit dem Deutschen Ärztechor in Roggenburg und Ulm aufgeführt - 3 Sängerinnen im ALT mit diesem Stoffeinband - immer mehr Nachfragen und Begeisterung. Eine super Sache!

Reply
Anna
8/14/2018 06:31:54 pm

Liebe Brigitte, diese Nachricht hat mich sehr gefreut! Leider war mein Vater ja dieses Jahr nicht mit dabei.. ich hoffe, Sie hatten viel Freude beim Singen und ich freue mich dass meine Bucheinbaende so gut ankommen. Viele liebe Gruesse nach Deutschland!

Reply



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    Welcome to my blog! I am an accountant who once started out her "career" in the US by designing bag and wallet sewing  patterns! My patterns are available on Etsy and occasionally I will share some of my sewing projects that I work on in my spare free time on my website.  Happy sewing :)

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