Linen Bible Cover Embroidery Project

Measure the height and width of the bible front. This Bible measures 8 ¾” x 5 ½”.

To measure the length of the Bible place the left-hand edge of the bible cover on the edge of a ruler. Hold the pages of the bible straight up with one hand so that the spine will lie flat and note the measurement of the cover on the right. This bible cover measures 12 ½”.

To determine the height to cut your fabric add 4” to the height measurement. In this sample 8 ¾” + 4” = 12 ¾”. To determine the width to cut your fabric decide how wide you want the flaps to be inside the book. Two and a half inches is standard, but I chose to make mine 3”. Add twice the width that you want your flaps plus 1” for hemming the edges of the flaps. So in this case 12 ¾ ” book width + 7” for flaps = 19 ½” is the required fabric size. As 13” of fabric fits well into a 5” x 7” embroidery hoop I chose to cut the fabric 13” by 19 ¾”. It is advisable to cut the height of the bible to cover to completely fit in the hoop. If your bible is shorter I suggest that you cut the fabric 13” to start with and cut it down to the required size after the front is embroidered. Cut the fusible knit interfacing 2” shorter in height and width than your linen fabric and fuse to linen following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Clean finish the long edges of your fabric with a zigzag stitch.

Turn the short edges in ¼” and press, turn in again ¼” and press, edge stitch to hem both short ends of the bible cover.

Fold the prepared fabric in half lengthwise and finger press to mark the center of the book cover.

Place the bible on the book cover, holding the pages straight up and fold the flap fabrics over the Bible sides. Finger crease the flaps. It is essential that you hold the pages up so that the spine will lie flat.

Measure over ½ of the bible front measurement that you took in Step 1, in this case, that was 5 ½” divided by 2 = 2.75” and mark the vertical center for placement of the embroidery. Hoop in your embroidery hoop with no show stabilizer aligning the center horizontal crease and the marked vertical line.

Center the needle over the crosshair and crease stitch the Life of Christ embroidery design of your choice.

Trim the stabilizer around the back of the embroidery.

It is impossible to continue holding the pages up and pin the corner at the same time, so close the bible in the direction of the flap that you will be pinning, press the flap fabric down to the tabletop and pin in place right at the edge of the bible. Just do the one corner. Lift out the book – take the fabric to the sewing machine and stitch that corner about 1/8th below the pin, backstitch at both ends of the seam.

Tuck the bible into the one corner made, repeating steps 11 and 12 stitches at the top of the 1st flap. Then slipping the bible tightly into that flap repeat the procedures for the second flap. For a nice tight pin and stitch each seam separately fitting the Bible into the cover and lifting the pages to ensure the spine lies flat between each seaming.

Turn the flaps right side out leaving the corner flap fabric inside – no trimming is required.

Your bible cover now looks like this. Press the creases for the side flaps.

Slip the metal ruler into and under the top and bottom folded in edges to give you a nice straight edge to fold the top and bottom edges against and press.

Insert the bible into the cover placing the bible on top of the folded fabric that is inside the flaps. Bend the back of the bible to be able to insert it into the second cover flap.

Congratulations you have just completed a linen bible cover that fits your bible perfectly!