Sometimes (ok, often) I come across a piece of donated fabric that I can’t resist, despite having no idea what to do with it.
I don’t sew new clothes – ponchos are an exception, as are alterations and the occasional pair of pj pants – so I almost never buy new fabric anymore. But gorgeous vintage table linen from the Salvos Store? I couldn’t leave it behind. These placemats were made in Czechoslovakia which dates them pre-1993. They’re made of 100% linen and the colour appeals to me enormously…
I decided to turn them into fabric book covers!
I don’t like paper dust covers (which always get trashed pretty quickly), but I love the feel of cloth ones. The only tricky thing, as my friend Kim pointed out, is knowing which book is which…
The covers were easy and fun to make – I just cut the fabric to size (allowing a hem on both the top and bottom) and then sewed a couple of sleeves to hold the book in place…
I recently covered my new quilting book, The Fabric of Society, in the same green linen (I’d bought a set of six) and I’m honestly enjoying it even more as a result. I initially tried leaving the dust cover on underneath the fabric one, but decided in the end to take it off…
This cover started as a quirky hand embroidered table mat that I rescued from the Salvos for $1. I’m grateful for the opportunity to give a second life to someone’s hours of hard work…
And finally, this piece of fabric has been sitting in my sewing room for a while now. I picked it up from the bin area of Reverse Garbage for $2, but it’s not great material – it has a plasticky texture which makes it both difficult to sew and unsuitable for clothing. But the print was too fun to pass up – who can resist aliens brainwashing children through television sets?
A couple of days ago, I realised it would make the perfect book cover for my copy of Em’s Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. If you’re a sourdough baker, I can’t recommend this book highly enough! I own two copies – a paperback and a Kindle iPad version – and the hard copy is now well-used and getting a little tattered…
Here it is in its new fabric cover…
So..that’s my latest project! What have you been up to this week? ♥
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
OH those place mats!! I would have used them as place mats but you will get to see them more often as book covers. That is my most favourite green!
aliens in the sour dough haha that’s about right!
Book covers are very easy to make and look nice. I used a black felt to write the title on the spine; that way I knew which book was which. I used leftover materials from sewing, never thought to use place mats or embroidered tablecothes!
What a delightful way to use the cloth. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Celia, love the way you can meld three things that are treasured, the tactile, fun images and books into a project! Before a shower of rain have planted tiny red poppy seedlings amongst jonquils, with the hope they will self seed next year the aim is a swathe of red in spring. Must say your biscuits have been a winner and such an adaptable recipe.
You always give me such food for thought, Celia. I would need some way of knowing what the book was and thought maybe I could plait some thread and make a little tag to attach to the finished end and sew the rough end inside the cloth cover’s spine. I’ve just been watching a YouTube documentary about an artist named David Suff. He had a ‘scape book which was a handmade book with ‘pages’ which just continued to unfold until the whole book was about 30ft long. His drawing is exquisite and he drew the course of his life. I had been looking for more info on an artist named Richard Noonan and just stumbled into a second rabbit hole. If you’re interested it was called Journeys Beyond Appearances. On Friday evening i passed on some dried starter prepared by my Princess Patsy. One of the new owners is a very tall, forthright, imposing sort of woman so I think she may not name hers, but the other is much more warm and laughing, loving kind of person so i think she will name her starter. I’ve promised them a hands session together with some of my book club friends – seeing as I am the Stuff Up Fairy – it will be interesting 🤓 i loved your quilt book – it gave me an idea of how to use some paper-backed hexagons my mother had made
I’m almost tempted to dust off the s/machine. Not quite but a step closer!
You can do it! I still have the pot holder you made me! xx
That is an amazing green! I would have brought them home with me, too! Such a useful way to keep them in use. I love your quirky fabrics also.
I’ve been feeling sad about being unable to finish the toothbrush rug I started late last year. I ran out of material from the doona covers I was using to make it and couldn’t op shop for more. Then I realised that I had a box of tshirts waiting to be upcycled as well as old sheets for the fill. So I’m making a rainbow rug! It’s already gone from yellow to orange and I’m happy again!
Lifeline opened! Books on special as no book fair this year. Celia, my bag included a lovely book called “Community Quilts”… a small group of ladies who got together to make a gift quilt for a friend getting married & then kept doing it, describing how they had beginners and experts involved as they made baby quilts, more wedding quilts…. $2!. I am grey nomad at this time, small van, want to hand it on. I asked Annette (her book i am having sent home) – she congratulated me on my find, doesn’t need it we both thought u might like. Can u pm me an address if u do. I love sharing books & travel w prepaid envelopes so I can post stuff back to people I know will enjoy something I’ve finished with.. ( FIFO. Flight delays….dont want to travel out with a book I have finished that is too good to discard, so I know where the posting boxes in or around every major airport are.) Feel free to ask the local quilting coven if u dont want it. BTW the Anerican for “Wagga” quilt of wool samples etc is “Appalchian.”
Diane, I would absolutely adore that, thank you! I’ll drop you a note.
Two of my favourite things – books and table linen!