Tutorial: Basic Leather Construction Overview -- Page 1

Desert Leathercraft LLC Leather Big Book¹ Cover TutorialsBasic Leather Cover Construction Overview

Revised 8-30-2014 Copyright © 2014 by Bob Stelmack, All Rights Reserved

DRAFT

How to Make a Leather Slip-on Book Cover for the AA1 Big Book2

Have you ever wanted a special cover for your Big Book, or other special, important book? Have you seen someone else’s special book cover and wanted one for yourself?

Well, you could have someone design and make a custom one for you, but it would cost much more than if you were to make it yourself and something you make yourself always has a special meaning to you. So, here is a “how-to” tutorial that shows the basic process to make a slip-on leather book cover. I’ve personally made over 3,000 of these covers and can share that experience with you.

Please read this tutorial completely before purchasing any tools or materials and before you starting the project. Also, look at some of the samples will stimulate ideas for your own custom book cover.

leatherbigbookcovers.com/gallery.html

Basic Tools and Materials Needed:•Metal Straight Edge (suggest a 2-foot

stainless steel carpenter’s square)•Knife and Blade (suggest Olfa Rotary

Cutter3 or a Stanley Utility Knife)• Leather for Cover• Leather for Backing•High Tack Double Sided Seam Tape

for Leather4

• PVA (polyvinyl acetate) Elmer’s Glue5 Adhesive

•Newspaper1 A.A. is a registered trademark of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.2 The “Big Book” is a registered trademark of Alco-holics Anonymous World Services, Inc.3 www.olfa.com4 www.wawak.com/products/product.cfm?pID=86775 www.lowes.com/pd_41143-63-E386_0__?productId=3067531&Ntt=elmers+glue&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Delmers%2Bglue&facetInfo=

• (Option Laced) Leather Tools for Laced Cover: • 1/8-inch leather lace• Lacing needle• 1/8-inch 4-Prong Angle Lacing

Chisel• Poundo Board (https://www.

tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/3461-151.aspx)

• (or an old plastic High-density polyethylene (HDPE) cutting board) http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23751

• (Option Sewn) Leather Tools for Sewn Cover: • Sewing Needles•Awl (or diamond stitching chisel)• Piece of folded carpet•Bees Wax

• Leather Tools for Medallion Holder:•CS Osborne Leather Leather-

working 1-1/2” Hole Arch6 for Medallion

•Clear Vinyl7, 20 gauge• Leather Tools for Snap/Strap and Pen/

High Lighter Holder:•CS Osborne Bag Punch8 1-1/4”

Oblong for Pen/High Lighter Holder

• Snap Setter with Size 20 snaps•Rivet Setter with Solid Brass Jiffy

Rivets (407S-SB)• Sew-on decoration (Optional)

Basic 12-Step Laced Top/Bottom Construction:

1. Measure the book—calculate the cover and backing sizes

2. Locate places tofind leather andtools

3. Cut the leather

6 goldkilnferno.com/osborne-leather-punch.html7 www.joann.com/clear-vinyl--20-gauge/7973274.html#q=clear+vinyl&start=28 goldkilnferno.com/osborne-leather-punch.html

Contents1 How to Make a Leather Slip-

on Book Cover for the AA Big Book

1 Basic Tools and Materials Needed:

1 Basic 12-Step Laced Top/Bottom Construction:

2 Measure the Book2 Your Book Measurements2 Where to Find Leather and

Leather Tools3 Cutting the Leather3 Adhere Backing to the

Cover3 Fold and Glue the Cover

Flaps4 (Optional) Sew Decoration

on Cover or Spine4 (Alternate Construction) --

Punch the Slots for Lacing4 Lace the top and bottom

edges.4 Insert a lace bookmark in

the cover.4 Insert the Book4 Read the Book4 (Alternate Construction)

-- Basic Sewn All Around Construction:

4 Basic Dual Book Construction:

Tutorial: Basic Leather Construction Overview -- Page 2

4. Adhere backing to cover5. (Optional) Sew decoration on the

cover front or spine6. Foldandgluethecoverflaps7. Trim, if required, the top and bot-

tom edges8. Punch the slots for lacing9. Lace the top and bottom edges10. Attach a lace bookmark in the

cover11. Insert the book12. Read the book

Measure the BookMeasure the book in all three dimensions:

(a) Thickness (from back cover to front cover)(b) Height (from the bottom to the top of the front cover)(c) Width (from the spine to the edge of the front cover)

Write down the measurements, then measure

again to double check.

Not all editions, nor are all printings of the Big Book the same size. Big Books that have been used are often thicker than brand new books. Here are the dimensions of a brand new Alcoholics Anonymous9 fourth edition used for this example:

(a) Thickness: 1.25 inches (1-1/4”)(b) Height: 8.375 inches (8-3/8”)(c) Width: 5.75 inches (5-3/4”)

The backing width will need to be twice the width of the book plus the thickness of the book. In this case the width will be 2 times 5-3/4” plus 1-1/4” or 12-3/4” (add about 1/4” to allow for the bends around the spine) for a total size of 13”.

The backing height dimension is the height of the book plus about one-inch (less for thinner leather, more for thicker leather) for the lacing or sewing. The height is larger than necessary to allow some trimming to square up the top and bottom of the cover. In this case the backing height is 8-3/8” plus 1” for a total of 9-3/8”.

The cover height will have the same height dimension as the backing height (9-3/8”). but cover width will be 8-inches longer to make two 4-inch pockets to slip the book’s covers into. So, in this case add 8-inches to the 13-inches for a total of 21-inches.

Now calculate and write down the sizes to cut from the leather using the following formulas:

Your Book MeasurementsWrite down your measurements and calcu-late the backing and cover sizes:

Backing Height = Height + 1”Backing Width = 2-times Width + Thick-ness + 1/4”Cover Height = Backing HeightCover Width = 2-times Width + Thickness + 1/4”+ 8”

Here is the example of the fourth edition for leather cutting:

(a) Backing Height: 9-3/8”(b) Backing Width: 13-inches(c) Cover Height: 9-3/8”(d) Cover Width: 21-inches

9 Alcoholics Anonymous is a registered trademark of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Cut a paper grocery bag to the dimensions you calculated and see how they fit thebook. Remember that the leather is much thicker that the paper, so this is just a gross check to see if we are close. You can use tape and staples to put it together. Put the staples where the lacing will go to see how itwillfitwhenlaced.Paperischeaperthanleatherforfitting.

Where to Find Leather and Leather ToolsThebestplacetofindleatherisatacompanythat sells leather and leather tools to the hob-byist. All of these companies sell leather and those special leather tools.

TandyLeatherFactory www.tandyleatherfactory.comMacPhersonLeather www.macphersonleather.com/BrettunsLeather www.brettunsvillage.com/SpringfieldLeatherspringfieldleather.com/

The best kind of leather is full grain or top grain. It is at the surface or near surface of the hide and is the strongest and has the best character. There is also suede, which is a layer taken underneath the top of the leather andissandedtothatfamiliarfuzzyfinish.

There are basically two process used to tan leather: Vegetable Tanned and Chrome Tanned. The vegetable tanned leather is stiffer and is used to “tooled” designs, then dyed and finished. The chrome tannedleather will be flexible, colored, finishedand ready for use.

There is also a so called leather product called “bonded leather” This bonded leather looks like chrome tanned leather, but is actuallymade from leather fiber bits andpieces that are ground up and mixed with an adhesive and pressed between leather textured rollers to emboss a leather surface design. These leathers are found in cheap shoes, purses, wallets, leather coats, etc. Most bonded leather can be easily torn, but also some very thin chrome tanned leather can be torn.

Andtherearesomeveryfinevinylreplica-tions of leather that look and wear quite well.

Someplacestofindcheapscrapleatherorleather like material for slip-on book cov-

Tutorial: Basic Leather Construction Overview -- Page 3

ers are:

•Goodwill leather coats•Fabric stores (synthetic leather called

pleather, vinyl or naugahyde)•Upholstery repair shops (scraps or

off-cuts)•Furniture store leather sample sheets•Shoe repair shops•Internet resources:•Ebay.com•Etsy.com•Google search using keywords: leather

scraps purchase•...or... you can sew smaller pieces of

leather together to make a patch work cover

Cutting the LeatherCheck the surface the surface of the cover

leather for defects (marks, scars, holes, etc). Avoid these areas for the cover. Those defectsarejustfineasthebackingmaterial.

Lightly mark the corners of the leather dimensions you calculated for the leather cover.Locateaflatsurfacetocutdirectlyon—something that will be OK to leave cut-ting marks on it (i.e. sheet of scrap plywood).

Place the leather on this surface and using a metal straight edge, press tightly on the straight edge along the marks on the leather and cut with the utility knife (or Olfa circular cutter). Do not use scissors. Scissor cuts are not always the straightest. Cut both pieces: the cover and the backing.

Adhere Backing to the CoverPlacethecover,grainside(thefinishedside)down on some newspaper. Lightly mark flesh side (not thegrain/finished side) thecover where the backing will be glued in placeallowingequal4-inchflaponeitherside.

Then place the backing, grain side (the finished side) down on some newspaper.LiberallycoatthefleshsidewithPVAglue,smooth out with an old plastic card, avoiding thetopandbottomone-halfinch,andflipover to adhere to the cover. Press securely and rub from the center to the edges to re-move any air bubbles. Lift and place on a fresh sheet of newspaper and let dry for a couple hours.

Note: The picture showing the gluing is a dual book cover that will lacing top/bottom, but painter low tack blue tape was used to

keep from gluing to the edges. The edges willbetrimmedduringthefinalfitting.Dualbook covers are little more complicated to make.

Covers made too big may still be usable by placing a cut piece of matte board and inserting along with the cover.

Covers too small go in my scrape barrel.

After the glue has dried, place and form the cover around the book and check for fit.Thebackingshouldendattheedgeofthe book’s cover and at the top and bottom there should be a little over a 3/8” where the lacing will go.

Fold and Glue the Cover FlapsFit the cover to the book again and see where theflapsneedtobegluedtothecover.Markthe location and use double side leather adhesive tape to glue the edges down. Fit thebookagainandreadjustthegluedflaps,

if necessary. Just pull the glued parts a part andre-glue.Makesureitallfitsbeforethelacing begins.

Trim (if required) the top and bottom edges. Nowthatthebacking,coverandflapsareall in place there might be a need to trim any overhanging piece of the flaps. Justuse a metal straight edge and a utility knife

Tutorial: Basic Leather Construction Overview -- Page 4

to square it up.

(Optional) Sew Decoration on Cover or Spine

If the decoration is an applique of vegetable tanned leather, then use the following to water resist the applique:

Light coats of the sprays, heavy on the Pecard’s(a) Two coats of Fiebing’s Leather Sheen spray ( http://www.fiebing.com/catalogue/top-finishes/?product=202)(b) Two coats of 50/50 mixture of water and Fiebing’s Resolene ( http://www.fiebing.com/catalogue/top-finishes/?product=194)sprayed with air brush(c) One coat of Fiebing’s Leather Sheen spray ( http://www.fiebing.com/catalogue/top-finishes/?product=202)(d) One coat of Pecard’s left over night, then

excess wiped off.

Whileyouhave thecover testfitted, thiswould be the time to position and initially glue the decoration on the front of the cover or the spine. Center the decoration. Use High Tack Double Sided Seam Tape for Leather10 to adhere the decorations to the cover. Contact cement could be used, but

avoid the edges of the decoration since any excess glue will show and wait until the glue has set before continuing.

Pullapartthegluedflapunderthefrontcoverto allow access to sew the decoration on the cover. Using an awl, or diamond stitching chisel, make holes equidistant from the edge of the decoration and about six holes to the inch. You will need four times the thread as the distance completely around the decora-tion. Using two leather needles, sew the decoration with a saddle stitch as shown at:

www.after-the-denim.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-saddle-stitch-like-hermes.html

Attheend,stitchoverthefirsttwostitchesto lock the lace.

(Alternate Construction) -- Punch the

10 www.wawak.com/products/product.cfm?pID=8677

Slots for LacingUse the 4-prong angle lacing chisel (www.kingsmerecrafts.com/page97.html ) to punch the slots for the lacing. The slots need to be far enough from the outside edge so that the lacing will not tear out, but not so far away from the edge that the lacing would interfere with the book when placed in the slip-on cover. Start andfinish the slots about aneighth-inch from the edges.

Lace the top and bottom edges.Before you start lacing, use a black perma-nent marker to color the cut edge near the beginning and ending of the lace. This helps hide the edges that the lace will not cover.

You will need approximately eight times the distance of the area to be laced with leather lace. Follow the directions for double loop or triple loop (requires nine times the dis-tance).Whendone,laythefinishedcoveronahardflatsurfaceandlightlytapthelaceto set and smooth it.

Insert a lace bookmark in the cover.Use a 12-inch piece of lace and lace into the braided lace at the top center by the spine.

Insert the BookRetain the original dust cover or make one out of a paper grocery bag.

If the book is a bit too tight you can use a ruler, screwdriver or even your hand to stretch the leather a small amount and loosen area where the lacing was done.

Read the BookTake the book with you to all your meetings and take time to read to yourself and others.

(Alternate Construction) -- Basic Sewn All Around Construction:

Basic Dual Book Construction:

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Tutorial: Basic Leather Construction Overview -- Page 5

Fig. 2

Tutorial: Basic Leather Construction Overview -- Page 6

Tutorial: Basic Leather Construction Overview -- Page 7