6th project completed - a leaf printed denim book cover

Hi, here is the 6th completed project in the recycle4real challenge, a slightly easier project this week after all the hard work last week. A leaf printed denim book cover!

I found the leaves lying on the ground where we keep our horses and felt they would be a great inspiration for the design. My DOH thought I was going mad (as usual) but never mind!




Materials used:

• Denim cut from an old pair of jeans
• Fabric Paint
• A few leaves (not too dry)
• Sewing machine
• Threads
• Bondaweb

Instructions:


1. Cut a rectangle just large enough for your book to lay on open, plus 3cm at each end and 0.5cm top and bottom (see picture below)

Wrong Side, marked out to the correct size for book

2. Using the leaves and fabric paint, randomly print layers of leaf prints in different colours all over the right side of your denim rectangle. Pick out some of the leaf veins with some gold fabric paint to accentuate them.

Leaf printed rectangle

Close up of printed design

3. Now to give it a lift with some simple machine embroidery, I simply 'drew' around the shapes with running stitch in a variegated thread and chose some shapes to add some detail to the veining as well to add interest to the design.

4. To make the book cover up, satin stitch carefully around all edges taking care not to allow the fabric to stretch. Now turn in 3cm each end to make a flap in which the book's cover will sit, pin. Then turn in the top and bottom once by 5mm and straight stitch close to the edge making sure you sew in the flaps at the same time. 

5. To finish Bondaweb a few of the leaves you used for printing to the front of your book cover for a final flourish

The completed book cover