Time is surely passing quickly and Easter is upon us. In honor of holy week and springtime, I am releasing my latest design today for an In The Hoop Bible Cover. This project is designed to cover a small bible that measures 3 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches tall. I purchased mine from my local Dollar Tree
The entire cover is quilted and there is a cross stitched detail on the front of the cover. The back of the cover has a bible verse. The addition of a ribbon bookmark with a free standing lace cross and ribbon closure dresses up the cover nicely. The snaps allow the bible to close so you can place any small items inside the front or back pockets like an announcement from a newspaper.
My Dollar Tree has these small bibles in two colors. Look for them in the book section. They are usually stocked on the very top shelf. If your store doesn't have them, you may be able to locate a similar size at another big box location.
The project will have two separate parts so you need a 4x4 hoop to do the Free standing lace. Then you need a 5x7 hoop to sew the actual cover.
Free standing lace is a lot of fun to stitch out because it is done with wash away stabilizer. Here you see the small cross just after I have pulled it out of the hoop. Your best bet is to try to leave some of the stabilizer in the item so it gets stiff as it dries. I accomplish this by using a small spray of water and my iron with a pressing cloth.
I also use an additional spray of starch on the item while it is wet so that as it dries, it will get even crisper. Then if you wash the item later, you can always use starch again to retain the shape.
All of the design elements for the cover sew in the 5x7 hoop and that includes adding the ribbons for the snap closure and book mark. You can cut your bookmark ribbon short or long. I wanted mine to hang just outside of my bible when it was complete.
When it comes out of the hoop you will have trimming to do and then turning the entire book cover so you can close it up. I used a needle and thread but hem tape would work also.
When you are ready to attach the Free Standing Lace cross to the ribbon, you will need to set your machine to a zig zag stitch. The ribbon is simply threaded through the eye of the cross and then doubled over the back. This zig zag will sew both layers together. On a side note, the embroidery design for the free standing lace cross could be used on it's own. If you have a bible with a ribbon in it already, just stitch this out and add it to your favorite one or gift a Free standing lace cross to a friend or family member. Such a cute little treasure.
The final steps will be installing the snaps on the book cover itself and the ribbon. I like to fold the end of my ribbon on itself to create a double thickness before I install the snap. This will give it extra strength. I usually also seal the end of the ribbon with a lighter after I trim the extra length so it does not fray.
When you download the design, you will receive a set of full color instructions that take you step by step. This little bible cover has so many uses and it is inexpensive since I purchased mine at the Dollar Tree. Think Bridal parties for favors, Baptism or dedication ceremonies, gifts for shut ins, retirements centers or cancer treatment units, or just to carry along with you. This is a sweet item that will be a pleasure to open and read, mark your favorite passage or particular scripture you are studying, or hold when comfort is needed.
There is a full video tutorial you can watch below (JUST CLICK ON THE VIDEO PLAY BUTTON ICON) where I take you through an entire project. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.
