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How To Make Shopping Bag Text Book Covers

by Diane Henkler on 07/20/2012

I have been doing a bit of blog re-organizing this week and have found a few older posts with two projects in them.  I want every project to have its own post so finding things and navigating around InMyOwnStyle is easier for everyone.  You may see a few older posts  pop up here and in your Reader or E-mail subscription over the next few days as I re-organize.

When I have the re-organization complete, I will give you a tour – no drastic changes – just more detailed categories and navigation.

- Thanks.

Here is the first hidden post – I thought it quite timely. 

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In a few weeks you will be sending your kids off to start a new school year. If your kids have to cover their text book, send them back in style and help the environment at the same time by re-using the shopping bags their back-to-school clothes come home in. 

The bags make colorful and sturdy text book covers.

 Shopping Bag Book Cover Tutorial

 

 

 

 

There are many ways to cover a book.  This is the way I do it.

Supplies Needed:

Paper Shopping Bag
Scissors
Scotch Tape

1.  Cut the bag on one side and then unfold the bottom to flatten the bag.

 How to cover a book with a shopping bag

 

2.  Carefully remove the handles.

How to cover a book with a paper bag

 

3. Determine where the logo will fall on the book. Each book size and bag will vary.    Wrap the bag around the book to determine fit and size.

How to cover a text book with a paper bag

 

4.  Once the bag is sized to the book.   Close it to see the fit and run your fingers over the books edges to make creases.  When you take the book off you will see the creases (book size) and you can then make the cuts.  See next two photos.

 How to cover a book with a paper bag

 

5.   Your cover should look something like this.   Fold the binding tabs and tape them down.

 How to cover a book with a paper bag

 

6.  Place book on bag and the fold over the top of one corner tab and side.  Use tape to secure.  Repeat on bottom corner.  Place one side of book in.  Repeat on other side.

 How to cover a book with a paper bag

 

Now your kids can study in style.

 How to cover a book with a paper bag

 

 

 

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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

1 JennyLynn July 20, 2012 at 12:41 pm

Alright, we just love this idea at our house. We figured that not only could we use shopping bags, but also cute gift bags. I recall when I was in High School, that it was required to cover our books. These days, my children don’t have to.

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2 Diane July 20, 2012 at 12:52 pm

Great idea with the gift bags – you can buy them at the dollar store. My kids had to cover each and every book. They went to a very large public school.

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3 Connie@Connie Nikiforoff Designs July 21, 2012 at 1:08 am

We did this a LOT when we were kids in school but we used plain brown paper grocery bags. No extra cost because when we were kids groceries only came in brown paper bags. Then we’d drawn designs on them to make them customized.

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4 Serena@ThrftDiving.com July 21, 2012 at 5:43 am

I remember doing these when I was in school! :) At that time, we just used paper bags. But it’s definitely cooler using an image bag. Even better, use left over, thick wallpaper, so your kids aren’t walking advertisers that aren’t getting paid! Lol

Serena
Thrift Diving

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5 Designed Decor July 21, 2012 at 8:20 am

Yes, we used brown paperbags also, I think that is because most shopping places used plastic bags for your purchase. Great idea to recycle those store bags!

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6 Eggie July 23, 2012 at 5:05 pm

Loving this!! We just desided to cover our schoolbooks with glossy pictures from magazines. Put them together with glue, tape or booklon and cover your books like above!! You do have the best books next season!!

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7 The Other Me Is Sane July 24, 2012 at 11:19 am

this is genius. wish i had known this when my 3 girls were in high school!

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8 Lisa August 10, 2012 at 4:18 pm

This is a great idea! I knew I kept paper shopping bags around for a reason!

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9 Sheryll & Critters. August 30, 2012 at 1:08 am

This is a great idea. We never had money for fancy shopping bags, so used brown shopping bags. Some of the kids were so snooty that they were wearing their London Fog Trench coats inside out to show their labels. I never got name brands so I could not do such. lol.
Kids…… what can we say?

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10 Jaime September 10, 2012 at 8:42 pm

When I was in High school I used to watch the clearance bins at the local Ace Hardware and buy rolls of un-pasted wallpaper to cover my books. The covers lasted forever!

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