If you know how to make a photo album or even your own album cover, you could save yourself a lot of money in your scrapbooking endeavours.
Scrapbooking albums are usually quite pricey to buy, so it might be worth your while to try your hand at making your own. There are many books on how to make a photo album, and you can also find many different ideas on Google and Pinterest.
At the bottom of this post, there is a video you can watch that will teach you exactly how to make a photo album, and video’s say it better than words. In the meantime, let’s look at how to make a cover for your album.
How To Make A Cover For Your Album
Because I have included a video below on how to make a photo album, today I am going to focus on making a cover for your album.
You can make one from scratch or personalise an already bought one.
This simple idea will give your precious album an extra layer of protection from dust and handling and is easy to make. If you choose to make a paper jacket, view it as something that will need to be replaced when it becomes tired and worn.
For a paper jacket, buy a length of paper measuring exactly the height of the album that you wish to cover. Cut the width three times the width of the album, plus add the width of the spine.
Fold over the one end to half the width of the album and slide the back cover of the album into the fold.
Wrap the remaining paper around the spine and over the front cover. Keep the paper taut and turn the album over and fold the remaining paper around the front cover. Glue in place.
It is best to use a thick enduring card or handmade paper to make your paper jacket so that it will last.
If you want more lasting protection, try making a fabric jacket. You will need a sewing machine for this one. You can also do some great personalising of your fabric cover with embroidery or sewing of other embellishments onto the cover.
You should use a strong and close-woven fabric like a lightweight canvas. The fabric mustn’t be too thick, or you will battle to get the cover to fit smoothly over the album.
First of all measure your album accurately. The height of the fabric must be the height of the album plus 6cm for folding inwards. The width of the fabric must be the width of the front cover, the back cover, the spine and another cover added on to make the front and back flaps. Trim the short ends with pinking shears
Fold over both the side flaps right sides together (inside out) and make sure that it fit’s the album. Thread your sewing machine and sew the flaps in place top and bottom. Turn the fabric the right way around and you will have a cover. Iron and stick the top and bottom edges fold inwards towards the album, and then just slip the cover on.
You could also try using felt to make your album cover, as this can just be cut to size and would not need turning under, as it doesn’t fray.
You can then have loads of fun decorating your cover to your taste by using buttons, bits of fabric or other embellishments.
Now let’s look at how to make a photo album.
