Origami Book Cover

This example uses a miniature accordion book I made (see the instructable here: https://www.instructables.com/Folding-an-Accordion-Book-From-Scrap-Paper/ ), which is a perfect project for this kind of cover, but you can use the cover for any kind of book block.

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Materials:

Book block

Fancy covering paper

Metal ruler (optional) to help tear the paper

Bone folder (optional) to help fold the paper

Place your book block onto the covering paper to estimate the size you need. Make a couple of pinch folds where you want to tear the paper, then tear it down to size using a metal ruler or straightedge. You can also cut the paper with scissors or a knife if you prefer to do it that way.

Using your book block to judge the size, use pinch folds to mark the placement for the top and bottom folds of the covering sheet, and fold these in towards each other.

Use a bone folder to make the folds crisp. If you want to protect your decorative paper from the bone folder, place a piece of scrap paper over the top before scoring.

When you've folded both edges inward, tear or cut off an excess if they overlap. If you're making a tiny book like this, the edges can meet in the centre. If you're covering a larger book, just make those edges wide enough to help the cover stay in place when it's on the book.

Again, use your book block to mark the location of the spine with pinch folds, then fold the edges up and make two crisp folds to form your spine.

Using your book block for size reference, make pinch folds to mark where you need to fold the front and back covers in to fit the book. If your piece of paper is too long (and it's always best to start with paper that's too long than too short), tear off any excess now. Your cover pocket edges should end just before the fold for the spine.

If you're using this cover for an accordion book, you can slide each end into the pockets, tearing off the last page of the accordion book if it's folded in the wrong direction.

If you're covering a regular book, just slide the two covers into the pockets as they are.

If you've just covered a new accordion book, you may need to weigh it down lightly for an hour or two so that the springiness settles down and the cover relaxes into place.

And you're done. Enjoy your new beautiful book cover!