Scrapbooking is an excellent way to preserve your family's memories. A scrapbook can take months - or even years - to complete. After all that hard work, you want to keep your scrapbooks looking nice. One way to do this is to protect the cover of your scrapbook with a covering. Another way is to follow basic preservation methods to keep the cover free from dents or scratches.
There are several different types of coverings you can make for your scrapbook. One type of covering is a fabric jacket. To make this jacket, you'll first mark the covering's measurements on the wrong (not patterned) side of your fabric. Measure your scrapbook cover's height and add one inch. Mark this on your fabric. Next, measure your scrapbook cover's width, then measure how thick your scrapbook is. Multiply the cover's width by two, add the thickness measurement, and add 7 inches. Mark this measurement on your fabric. Extend these two measurements on your fabric to create a square. (For example, if your scrapbook cover measures 10 inches wide by 12 inches tall, and your scrapbook is 2 inches thick, you should end up with a square of fabric that measures 29 inches wide by 13 inches tall.)
Next, you'll sew the cover together. Cut out the fabric square that you marked and sew a half-inch hem on the two short sides. To do this, iron down one-quarter inch on each side of the fabric, then iron down another one-quarter inch, and sew close to the fold.
To make the flaps that will hold the cover on to your book, fold back three inches on each side of your cover, right sides together. Sew these two flaps along the tops and bottoms with a half-inch seam allowance, then turn right-side out. Iron the cover all around and voila! Wrap it around your scrapbook and you're done.
Creating a clear plastic cover is even easier. The height of your plastic cover should equal the height of your scrapbook cover plus one-half inch. The width of your plastic cover should equal the width of your scrapbook cover times two plus the thickness of your scrapbook plus 6. Plastic covers do not need to be hemmed, so all you'll need to do is sew the flaps. This time, fold back just two and one half inches, and sew the flaps down as close to the edge of the plastic as you can (about one-quarter or one-eighth inch is good). Wrap the covering around your book.
The other way to protect your scrapbook's cover is to follow basic preservation techniques to keep it safe. Store your scrapbook standing up, rather than lying flat, and never stack anything on top of it. Take care to store it in a safe environment, away from sharp objects.
Also, don't leave your scrapbooks lying around the house when they're not in use. This leaves your scrapbooks prone to accidents like having something spilled on them, or even visitors (or your own family members) not being very careful when they page through it.
Follow these safe storage techniques and cover your scrapbook with a fabric or plastic cover to ensure a lifetime's worth of memories are kept safe and protected.
