Free Crochet Book Cover Pattern

To celebrate Book Lovers Day, the Read with Granny free crochet book cover pattern will allow you to create a handmade book cover for your favourite book so you can read in style and keep your book protected.

Read with Granny | Free Crochet Book Cover Pattern

With Granny Square Day and Book Lovers day both featuring in August, what better combination of inspiration could I have to create this crochet book cover pattern.

But, this pattern is not made from granny squares, and in fact is actually worked as one big rectangle using a variation of my Granny Shell Stitch that was first used in the Granny’s Coming out of her Shell Shawl in 2022. 

The rectangle is folded and seamed to replicate a book sleeve and to help you secure your pages when you need to step back into reality after you reading session.

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Purchase the Printable Pattern

If you’d prefer to follow this pattern without Ad’s getting in the way, you can purchase the printable pattern from your favourite pattern shop by clicking the button below:

Inspirational Images

Understandably, my pattern testers jumped at the chance to stitch up their own crochet book covers, and help me ensure this pattern was easy to follow.

Below, you can see the images of their finished covers and get some inspiration of colours to use in your own project or copy as all and choose a variegated yarn.

I’m always so grateful to my testers who are such amazing help in bringing my projects and patterns to life.

Recommended Yarn for Crochet Book Cover

I created this pattern using yarn that I was gifted by Premier Yarn. The original use was to recreate another granny stitch project, and I had 1 skein of Premier Basix Mosaic left over which would be just enough to create this book cover.

You can however, recreate this pattern in any weight yarn you have in your stash – check out the Make it in Any Size Section for more details.

I used shade Bouquet in Premier Basix Mosaic, which is a Size 4, Worsted weight yarn with 100% acrylic fibre content. It’s definitely on the heavier side of the Aran weight yarn you find in the UK but Basix Mosaic recommends a 5.5mm hook, but I used a 5mm to make the fabric a little tighter.

I really love this shade and it looked great when I re-worked my Really, Really Wanna Shawl too.

Make it in Any Size

There is something we all have in common, and that is yarn in our homes, that is just waiting to be used – well, this free crochet book cover pattern can be made in any size yarn – plus it takes just the tiniest amount of maths to make it happen.

The reason the size of this pattern is so easy to adjust is because I’m sharing the stitch multiple with you.

If you’re not sure what a stitch multiple is, click here and you can find out all about them.

The stitch multiple for this pattern is 6 + 1 + 1

Simply create a chain as tall as your book, ensuring it is a multiple of 6 such as 24 chains, 30 chains, or 36 chains and add on the 2 extra chains once you have the right length.

You can then follow the pattern as it is written, completing the pattern repeat – let’s get on with the stitching…

Free Crochet Book Cover Pattern Notes

Special Stitches – Granny Shell = (3dc, ch 1, 3dc)

Gauge – Gauge is not essential – check size against book cover being created for

Pattern Notes

• Please read through the entire pattern before beginning, regardless of skill level. Please contact me ([email protected]) if help is needed to understand any part of pattern
• Beginning ch-3 DOES COUNT as st
• Beginning ch-5 counts as dc and ch-2 – It may be helpful to place st marker in 3rd ch to keep track of that stitch
• The beginning chain should be worked using the stitch multiple to create a chain the same length as the height of the book
• The number of rows worked will be the total circumference of the book, plus 8” for a hardback or 6” for a paperback

Video Tutorial | Free Crochet Book Cover Pattern

How to make this free crochet book cover pattern

Row 1. WS: Ch 32, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across to end, turn – 31 sc

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in same as ch 3, skip 2, *3 dc in next, skip 2; repeat from * across to last, dc in last, turn – 10 3-dc groups, 1 dc

Row 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in same, skip next 3dc group, 3dc in space between each 3dc group across to end, dc in tc, turn – 10 3-dc groups, 1 dc

Row 4: Ch 1 (does not count as st), sc in same, *ch 1, (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) in 2nd dc of next 3dc group, ch 1, sc in 2nd dc of next 3dc group; repeat from * across to end, last sc will be worked in turning ch, turn – 6 sc, 5 granny shell, 10 ch-1 sps

Row 5: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2), skip 3dc group, *(3sc, ch 1) in ch-1 sp in granny shell, (dc, ch 1) in sc in previous row; repeat from * to last, ch 1, dc in last, turn – 15 sc, 6 dc, 2 ch-2 sps, 8 ch-1 sps

Row 6: Ch 3, 2 dc in same, skip ch-2 sp, *3dc in middle sc of 3sc group, skip ch-1 sp, 3dc in dc in previous row, skip ch-1 sp; repeat from * to ch-2 sp, skip ch-2 sp, dc in ch 3 of tc, turn – 10 3dc groups, 1 dc

Row 7: Repeat Row 3

Row 8-39: Repeat Rows 4-7 a further 8 times

Row 40: Ch 1, sc in same as ch 1 and each st across to end – 31 sc

Fasten off, weave ends

Continue to Seaming

Seaming

Lay rectangle WS facing and fold in short edge 3.5” on each side and secure with stitch markers to create book flap

Try on book to confirm fold creates a secure fit

Row 1: With RS facing, join in corner through both layers of book flap, ch 1, sc in same as ch 1, working through both layers of book flap, sc evenly across row ends, sc evenly across row ends to next book flap, working through both layers of book flap, sc evenly across row ends to end

Fasten off

Repeat for other edge of book cover

Weave remaining ends

Purchase the Printable Pattern

If you’d prefer to follow this pattern without Ad’s getting in the way, you can purchase the printable pattern from your favourite pattern shop by clicking the button below:

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