Part 6: Cover Design - Penguin Clothbound Classic Rebind Tutorial

Part Six of my series on how to rebind your books into the Penguin Clothbound Classic aesthetic. This is a pretty long video, but will walk you through the steps of how I design all my covers in the ‪@Cricut‬ design space app. I'm going to make an additional "HOW TO" cricut video for once you have your design some tips for cutting/weeding/ironing on HTV since I've received a lot of questions about that.
QUICK CRICUT NOTE:
Any machine the size of the Joy Xtra or larger works for this type of book cover. I personally have the Maker, I bought it at Costco a few years back. You definitely don't need the fanciest cricut machine they sell, just something that can cut at least the width of your outline (the Joy machine only cuts 4.5 inches wide)
I will be making additional videos after this, answering questions you still have, going over other methods etc. Also redoing my initial videos in horizontal format since I initially made them for TikTok. Leave any questions/suggestions for additional videos in the comments!
Highly suggest watching the other parts of this series first, where I go over all the supplies needed, how to prep your text block, make the case, and attach the text block to your case.
If you want to see some of the books I've done follow me over on TT and Insta:
TikTok: / thatsmybookshelf
Instagram: / thatsmybookshelf
My Amazon storefront links all supplies needed:
www.amazon.com/shop/thatsmybo...
Any other helpful links are in my linktree
linktr.ee/thatsmybookshelf

[@sammieg1498]

Idk why but it is so satisfying watching someone problem solve like this

[@tgarza521]

Just so you know, if you’re able to rearrange your images even if they’re on two different cutting sheets. If you press those three dots (•••) you can actually transfer the image from the second sheet to the first. That way you don’t have to load it twice. I do it all the time and it’s definitely a time saver!

[@agoodburn4]

I’m new to book binding and new to cricut. This is exactly what I was needing help with. Thank you so much!

[@bam251]

Not even two minutes in, and I’ve already learned so much… Thank you for your work!!

[@rxgoddess2005]

BEST cricut tutorial I’ve ever seen. You deserve all the stars!!!!!!!! I’ve had this machine for over 6 years, could not figure the thing out and chalked it up to me not being tech savvy. Maybe your mind and my mind just think the same way because I totally understand everything you went through. I’ve watched other tutorials before and NEVER quite understood. I’m actually going to pull this machine out tonight and try to create something. I came for the rebinding, got that and left with being able to use a cricut. THANK YOU!!!!!

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

Oh you’re so welcome!!! This is great to hear! Yay finally using the machine!

[@user-nl4ob4lp2n]

Love your videos! FYI when it puts it on 2 mats but you know it fits on one you can click on the 3 dots of the design on the second mat and move it to the first mat 😊 That saves the unload and reload of the same sheet of HTV

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

THANK YOU!! I learn something new every day with cricut!

[@strongpowerthankyou9298]

This was great! I've been looking for a tutorial on cutting out shapes from outside the frame for TWO days (I'm super new to Design Space), and this explained it perfectly - thank you so much!

[@LollieEliza]

This has been the most helpful tutorial I’ve seen so far. Thank you!

[@eleanor8537]

This is such a helpful and easy to follow tutorial. Thank you so much!!

[@reginakrystyn]

You made this look so attainable! Thank you!!! 🙏🏾📚

[@caitlinmay8384]

omg i’ve been waiting for this one!!! love your work ❤

[@michaelawightman790]

Thank you so much for this ! Attempting my first bind this weekend :)

[@gamingattic]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! It helps a lot when you’re completely new to Cricut I see that you use HTV. Do you use the Cricut press? What settingS do you use for your HTV? Is there any tips you have for ironing it on?

[@Octorawk]

Thanks so much for these! I have a book with a cover I absolutely hate and I've been wanting to change for ages but wasn't sure what I wanted it to look like. The penguin style cover is a great idea and I already have a design in mind! I'm still in the process of gathering materials. (Not to mention it'll be great for my poor neglected cricut to see some use. Can't wait to see the next part on actually getting the design on the cover, that's what I'm most nervous about. ^_^;;

[@briannenoyes3108]

Thank you so much!!!

[@PerfectPorcelainDisaster]

I would really love if you could do a full length video showing the process. I’m very curious about how the end papers end up looking with the next page after them, if you put something behind them so it’s not a semi see through page. Love your videos!

[@CaptinPoser]

Just finished the video - amazing! I couldn’t do that without this guidance. Quick q - how do you establish the size of the boarder, and what margin to use so the design doesn’t go right up to the edges of the book.

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

I don’t have a set amount that I use, each time I hold the ruler up to the case and sort of eyeball it (super helpful I know), to see what I think will look good but if I recall correctly and I’ll check back later if I’m wrong but the PCCs have I think 7mm gap around them?

[@CaptinPoser]

It’s Christmas wahoooo

[@christinemiller5638]

Hi, this was great and exactly what i'm looking for. Will you still be making the "how too" for ironing?

[@tessstarman5568]

Yes- I would like this too! A printing, weeding, and ironing tutorial!

[@floralzero]

Omg i love your voice so much, and so in love with your shorts. I think your system is wonderful. Im not sure if i missed it, but do you have any tips for warping covers? :(

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

That could definitely be a result of grain direction of your board vs bookcloth. Also if you aren’t doing a hard press of your cover once you’ve glued the fabric down. I normally press it for at least a few hours before ironing on the htv

[@floralzero]

@@ThatsMyBookshelfthanks for the advice! and best of luck with your youtube channel and content

[@nannagwen]

Hi! This was super helpful, are you to be doing a video for the weeding and ironing part of the cover as well? Im really nervous out that because i only have a cricut joy so i think i have to do half a cover at a time, its too small to do one whole cover. Or any tips on that would be amazing! Loved the videos!

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

Yes I’m filming that this week 😊

[@nannagwen]

@ThatsMyBookshelf Oh thats amazing! Really looking forward to it

[@noiseworks]

@@ThatsMyBookshelf looking forward to it

[@LetYourInnerBeautySh]

Hey! Where do you get the card stock to match the book theme? I’ve looked at Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Amazon, and Esty but nothing is catching my eye. So like, for the HP books you did, did you just get a blank card stock and print your own design? Or is there a magical secret website I’m missing out on lol?

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

That’s where I get everything actually. I don’t make my own just add embellishments to ones that already have patterns. I go through all the materials I use and where I source them in my first video of this series if you’re interested!

[@sofiekern5889]

When transferring the design to the book cover, can I use a regular clothes iron or do I need that special heat press?

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

So I ended up biting the bullet and getting the $50 mini heat press. A regular iron doesn’t give a good enough heat distribution and I melted and messed up about 5 covers with a normal iron before just buying the mini cricut iron.

[@user-hb5sb3jk6d]

Hi. I don´t know why when I attach the items it changes automatically the operation to print then cut and It doesn´t allow me to change it. ¿Can you tell me why is happening that? All images are on basic cut operation before I try to attach them. Thank you very much for your tutorials.

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

Hmm I’m hoping someone else who is more cricut savvy will jump in to help you as I think any time that’s happened to me it’s because I accidentally picked a print than cut image and just had to find a different one. Sorry I can’t help more!

[@user-hb5sb3jk6d]

@@ThatsMyBookshelf thank you . I'm going to try and do it with a different image. Let's see if it works. Thank you very much

[@EstelaMunozLobo]

Could you be willing to share the project with us in Cricut design space? I will love to start wit yours and then rearrange it for my own books, in my head feels so much easy that way, (not good with tech :\)

[@kreativeReise]

Wouldn't it also be possible to put the title and the author in a box and the pattern one layer behind it?

[@haydenogilvie5615]

What programme is this?

[@ThatsMyBookshelf]

Called cricut design space, it goes with the cricut cutting machine

[@boooozer]

Did someone catch what the font name was? That was all I really wanted and it went too quickly haha

[@bergamt]

She typed Garamond before changing it to Times.