Journaling Bible Sweater free crochet pattern for book cover

About a month ago, my daughter demanded that I open the little packs of yarn I had been hoarding in my stash for years. I like sets and collections of things kept in tidy order. She likes to throw things around the house. 

Needless to say, I gave in and she loved holding and throwing and retrieving the tiny balls of yarn. After I collected them all back and stored them away safely, I began to think of projects I could make with them. Maybe a set of Christmas ornaments? Colorful crocheted flowers for a spring wreath? A neat scarf? 

On one of her retrievals, she brought back 4 or 5 colors that went beautifully together and I knew I had to make something with stripes in those colors. That night I began to make a little cozy sweater for my journaling Bible. I had made one years ago for my study Bible out of Lion Brand's discontinued Microspun yarn, but it didn't fit my ESV journaling Bible.

It took me a few days to finish it and when I did I posted it to the Illustrated Faith Bible Journaling Community on Facebook (click HERE to join) and it kinda became a hit! I think the pictures have over 1,100 likes and so many wonderful comments. Wow!

I would absolutely love to make these and sell them, however, I just haven't worked out a time-sensitive way to do that. There are sooooo many journaling Bibles on the market now and they are all different sizes, so each cover or sweater would have to be a custom order and as a full-time mom, I just can't work that into my schedule right now. Perhaps in the future.

Until then, I thought I would share the super simple pattern if you were inclined to make one for yourself.

So here we go... 

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Notes:

• These instructions are in U.S. terms. 
• This is my first time blogging a crochet pattern. Be kind as I'm sure I've probably made some mistakes. I've tried to be as clear as possible.
• I did find my original version was a little too loose and stretchy. After some of my initial pictures, I removed a row and made the "pockets" deeper. These changes are reflected in the pattern below.
• This pattern assumes you know the basics of crochet. If you don't, it is a super easy hobby and there are lots of great beginner tutorials on YouTube. For this pattern, you will need to know how to make a chain stitch and a half double crochet, as well as a single crochet for the joining at the end.
• The pattern is written to fit the ESV double column journaling Bible by Crossway. Instructions in purple and in parentheses are to customize it to fit your Bible.

Supplies:

• 1 pack of Lion Brand Bon Bons (Note: there are 8 balls in each pack. I used 7 balls, BUT I chose 5 colors from the Nature pack and 2 plus a little more purple from the Beach pack. You can pick as few or as many colors/packs as you would like. The packs I used are 100% cotton while the others are acrylic and will produce a different feel and may stretch a little more.)
• Size F/3.75mm crochet hook like Clover Soft touch HERE or Lion Brand HERE
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
• Scissors
• Your Bible

Pattern:
Chain 86 (or length = width of front cover + width of spine + width of back cover + 7" for the 2 "pockets").
Row 1: half double crochet (HDC) in 2nd chain from hook and in each chain across to end. Chain 1. Turn.
Row 2. HDC in each stitch across.
Repeat row 2 for a total of 27 rows (or for how many rows to = the height of your Bible when fabric slightly stretched). My stripe color sequence is below.

Finishing:
Weave in all ends! Yuck!
To make "pockets" or sleeves in which to insert the cover:
This is a difficult explanation to type, but it is super easy to do! Sorry the pics are dark... dreary rain today!

With wrong side facing you, count and mark 16 stitches from each end (or approximately 3.5") and fold in both ends. 

With right side facing you and on the top edge of your rectangle, insert hook in the back loop of the 17th stitch and the 16th stitch (or where you marked 3.5") and pull up a loop of edging color (I used pink). Chain 1. Single crochet (SC) in the back loops of stitches across. Don't forget to SC the last 16 stitches together (pic below). 

Rotate work and repeat on bottom edge. 

Weave in ends and try your new sweater on!!!

** You can also simply whip stitch the tops and bottom of pockets in coordinating color if you don't want to SC across.

Color sequence:
Foundation chain and first 3 rows: purple
1 row = light purple
2 rows = pink
1 row = beige
3 rows = blue
1 row = brown
3 rows = green
1 row = purple
3 rows = light purple
1 row = pink
2 rows = beige
1 row = blue
2 rows = brown
1 row = green
2 rows = purple

leftover yarn

finished #biblesweater

For years, I have had a stretchy fabric book cover on my Bible just to protect it and make it cute (before painting the covers became a thing). I found that keeping that cover on under my new sweater allows it to sit smoothly if that makes sense. It doesn't stretch weird or slide around. And the pink cover gives me an extra pocket to store photos or whatever.

before

with pink stretchy cover

with new sweater

inside front cover

I hope you enjoyed this. Let me know if you have any questions. And if you make one and share it on social media, tag me or use the hashtag #BibleSweater 

Keep creating,
Ann :)