How to Make a Candy Wrapper Book Cover

This fun candy wrapper craft project was submitted by Sarah Anderson of Leafy Branch Studios.

In this tutorial Sarah shows us how to upcycle and reuse candy wrappers by weaving them into a colourful book cover. She’s used hers to add a personal touch to planners and cheque books!

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Materials Needed – DIY Candy Wrapper Book Cover

• Pocket planner or cheque book with plastic cover
• Candy/food packaging that is at least 8” wide. This project can be made out of just two packages as long as one is at least 8”x 8” and the other is at least 8”x12”. The larger piece is the one that the strips for the boarder will be cut from. Pieces can also be taken from many different food packages if a more colourful cover is desired!
• Contrasting all-purpose thread
• 1 piece of card stock paper
• All-purpose glue
• Old sewing needle
• Push pin
• Scissors
• Pen
• Ruler
• Small piece of thick scrap cardboard

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Step 1: Prepare your Candy Wrappers

Wash food packaging in warm soapy water and allow to dry.

The last thing you want is bits of chocolate rubbing off on you in the middle of your project!

Step 2: Cut your Candy Wrappers into Strips

Your finished strips will look something like the picture below.

Depending on the size of the pocket planner or cheque book you are covering, more or less strips may be required.

The planner used in the demonstration required:

• 30 x 3/8” strips – 17 of the silver strips and 13 of the green strips.
• 4 x 1” strips for the border.

It is a good idea to cut a few extra just in case. You can always save them for a future project if you don’t need them all.

To cut the strips, use a ruler and pen to draw a straight line down one edge of the WRONG side of the
package so that you are starting with a straight line – candy wrappers rarely get torn open in a straight line!

If you are using a thinner wrapper that is a lighter colour, you may want to use a hard pencil to mark the lines instead of a pen.  I like to use a pen when I can, because it is easier to see, but on a thinner wrapper, it can be seen from the right side. 

Starting at this line, make marks at 3/8” intervals across the package. Make 3 rows of marks.

Turn the package 90 degrees and draw a line down the marks.

Cut the strips with scissors or a rotary cutter if you have one.

Repeat for the other package leaving 4” for the 1” boarder strips.

Cut 4, 1” strips in the same manner
.

Cut a piece of card stock to 3/16” less than the inside measurement of the plastic planner cover. This will give some extra room for the border and some wiggle room.

Step 3: Weave your Candy Wrapper Strips

Start weaving the 3/8” strips together. Line up one of the colors and weave the other color through it.

The finished weaving will look something like this.

Slide the piece of card stock under the weaving.

Add or remove strips as necessary so that there is room on the edges to lift up the ends of the strips to glue them down.

There will be a ½” boarder sewn over the edges, so it will not show that the weaving doesn’t go right up to the edge.

Glue all four sides of the finished weaving to the card stock and allow to dry.

Be careful to line up the strips so that the weaving is straight. The glue is only to hold the weaving in place until the trim is sewn on.

If some of the strips lift up, it is okay – they will all be sewn down.

Trim off any excess wrapper ends from the edges.

Fold the 1” strips in half and fold one over one of the short edges of the weaving.

Holding the strip tight to the edge and working along the edge of a ruler, poke holes through all layers with the push pin at 1/8” intervals around 3/16” back from the edge.

This is where the piece of scrap cardboard is used to protect the work surface. Do not work on a delicate surface in case the cardboard is not thick enough.

Thread the needle, double the thread over and knot.

Trim the excess thread from the knot.

Start stitching by starting in the second hole from the edge.

Hide the knot by lifting up the trim on the back side on the first stitch.

Work over the first stitch twice.

Work your way across stitch all the way along the edge to the end.

To finish your stitching, go over the same stitch several times like in the beginning – this is to secure it in place like a backstitch on a sewing machine.

Then flip it over and insert the needle into one of the holes and come out between the border and the card stock.

Cut the thread at the base of the needle to release the needle. Tie a triple knot so that it is hidden below the surface.

Trim the ends.

Repeat for the other end.

For the long edges, cut the boarder to length before stitching.

Trim both ends at approximately 45 degrees.

While poking holes, poke a couple of holes along the mitered edge.

Sew up this edge like the two shorter edges.

Repeat for the last side.

Step 4: Insert Candy Wrapper Cover into Plastic Sleeve

Here is the finished Candy Wrapper cover before it was put on the planner.

My planner has a plastic sleeve it sits inside and reusing that with the candy wrapper cover inside will give your upcycled book cover a longer life.

Remove the plastic cover from the planner.

Insert the finished cover into the plastic cover and re-insert the planner!

If you don’t have a plastic cover on the book or planner you want to cover you can create a similar pocket to insert your book with additional candy wrappers or even elastic.

Finished Candy Wrapper Book Cover!

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Printable Instructions – DIY Candy Wrapper Book Cover

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