DIY Magic: Rebinding My Thrifted Harry Potter Set

Worn Pages, New Covers: 

My Journey Into Book Rebinding 

If you’ve ever looked at a worn-out paperback and wished it could have a second life, welcome to the world of book rebinding. I recently thrifted the entire Harry Potter series and I've started to give them a magical glow-up by rebinding them as hardcovers with custom covers. It took me multiple trips to get my hands on each of the books in the series. I wanted to find ones that the pages were in good condition, but the covers were beat up (which made me feel sooooo much better when it came time to rip off all the covers). I've never read the Harry Potter books, and I've only seen the movies once through, so I thought this would be the perfect series to start with.

I spent tons of time in both Canva and the Cricut app designing, editing, and tweaking the designs to be just right. Since I have never done this before, and the books are kid friendly, I knew I wanted to start this first attempt at this hobby with a simplistic design that was cohesive across all of the books. The sizing and aligning the design across the spines is soooo challenging but I think it's going to look good once I've got them all done. 

I love reading, and I love thrifting. I've seen videos online of people rebinding books to create custom editions, and I figured... why not try it myself? It felt like the perfect blend of craftiness, nostalgia, and bookish satisfaction. I am not going to lie, and I'm holding your hand when I tell you this....it's not easy straight out of the gate. The first book took 3 attempts on my part, and looking at where it's at now, I know there's still things I could have tweaked or done better that I will carry over into my attempt on the second book (Heat pressing the spine took me ouuuuuuut). 

Here’s how this little DIY turned into a full-blown hobby (and a very aesthetic shelf upgrade). 

What You'll Need

Here’s what I used to rebind the series (I'll link it all at the end):

  • A thrifted paperback book (or any book will do)

  • Craft knife or box cutter

  • Bookbinding glue or PVA glue

  • Book board (for the hardcovers)

  • Decorative paper or fabric for the new cover

  • Headbands and ribbon (optional, for that fancy finish)

  • Bone folder & Book press (helpful but not required)

  • Patience... lots of patience.

The Process:

I'll give you a highlevel overview of how I went through this process but Chloë Breckenridge's guide is what I used and followed. I had no idea where to start with the measuring, and I think this how to guide was fantastic and worth checking out! 

Step 1: Remove the original covers
Carefully remove the paperback covers, trying not to damage the spine or pages...as a book lover, this part was hard! I plan on upcycling the covers and maybe create bookmarks for each book from them or something cool like that! 

Step 2: Prep the spine
I reinforced the spine with glue and some binding tape or cheesecloth to give the pages extra strength before attaching the new hardcover. 

Step 3: Cut and assemble the new covers
Using book board, I measured and cut out new front and back covers along with a spine piece, making sure to add the appropriate width to each. Word to the wise--there's a ton of different thickness of chipboad/book board. Make sure you choose the right one based on what you want it to feel like. 

Once cut, then I wrapped them with the cover material. I used my Cricut instead of hand cutting these, and it was rough but doable. Cricut wanted to put all the spines on 1 board, and the cuts were way too close together. The knife didn't handle it well, so I did cut these out by hand. I went with Cricut so I could ensure all the cuts would be identical. 

Step 4: Attach the text block
Once the cover was ready, I glued the end papers to give it a polished look and then I glued it all together. I needed 2 pieces of scrapbook paper per book (like the linked tutorial shows). I scored some really good ones on Amazon that are Harry Potter themed. I did decide to do the same end papers in all of the books to make them cohesive. 

Step 5: Press and dry
I placed the book in my book press and let it dry overnight. You can do this step with heavy books, similar to pressing flowers and other things. The goal is just to have the book lay flat and have pressure evenly distributed across the whole thing.

How It Turned Out



Honestly? I’m OBSESSED. The book has its own little personality now, and look so good on my shelf. There’s something really satisfying about giving old books a new life especially ones as nostalgic as Harry Potter. 

Is perfect? No. I made some mistakes (I misaligned a spine, got glue on a cover once, and underestimated how much drying time I’d need), but I learned SO much.

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely but only if you’re okay with a bit of trial and error. It’s not the fastest or easiest DIY, but it’s incredibly rewarding. Plus, it makes you look at your bookshelf with a whole new level of pride.

This could also be a great way to preserve special books or create custom gifts. I’m already eyeing a few more thrifted paperbacks to transform for Christmas gifts this year!

I also love that it's a hobby that you could spend as much or as little as you want to on it. Do you absolutely need a book press? Nope, you could get away with stacking heavy stuff on top of your book to dry. Do you have to have a Cricut? Absolutely not. You can customize and hand cut all the pieces. I've even seen tutorials where people upcycled cardboard they already had and used that as book boards. The possibilities are endless, which makes it even more fun!

Final Thoughts

Trying out the hobby of book rebinding made me feel creative, focused, and totally nostalgic. If you love books and DIY projects, this is definitely worth a try. Whether you’re going for something simple or something stunning, the end result is uniquely yours. If you've tried this before and have any tips or tricks, or even want to show off your creations, please don't hesitate to share! Maybe I'll eventually dip my toe in the pool of custom edges some day!

 Happy Creating! 

🖤Brittny 

 

 ✨ Shop It Here: 

Book Press:  https://amzn.to/471lqWC

Cutting Guides: https://amzn.to/456fk4T

Binding End Bands: https://amzn.to/4o6DaG8 

Book Cloth: https://amzn.to/3ILsb4X

Book Binding Cloth: https://amzn.to/3TZ8w3U

Chipboard: https://amzn.to/4o2jfs5 

PVA Glue: https://amzn.to/4mhtmrj & Glue Brush: https://amzn.to/459KrMU

Scrapbook Paper (End papers): https://amzn.to/4lWXiJe 

Utility Knife: https://amzn.to/46Yf3TU 

Gold Heat Transfer Vinyl: https://amzn.to/40yB3RA

 Cricut Tools: https://amzn.to/4fhO0Fl and Cricut Mats: https://amzn.to/455naLS

Cricut Blade: https://amzn.to/3UioeHz   

 

*If you use my link, I may earn a small commission—thank you for supporting Brittny Tried It! 💕 

 

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