There’s something so comforting about the blend of a good book and a handmade project. Whether you’re heading out with a novel tucked under your arm or keeping your current read safe in your bag, a book sleeve brings a little extra care—and a lot of personality—to your reading life.

The Academia Book Sleeve was inspired by a love of classic literature, vintage textures, and the quiet charm of the scholarly aesthetic. It’s a pattern that feels both practical and poetic, pairing function with form in a way that speaks to slow living and intentional creativity.

With its textured stitches and clean lines, this sleeve is designed to keep your favorite reads safe while adding a handmade touch to your daily rituals. Whether you’re gifting it to a fellow book lover or adding it to your own collection of everyday essentials, it’s the kind of project that invites you to savor the process and enjoy the result.

Grab your hook, choose your yarn, and make something that’s equal parts cozy, clever, and uniquely you.

Scroll down for the free pattern or save this project for later on Pinterest!

The Academia Book Sleeve is part of the Father’s Day Blog Hop hosted by Green Fox Farms Designs! Visit the post each day from 5/24-6/7 to see what the daily pattern and discount will be. You can collect up to 15 patterns perfect for gifting to the men in your life!

The Academia Book Sleeve is today’s featured pattern! Scroll down to find out how to get your free PDF!

Missed some of the patterns or just want them all now?? Get the bundle with 15 patterns for the awesome price of $10. That’s less than $1 a pattern!

Looking for an ad free version? You can find the PDF version on Etsy, Ravelry, LoveCrafts, or Ko-Fi!

Materials:

• Approximately 224 yards/205 meters of DK/light weight yarn for Book

**168 yards of main color, 10 yards of contrast color 1, and 46 yards of contrast color 2.

• Approximately 146 yards/133 meters of DK/light weight yarn for Kindle

**110 yards of main color, 6 yards of contrast color 1, and 30 yards of contrast color 2.

• US H/5 mm or size needed to obtain gauge
• Tapestry Needle 
• Measuring Tape 
• Scissors
• 2- Stitch Markers
• 2- 3/4″ to 1″ Inch Buttons

Sizing:

Measurements are of finished piece, closed, with nothing inside.

Book- 9.5″ tall by 6.5″ wide.

Kindle- 7″ tall by 5.5″ wide.

Guage:

Single Crochet – 18 sts by 23 rows = 4″ by 4″ (unblocked)

Gauge is important to your project so your finished piece will be the size specified in the pattern and the materials specified in the pattern will be sufficient. The hook size for the pattern is based on what I used, but gauge can vary from person to person and be affected by yarn. If it takes you fewer stitches and rows to make 4”, try using a smaller size hook; if more stitches and rows, try a larger size hook. The pattern also provides measurements to obtain for a specific size. Using a combination of matching gauge and measuring, as closely as possible, should get you close to the desired size.

Stitches & Abbreviations (US Terms):

• CC1 – contrast color 1
• CC2 – contrast color 2
• ch(s) – chain(s)
• hdc – half double crochet
• MC – main color
• RS – right side
• sc – single crochet
• sk – skip
• sl st – slip stitch
• sp – space
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• WS – wrong side

Notes:

• Beginning chains do not count as stitches.
• All other chains count as stitches.
• Stitches between the [ ] brackets are to be worked the total number of times indicated.
• Stitches between the ( ) parentheses are to all be worked into the same stitch.
• Worked flat and then seamed closed.
• Stitches with the number appearing first will all be worked into the same stitch. For example, 5dc would be 5 double crochet all worked in the same stitch. Whereas dc 5 would be one double crochet worked into each of the next five stitches.

BOOK PATTERN

With MC, ch 57.

Row 1 (WS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. (56)

Row 2 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 3 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 4 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 7 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (56)

Row 5 (WS): With CC1, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 6 (RS): With MC, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 7 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 8 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 7 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (56)

Row 9 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 10 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 11 (WS): With CC2, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 12 (RS): With MC, ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 7 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (56)

Rows 13 (WS): With CC2, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 14 (RS): With MC, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 15 (WS): With CC2, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 16 (RS): With MC, ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 7 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (56)

Row 17 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 18 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 19 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

Row 20: (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 7 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (56)

Rows 21-36: Repeat rows 5-20.

Rows 37-47: Repeat rows 5-15.

Row 48: With MC, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (56)

**Piece should measure approximately 8.5″ tall. Add or remove rows, continuing the color change pattern, to meet this measurement. If you need to add rows, you’ll want to skip row 48 as written and follow the pattern from row 16 on. It’s best to end on a solid row just before a row with chain spaces if possible.

Fasten off, weave in all ends.

Adding Vertical Stripes

You will be using surface slip stitches to work vertically up the piece with your contrast colors. You’ll work through the spaces created with the chain 1/skip you placed in the rows.

Assembly

Top

With RS and front of sleeve facing you, attach yarn to the stitch in the left-hand fold.

Round 1 (RS): Ch 1, hdc each st around, join. (56)

Rounds 2-4: Ch 1, hdc 3rd loop each st around, join. (56)

**Piece should measure approximately 9.5″ tall here, add or remove rows of hdc 3rd loop to meet this measurement.

Round 5: Ch 1, sc 3rd loop each st around, join. (56)

Do not fasten off, follow directions below for positioning buttons and loops.

KINDLE PATTERN

With MC, ch 50.

Row 1 (WS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. (49)

Row 2 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 3 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 4 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 6 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (49)

Row 5 (WS): With CC1, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 6 (RS): With MC, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 7 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 8 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 6 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (49)

Row 9 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 10 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 11 (WS): With CC2, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 12 (RS): With MC, ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 6 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (49)

Rows 13 (WS): With CC2, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 14 (RS): With MC, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 15 (WS): With CC2, ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 16 (RS): With MC, ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 6 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (49)

Row 17 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 18 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 19 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc each st across. (49)

Row 20: (RS): Ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 4] 6 times, ch 1, sk 1, sc, ch 1, sk 1, sc 3. (49)

Rows 21-35: Repeat rows 5-19

**Piece should measure approximately 6″ tall. Add or remove rows, continuing the color change pattern, to meet this measurement. It’s best to end on a solid row just before a row with chain spaces if possible.

Fasten off, weave in all ends.

Adding Vertical Stripes

Assembly

Top

With RS and front of sleeve facing you, attach yarn to the stitch in the left-hand fold.

Round 1 (RS): Ch 1, hdc each st around, join. (49)

Rounds 2-4: Ch 1, hdc 3rd loop each st around, join. (49)

**Piece should measure approximately 7″ tall here, add or remove rows of hdc 3rd loop to meet this measurement.

Round 5: Ch 1, sc 3rd loop each st around, join. (49)

Do not fasten off, follow directions below for positioning buttons and loops.

I hope you loved making the Academia Book Sleeve as much as I did!

If you enjoyed this free crochet pattern, be sure to pin it for later and share your finished piece on social media (tag @woodland.stitchcraft on IG)—I’d love to see your creations!

Looking for more free crochet patterns? Browse my collection of fun and stylish crochet designs to keep your hooks busy all season long.