How to make a simple and elegant handmade book
Once you’ve done one or two of these, you’ll be addicted. They are great to make as gifts or to keep. In any case, it is wonderful to have original booklets in your home or bag. They can be used for journals or elegant invitations. This single section booklet or booklet uses a 3 or 5 hole stitching method.
Materials:
Paper for text: you can use handmade or commercial
Decorative paper for endpapers
Cardstock or heavy paper for covers
Decorative sewing threads, such as embroidery thread, waxed linen, or narrow ribbon
cutter
Ruler
Scissors
Awl
Needle
Pencil
Self-healing cutting mat
Basic method:
1. Cut the paper to the size you want. Usually 8 to 10 folios (page) are enough for a book. However, the number of sheets depends on the weight of the paper. Thicker paper will allow fewer pages and thinner paper will allow more pages. The folios will be the pages of your book. Fold the sheets in half and slide them one inside the other to form a section.
2. You can place a decorative sheet of paper on the outside of the section to act as end papers. The final paper must be the same size. You can create a cover for the book using cardstock or heavy paper that is approximately 2mm longer and wider than the folios. Place the cover around the outside of the folded sheets.
3. Sewing begins by opening the book in the middle. Mark the center with a light pencil. Make a second pencil mark between the first and the top of the book. The third mark will be made between the center mark and the bottom of the book. These become the marks for a 3-hole sewing method. This is ideal for smaller books; however, if you want the book to be larger, 5 holes are required. The sewing steps are the same in both cases.
4. Using a sharp, thick needle or awl, punch through all pages, including the cover, at the 3 pencil marks.
5. Your string should be about 3 times the height of your book. You can use gold embroidery thread or any color that goes well with your papers, or waxed linen thread. Begin sewing by inserting the needle into the center hole from the inside of the book. Pull the thread back, leaving about 2 to 3 inches of thread inside to tie the final knot. Insert the needle into the upper hole and pull it in. Insert the needle into the bottom hole and pull back. Reinsert the needle into the center hole making sure the beginning and end of the thread are on opposite sides of the long stitch that runs from the top hole to the bottom hole. Now tie the ends of the thread through the long thread. The long thread prevents the knot from slipping out of the hole. You can also try this sewing procedure with a very narrow tape. Instead of a knot you can make a bow with long tails.
6. Now cut a piece of decorative paper the same height as your book and about 3-4 inches wider. Wrap the paper around the card cover and fold the excess over the front and back at the edges. Press the folds in with your bone folder to create a nice clean edge.
7. You can also reverse the entire stitching procedure starting from the outside of the book but following the same steps. The knot or loop will end on the outside of the book. You can then add pretty beads to the tail ends of the bow. If you choose this method, skip Step #6.
