|
Making a Simple 8-page Book
It's fun to write and illustrate your
own stories. Now you can bind your literary creations
into a book by using this simple stitching method.
These instructions tell how to create
an 8-page book. Add more sheets of copier paper for
additional pages. Each additional sheet of paper will
create 4 more book pages.
What you'll need:
- 2 sheets of 8/12 X 11" photocopier
paper for the text pages (additional sheets if desired)
- 1 sheet of medium-weight construction
paper or art paper for the cover
- Heavy thread, embroidery floss, thin
decorative cord, or dental floss, cut to a length
3 times longer than the short width of the cover
- Pencil or pen
- Paper clips
- Ruler
- Large-eyed needle, not too sharp
- Awl or pushpin
- Kitchen towel, folded in quarters
Instructions:
- Be sure that both the width and
length of the construction or art paper are
at least 1/2" larger than photocopier paper.
If not, cut photocopier paper so that both width
and length are 1/2" smaller than the cover
paper. The construction paper will be your cover,
and the photocopier paper will be your text
sheets.
- Fold cover paper in half the
"hamburger" way. Smooth the fold with
the side of a pen or pencil.
- Now fold sheets of photocopier
paper in half the same way and again smooth
folds with the side of a pen or pencil. Put
one sheet inside the other.
- Put the folded text sheets inside
the folded cover sheet, centering them evenly.
There should be about a 1/4" margin outside
the text sheets. Place paper clips at top and
bottom to hold text paper in place.
- Place the open book on top of
the folded towel.
- Use ruler to find the exact
center of the fold, and punch a small hole there
with the awl or pushpin.
- Now use the ruler to find the
center point between the punched hole and the
top of the book. Put a hole there with awl or
push pin.
- Repeat step 7 to make one last
hole between the center hole and the bottom
of the book.
- Thread needle but do not tie
knot at end. Push threaded needle down through
center hole from the outside of book to the
inside. Leave a length of thread about 4"
long sticking out of center. (You will later
tie this off.)
- Bring needle out of top hole
from the inside of the book out, then down through
the bottom hole from the outside in.
- Finally, sew back up through
the center hole. You will have two lengths of
thread sticking out from the center hole.
- Tighten and adjust thread as
necessary. Tie a bow or knot and trim thread
to desired length.
|
|
|
Adapted from "Bookmaking: a single-signature
pamphlet" from the web site "Preservation
Education and Awareness for Library Users"; University
of California, San Diego; http://gort.ucsd.edu/preseduc/index.html
For more ideas on bookmaking, visit these
web sites:
"Bind It Fast: Make or repair books
with this easy technique" http://www.sff.net/people/Brook.West/bind/bindit.html
"Making Pop-Up Books" by Joan
Irvine http://www.makersgallery.com/joanirvine/
"Making Books with Susan Kapuscinski
Gaylord: For Teachers, Parents, and Children" www.makingbooks.com
|
