DIY: Crafty Book Binding by Janis Nicolay



Hello all! Janis here, from Pinecone Camp. I'd like to share a simple, and fun, crafty project with you. It's a good one to do with kids, though you may want to handle the awl or it could be hazardous. Ouch.

I used to shoot weddings, and my partner and I would also make the albums for our clients. We used the "stab-stitch" method. I've since picked up a book called "How To Make Books" by Esther K. Smith, to pick up some other methods. My niece wanted to make some books to give her friends when she goes back to school, so I chose a simple stitch and gathered up some bits of paper and cardboard that I had laying around.  Here we go...





The materials used for this little book. Everyone seems to have left-over bits of paper, so rather than toss out, make a book!

Tools used for this project. A paper punch (to create circles), needle, awl, bone folder, bulldog clips, exacto blade, scissors, and a ruler.


Cut and fold paper and cardboard to the size you want the book to be. Burnish the folds with a bone folder.




After scoring the back side of both the front and back covers (about 3/4" from side), clip all pages and covers with bulldog clips. Use some paper to pad the bulldog clips to prevent dents in cardboard.

For a 5"x7" book punch three holes with the awl: one in the centre and one on each end about 1" in.



Using book binding thread or a sturdy cord or ribbon, start stitching. I used a stitch very similar to what I did with wedding albums. It's pretty easy, but you really can come up with many different patterns. Try it out!

Cut out shapes with your scrap paper. We made some simple birds and circles. Glue stick was used to attach cut-outs to cover.



My niece wanted a place for "secret messages and stickers", so I made an envelope for the inside back cover. Every girl should have a safe place for secret messages and stickers!

You can do so much with a few bits of scrap paper and some book binding tools. Have fun!

All images by Janis Nicolay at Pinecone Camp.

Jan Halvarson

18 comments:

Melissa Righero said...

Definitely going to try this with my son. Thank you much <3

Laura Evans said...

i love this ... totally going to try it.

Antonia M. said...

Oh, this is absolutely fantastic. I'm going to have to try it sometime soon.

SARAH said...

This is so so so neat! I hope my professor doesn't mind if I turn in all my poems in pretty little booklets from now on...

monkeyandsquirrel said...

ahhhh... so cute!!!

claudine said...

Definitely time to pick up Esther's book - It keeps turning up on my radar! I took bookbinding at college many years ago... and only loosely recall more tedious forms - this looks highly (and almost) instantly gratifying. Holiday gift dilemma solved. (Yes, I'm thinking about this in September!)

christine, just bella said...

So adorable.

Papier, Ciseaux, Cailloux... said...

It's really cute... And it's very important the small place for secret message ! Thanks !

Monique said...

Gorgeous!
greetings
Monique

Unknown said...

i love this! thanks for the tutorial. i can't wait to make one. i just need to pick up a few tools and i'm set.

Creative Mind said...

its so cute...very nice..i always love your great ideas...really

Katie Cannon said...

I love this. I reall need to make a few of these for gifts this year. I love all the tutorials on this site. I have just picked back up blogging and I really am enjoying all that the blogs have to offer now. http://asouthernladysramblings.blogspot.com

Cristina said...

super cute! my niece will love it too :-)
thanks for sharing

mysterymoor said...

this is such a nice tutorial! I will give it a go :)

EmilyLS23 said...

I love this tutorial and have made my first journal :) But I do have a question for you - how do you hide the knots and loose ends of the string? And how exactly do you sew it to get that pattern? Where do you begin? Could you please elaborate a little more on this part of the process? Thank you :)

Donna C said...

Hi Janis

Love the tutorial - I found it on Pinterest. Thanks!

Donna

Michelle said...

Thanks for the great tutorial!! I love that your niece requested a special spot for "secret messages and stickers" :) How cute!

Unknown said...

Me encantó, muy lindo,gracias