DIY Book Binding

HEY! READY TO CRAFT?

So awhile ago I was looking for a way to bind my own book for I am writing one...( I can tell you about it if you want! Comment if you do!) Anyways, I found this great bunch of videos and they all did it differently. So I made a mixture out of all of them and it works really well! Enjoy!
So for starters you will need a few things...

• Paper: I use 8 and a half by 11 it is the most common.

• Glue: I am using Elmer's Multi purpose glue and I think it is the easiest to find and you can get it at your local Walmart or online. It is also pretty cheap.

• Sewing needle and string: I use the same needle to poke the paper as I do sew it. Make sure you have string that is not to thin or else it will snap very easily.

• Pencil: No need to explain here. :)

• Hot glue gun: Any size will work, it really doesn't matter, its just glue.

• Scrap book paper: You can use any kind of paper for the cover but I use the more strong scrap book paper because it will last longer and is less wimpy.

• Scissors: Do not use any kind of "fancy" scissors, the ones that leave the pattern will not really work, but if it does go for it!

• Ruler: Once again...no need to explain. :)

• Some sort of big hair clip: This is to hold the paper, and if you don't have one it is not really necessary.

• Book press: I made my own and I will show you how if you want! Just tell me in the comments! But a big pile of books will work as well.

• A paper plate or bowl: I use a small one if its to big then I wont be able to store it anywhere.

Alright, now on to business!

Now take one single sheet and fold it in half...

Do this to the rest of your paper, you should have at least 25-50 sheets.

Take the clip or just use you had and gather all the paper together, make sure you have all the ends lined up correctly.

Then put the paper into a book press or under heavy textbooks. School books are what I used to use, they are really big a bulky.

Then make your lines where you want the holes to go, I did this: half and inch from the edge, 1", 1", 1", and 1" and a half in the middle. You can make it however long or short you want it.

Use your ruler and draw a vertical line on the stacked paper. Make sure it is all stacked up correctly.

Once you have your paper marked, take out five single sheets of paper.

Then put them all together to make a small booklet.

Make sure once more that your pages line up, and puncture holes in the paper where you marked it on  the outside.

Take all of your paper and make them into these small booklets.


Take one small booklet and weave your string in and out like a how you normally sew. Tie a large know and start on the inside so the knot will not be seen.

Then go back and sew over the gaps.

You will only be doing this on your first booklet. Make sure the string is on the outside of the paper.

Grab your second booklet and start by making one stitch.

Now here is where is gets a little tricky. After the one stitch take your string on the outside of the booklet, you will put your string down through the right loop on the booklet.

Pull the string all the way through, if you leave lots of string on one side it will tangle.
Then pull your string up through the left loop.

Pull the string all the way once more and then put the needle in the same hole you started with.

Now do this only to the second page! Please do not try to do this on every booklet...

Once your second booklet is done, take a third and sew one stitch. This time you will put your needle through the first and second booklet, do not poke a hole through it just go in between the pages on the right side of the string.

Pull your string all the way through the in between and then pull back up on the left side of the pages.

Then go back through the fist hole. Do this to the rest of your booklets until it looks like this.

Now once more put the book into the book press or under heavy books.

Now to apply the glue, I use this

Put on a small layer of glue, then wait for it to dry before reapplying. Do about 2-3 coats. this is just to seal some of the gaps between the sewing.

Congrats! You made your book! But wait we're not done yet, we still have to make the backing.


Take any kind of scrap book paper you want.

Turn it upside down and place the book you make on the top left corner.

Mark the paper from the edge of the book, the place the book on its spine, the lay it on the other side  on the top right corner of the paper.

On the outside of the spine line, draw another line half an inch from it.

Then cut off the extra paper, I always leave a little just in case.

 

Now you can fold the line on the outside in, on both sides.

Then fold the line on the inside, the ones on the outside will need to be pushed out, like so...

This is what is should look like on the inside.

 

Now take your hot glue gun and glue on the spine, press the book down hard and do it fast for hot glue dries very fast.

All you need to do now is glue half an inch on the scrap book paper to the outside of the pages.

Now you're finally done! Go have fun doing it yourself!

Just for fun I will show you my first book! Hope it turned out better than mine!

-M