How to bind a book

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Method I

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This method teaches you how to make a book out of paper that has already been used on one side, however the technique could easily be adapted to use new paper.

Method I: What you need

• paper (at least 18 sheets of A4 size office paper that has already been used on one side, i.e. "scrap paper").
• cotton thread
• sewing needle
• scissors
• PVA glue (craft/wood glue)
• fabric for binding (plain fabric)
• plastic bag
• large binder clip
• thick cardboard (eg. old cardboard box)
• fabric for cover (nice-looking fabric)

Method I: Quick Steps

1. Fold each piece of paper in half, and in half again. Bundle into groups of three.

2. Sew each little bundle of three along the fold.

3. Glue the spine of the bundles to a piece of fabric, clamp with the binder clip, and allow to dry completely.

4. Cut the cover-cardboard and cover-fabric to size.

5. Glue the spine-protector to the cover fabric.

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6. Attach the cover-cardboard.

7. Cover the book with fabric.

Method I: Full Steps

Stage 1 - Getting the pages ready.

1. Fold each page in half so the unwanted-text is hidden.

2. Fold each page in half again.

3. Slide 3 folded pieces of paper together; this makes one "bundle". Repeat for all the pieces of paper.

Stage 2 - Sewing the signatures (i.e. sewing the pages into little bundles).

1. Open up each little bundle of pages at the centre page.

2. Lay the bundle of pages, face down on a soft surface (eg. carpet).

3. Thread a sewing needle with cotton thread. Double the thread over and tie a knot in the end.

4. Push the needle through the bundle of pages from the outside of the fold.

5. Turn the bundle of pages over, pull the needle and thread through, and then push the needle through the bundle of pages from the inside of the fold.

6. Turn the pages over again and loop the needle through the knot at the end of the cotton thread (so the thread is anchored).

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10. Stitch each bundle of pages together in the same manner.

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Note: It doesn't really matter if you don't follow these stiching instructions perfectly, just make it up... do some stiches along the fold line and try to make it look neat, that's really all there is to it.

Stage 3 - Gluing the signatures together along the spine (i.e. gluing the bundles together along the spine)

1. Stack all the sewn bundles of paper neatly on top of each other.

2. Clip them together with a big strong stationery clip, on the non-spine side.

3. Cut a piece of plain fabric the same size as the stack of pages.

4. Put PVA glue along the spine of the pages. Rub it with your finger-tip so that it covers the spine evenly.

5. Glue the spine to the middle of the piece of plain fabric. Press the fabric with your finger-tip so that it is firmly against the spine of the pages.

6. Hold the fabric firmly in place, and move the stationery clip to the spine side.

7. Allow to dry completely (at least 8 hours). Note: It is important that you really do allow it to dry completely, otherwise the book is likely to fall apart!

Stage 4 - Cutting the cover-cardboard and cover-fabric to size

1. Cut two pieces of cardboard, just slightly bigger than the stack of pages (4mm higher than the pages and 2mm wider than the pages).

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2. Cut one piece of cardboard the exact height and width of the the spine of the bundle of pages; this will be the "spine-protector". (see previous image)

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3. Cut a rectangular piece of nice-looking fabric for the cover. (see previous image)

Stage 5 - Gluing the spine-protector to the cover-fabric

1. Glue the spine-protector down the centre of the back side of the cover-fabric.

2. Cut out two little "v" shapes from either end of the spine-protector, leaving a little rectangular flap at either end.

3. Glue the rectangular flaps of fabric to the spine-protector.

Stage 6 - Attaching the cover-cardboard

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1. Cut a strip of plastic from the plastic bag and place it between the front and back pages of the book and the plain fabric that has been glued to the spine. (This is so the pages don't stick to the pieces of cover-cardboard when you glue them in place).

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2. Apply glue to half of one side of one of the pieces of cover-cardboard.

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3. Line the cover-cardboard up with the spine, and glue it to the piece of plain fabric.

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4. Turn over and repeat on the other side.

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5. Clamp in place with the stationery clip and allow to dry for approximately 10 minutes.

Stage 7 - Covering the book with fabric

1. Remove the stationery clip and apply a thin layer of glue to the outside of one of the pieces of cover-cardboard.

2. Hold the cover-fabric by the spine-protector in your non-dominant hand.

3. Push the spine-protector firmly against the spine of the book.

4. Smooth the cover-fabric onto the glue on the cover-cardboard. Pull the fabric tight and smooth out any wrinkles.

5. Apply a thin layer of glue to the outside of the other piece of cover-cardboard.

6. Stretch the cover-fabric tightly and smooth it onto the cover-cardboard. Smooth out any wrinkles.

7. Make sure the spine-protector is tightly against the spine. If it is not tighltly against the spine, try and adjust the cover-fabric before the glue dries.

8. Cut two "v" shapes off each corner of the cover fabric.

9. Glue the corner flaps of cover-fabric to the inside of the cover-cardboard.

10. Glue the remaining pieces of cover-fabric to the inside of the cover-cardboard.

11. Place something heavy on top of the book and allow it to dry for approximately 1/2 an hour. (Placing something heavy on top of the book will prevent it from warping as the glue dries).

See Also

Objects: Bookbinding Paper

Related howto's: Howto make paper

Guides: