Simple Blank Book

A Visual Arts & Crafting Project

This project is great for presenting your poetry, original drawings, or even favorite prayers, to give as a gift or to keep. Up to 4 sheets of 8-1/2"x11" typing paper are folded in half for the book, so you will have up to 16 (5-1/2"x8-1/2") pages to fill. You will also need a cover sheet of watercolor paper or card stock 9"x14", a craft knife, a large tapestry needle, and thin ribbon or cording.

If you want to paint or decorate your cover sheet, do this before constructing your book.

Score and fold the cover sheet in half (wrong sides together) so that each half measures 9"x7.5". Open the fold and fold each of the two short edges (the 9" sides) in 1-1/4". You can leave these "fore edges" open or glue them down.

If you plan to type or print text onto your inner pages, do so before beginning this next step. Fold each one of your sheets of paper in half so that they now measure 5-1/2"x8-1/2". Slip one inside the next until they nest together as a "signature"

Open the signature back up and find the center of the fold line. With the needle, poke a hole in this center point. Then make two more holes on the fold line, the first 1" above bottom edge, and the second one 1" below the top edge.

Open the cover and find the center of the fold line. With the needle, poke a hole in this center point. Again, make two more holes on the fold line, the first 1-1/4" above the bottom edge, and the second one 1-1/4" below the top edge.

Nest the signature inside the cover and make sure the holes line up. Thread the ribbon or cord through the needle and begin by sewing from the outside of the center hole through the paper to the inside, leaving a tail hanging outside (long enough to tie a bow in later).

From the inside, now sew the cord through the top hole so that you come out on the outside.

From the outside, sew the cord down through the bottom hole.

From the inside, sew back out the middle hole making sure to come out on the opposite side of the cord from the tail that you left when you began sewing. It should look like this: ---|--- Adjust the cord so that the two tails are even and tie them in a bow around the straight stitch of cord that runs from the top hole to the bottom one to secure. That's it, you're done. Any questions?

Back to Past Visual Arts & Crafting Projects
Visual Arts & Crafting Main Page
Home Page