Book Binding Techniques

Write-A-Book entries are due on Tuesday, January 2, 2001.

A. Sewing

You will need the following materials:

For The Book

1.11" x 18" sheets of white drawing paper. When sheets are folded in half, the inside of your book will be 5 1/2" x 9", so if you want a larger book you will need a bigger sheet of paper.

2.Needle - with a large eye.

3.Twine, crochet thread, carpet thread, or quilting thread.

For the Cover

1.Two pieces of cardboard or corrugated paper. This material should be 1/2" larger than the pages in your book.

2.Wallpaper, contact paper, felt or cotton fabric.

3.White glue, rubber cement, or wallpaper paste.

Sewing The Book

Each of the 11" x 18" sheets of paper will become four pages of the book, when folded.  Therefore, you will need the number of pages desired divided by four sheets plus two extra sheets. When you have determined the number of sheets you will need, stack and fold them within each other, including one for the last (fly) sheet in the book. (See figure 4).

Put paper clip on all four corners to hold the book together. Mark and pierce the center fold in the following manner. Beginning 1/2" from the top of the fold, measure off an even number of intervals about one inch apart. Pierce each mark with the needle or a small nail.

Beginning at the back, sew the book. (See figure 5).

Tie both ends with a knot on the outside.

It is suggested that the book be finished before sewing or attaching the cover. After the book is sewn, the right-it edge may need to be trimmed. Use the paper cutter.

Cover

Begin the cover by placing the material face down on a flat surface. Place the two pieces of cardboard on top of the material, leaving a gap of approximately 1/8" to 1/4" between them. Mark the position of the two pieces of cardboard on the material with a pencil. Lift the cardboard away and cut the material to measure one inch around the entire outside from the pencil marks, (See figure 6).

Apply paste to cardboard and place within pencil marks on the materials. Apply paste to the 1"' margin of material. Fold in the four corners and paste down. (See figure 7). Fold in the four sides. (See figure 8).

To Assemble Book and Cover

After the cover is finished and dried, cover the outsides of the book with paste. As an alternative, you may wish to paste down just the front half of the book and then the back half. Center the book carefully between the two cardboard pieces and, smooth down. Close the book, place under a weight, and leave it to dry for several days.

Alternate Method

Cut two pieces of paper large enough to fit inside of the front and back of the cover. Leave about 1/8" margin all the way around. These are called end sheets. Glue both sheets to the inside of the cover. Be sure that you have left the center of the cover open so that you will be able to place the book in it later on. Let the end sheets dry over night.

Tape the book to the end sheets. The tape should be ELS long as the page. Fold the tape in half, with the sticky side out. Carefully stick 1/2 of the tape to the book and then the other side to the end paper. Press down. Repeat for the back. Be sure your pages sit between the hinged part of the cover.

B. Gluing/Stapling

You will need the following materials:

For the Book

1. 11" x 18" sheets of drawing paper. When sheets are fo1ded in half, the inside of your book will be 5 1/2" x 9", so if you want a larger book you will need a bigger sheet: of paper.

2.Staples or glue.

For the Cover

1. Two pieces of cardboard or corrugated paper. This material should be 1/2" larger than the pages in your book.

2. Wallpaper, contact paper, felt or cotton fabric.

3. White glue or wallpaper paste or any other type of glue.

Getting/Stapling the Book

1.Cut two pieces of cardboard the size of the front and back of your book. Glue one piece of cardboard on the back and one on the front of the book. Put a stack of books on top and let it dry for 15-20 minutes.

2.Cut the paper or cloth to fit the back, front and spine of the book allowing an extra 3/4 inch on all four sides. Trace the outline of the book on the wrong side of the paper or fabric. (This prevents the tracing from showing when the cover is on the book.) Place the paper or fabric so that the longest sides are at the top and bottom. Draw a line around the spine of the book. Open the book and place it spine down on the center of the paper so that it lines up with the line you have just drawn.

3. Remove the book and cut along the dotted lines as shown below left. Fold the flaps inward and glue as shown below right.

4. Put glue on the outside of the spine of the book and press paper or fabric against it until glue is dry. (15-20 minutes) Then, glue paper or fabric to the front and back covers of the closed book and let dry 15-20 minutes.

5. Open book and cut the four corners.

6. Fold over edges and glue them down to the inside of the covers of the book and let dry 15-20 minutes.

7.Close the book and measure the front cover. Cut two more pieces of paper or cloth the size of the front cover. Cut 1/4 inch off each long side and 1/2 inch off each short side.  Glue these to the inside of the cover you have just pasted on the book and let dry 15-20 minutes.

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