I couldn't find the link that I originally intended to share with you here on my blog so I decided to write them out for you. Any book can be created using this simple method and I often use standard text weight paper for the interior pages and cardstock folded in half for the covers, although any variety of paper will work with it.
Begin by taking an 8.5"x11" sheet of paper and cutting it in half on the 11" side, making two pages 5.5"x8.5" Determine the desired number of pages, keeping in mind if using this size, you can get two sheets from one sheet. After cutting, fold each of the pieces of text paper in half along the 8.5" side forming a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2 pages. Tuck one sheet inside the of the others, so you create a small booklet.
Cut your cardstock for the covers in the same manner using an 8.5"x11 sheet. Fold the cover just as you did the text pages (it may have to be scored to crease well or can be creased using a bonefolder.) Next, place it on the outside of the text pages, or insert your text pages into it's folded interior.
Open the booklet and on the middle page of the book, along the folded trough, use a pencil to mark three spots. Place a small pencil marked dot in the center of the page, and if you're using 8.5 x 11 paper, place one dot 1.5" from the top of the book (the head) and one dot 1.5" from the bottom (the tail).
Holding the book together firmly by the left hand side, use a pin tack or an awl to pierce holes through all the pages and the cover at the location of each of the dots.
Using a piece of thread or embroidery floss (all 6 strands are fine but I prefer to separate them using only 3 strands) and begin stitching. You'll start on the outside fold of the covers coming in from the outside into the center hole on the inside of the folded crease, leaving a 3" tail on the outside of the pamphlet. From the inside center hole go up to the hole you created 1.5" from the head of the book coming from the inside and working towards the outside covers. From this point go all the way to the 1.5" hole placed from the tail of the pamphlet working from the outside cover to the inside of the folded crease once again. From here, take the thread to the center hole from the inside and bring back out to the outside covers once more. Note: I like to create a small twisting motion capturing the previous threads, so that when I have finished stitching, I have one thread on both sides of the long thread that runs along the outside center of the spine. Now, tie both ends into a simple square knot. Admire your pamphlet stitched book or booklet!
If you have used a paper that is a different size by 8.5 x 11", then adjust the holes that are near the head and the tail, so that they are evenly spaced between the middle hole and the end of the book. You can do this by cutting a small piece of paper the height of the book, folding it in half once, opening it up, and then folding from both the top and the bottom to the center fold you first created. It will evenly space your hole placement every time!
Cathy Highland © 2006
Also, if you decide to use any of these tutorials. Please respect my copyright and include it on any and all documents and printed materials. I don't mind sharing so I tend to create these tutorials using a Creative Commons License. You can find more about it here: http://creativecommons.org/ and happy creating!
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