How to Make a Notebook

Posted on 2nd May 2015 by Lisa Sumpter
Filed under All Papercraft Tutorials, Design Team

Hello, it's Lisa here and I have a tutorial showing you how to make a handmade notebook. The notebook I am making is A5 size but once you get the hang of it, you can make these to any size you like. It was National Stationery Week last week. You may have seen some gorgeous stationery around but there's nothing like making your own pretty notebooks.

Materials List

• White Linen card from Papermill Direct
• White paper from Papermill Direct
• Digital Papers of your choice. I have used papers from Adrienne Looman's A Beautiful Chic collection
• A printer which has borderless printing capability (for A5 notebooks).
• Paper Scorer/Bone Folder
• Binder Clips.
• A ruler. Preferably metal edged.
• A craft knife/utility knife.
• A stapler which has a hinged bottom or a long reach stapler.
• An eraser.

Step 1.

Print the digital paper onto white linen card. Take 12 sheets of white paper. Line up and secure to the card (pattern facing up) with binder clips as shown.

Step 2.

Line up the short edges and secure together with a binder clip.

Step 3.

Using your bone folder/paper scorer, fold in the card and paper in half and score. The fold will be the spine of your notebook. You will need to press firmly over the crease several times to encourage the book to stay flat.

Step 4.

Flatten out your book and place the eraser under the spine. Lay the book on top of the eraser.

Step 5.

Unhinge the bottom of your stapler so that the metal section where the staple comes out is in direct contact with the spine of your notebook. Firmly, press the staple through the book and into the eraser. If you make an error and the staple is bent, remove the staple with a staple remover and try again.

Step 6.

Sorry for the slightly blurry photo. Flip the book over and remove the eraser. The prongs of the staple should look like this. Use the botton of the stapler to flatten the prongs. 

Repeat steps 5 and 6 so that you have 3 staples along the spine of your notebook.

Step 7.

Remove the binder clips and crease the spine again.

Step 8.

The edge of your notebook will look a mess at this point. To tidy it up, lay your ruler along the edge of the cover and using your craft/utility knife, trim away the uneven edges. A metal or metal edged ruler is preferable. I don't use them as I've made a ton of notebooks so I'm well practiced at trimming the edges without cutting chunks out of my plastic ruler.

Use even strokes with firm pressure without pressing down too hard on the blade. This will ensure that your edges are nice and even.

One final score of the spine of your book and your notebook is finished!

These make a great gift for any occassion. You could make lined notebooks by using printable lined paper.

Tagged: how to make a notebook, papercraft tutorial, craft ideas for kids