The other day I did a skillshare workshop as part of a weekly art club I attend. For the workshop, I showed a variety of books I have made and then we each made an enclosed accordion book.
This is a simple book to make as it does not require any binding with thread. Nevertheless it is nice and sturdy because of its hardback cover.
I have included instructions on how to make this book – feel free to ask me any questions if anything is unclear!
In July 2011, I gave a workshop in ‘Binding without thread’. This workshop focused on simple, sewing-free methods of book binding. The particpants made beautiful books with an emphasis on using recycled materials and figuring out alternative ways of making this style of book.
As it was such a sunny day, we did the workshop outside in my back garden – so everybody got a book and a tan that day! Below are the instructions for this complete book, along with a few pictures of the workshop.
The group were really creative and some used drawings that they had made for the covers. Another participant used cassette tape to fasten the book, tying in with the image on his cover of a cinema and TV.
If you would like to make this book using these online instructions but with different measurements, here are the ones I used:
Coverboards = height of textblock + 0.4 cms, width of textblock + 0.2 cms;
Spine = height of textblock + 0.4 cms, width of spine pressed down tight + 1 bookboard width (0.3 cms?)
This binding dates from the 14th – 16th centuries and was rediscovered by Hedi Kyle, who figured out how it was done. This book is for sale in my online shop – Milis Books on Dawanda.
Here are instructions on how to make an irregular ‘crazy’ accordion book. This book is really simple to make – I’ve made it with 4-year-olds and 56-year-olds! For young children, it can be simplified more – see diagram 2b – by making ‘half’ the book. This half version looks like a pair of trousers which kids get a kick out off.
Instructions
Materials: 1 large piece of paper, card or wood cover, scissors, glue, pencil.
Step 1
Fold in half, then in quarters, length-ways and width-ways.
Step 2
Cut until last fold on each of the 3 creases. For children, get them to mark an X where they have to stop cutting.
Step 3
Fold book using over & under technique.
Step 4
Measure the front and back of book. Add 1cm to the length and width of book. Make cover out of cardboard or thin wood. Glue onto book using appropriate glue e.g. PVA glue for card cover and wood glue for wooden cover.
If you are making a wooden cover, I would advise you to glue a piece of thick card to the end & beginning bookpage and then glue the card & book to the heavier piece of wood.
