I've got food on the brain (when do I not?).
1. Choose a front and back cover for your booklet. The paper should be cardstock-like, so consider using cereal boxes, softback book covers, old calendar pages, etc. In the pictures here, I used the front and back cover of a small coloring book from 1967.
2. Choose some filler paper. I like to mix blank pages with pages from old books, dictionaries or graphing paper.
3. Find a twig, pencil, chopstick or other short stick and a piece of strong string or twine that's about 15 inches long. (The length of your string will depend on how tall the book is that you're making.)
4. You will also need a hole puncher, scissors and either a clothespin or paper clip.
5. Arrange the papers in your hand like a book, sandwiching the lightweight paper inside the heavier cardstock. Tap the stack on the table so that the edges of the left side are even and hold everything together with your paper clip or clothespin.
6. If the papers aren't already all the same size and shape, trim around everything so all the pages (including the front and back cover) are the same size.
7. Punch two holes on the left side of the stack, a few inches apart.
8. Lay the stick on the right side of the holes.
9. Poke one end of the string through the top hole of the book, pulling it through so that about half the length of the string is sticking out the front of the book. Wrap the string around the stick once or twice, then poke the string back through the hole toward the back of the book. Pull so the loop around the stick is snug.
10. Repeat that step with the bottom hole.
11. Pull tightly and tie the ends of the string together in a double knot on the back side of the book.
12. Trim the ends of the string. Or don't. Whatever.
You're done!
The stick binding isn't practical for, say, a journal or anything else you'd be opening often and writing in at length. But it's kind of a cute, earthy way to present something special, like maybe a wedding program (grrr ... there I go again re-doing my wedding seven years later).
While I have your attention, I just have to put a plug in for some amazing Spokane talent. Last night, J and I attended a fundraiser for a food co-op that's opening soon here. For an extremely reasonable price, we were treated to some top-notch entertainment, including book readings by 2006 National Book Award finalist Jess Walter and columnist Cheryl-Anne Millsap, both of whom are fantastic people as well as talented writers.
And then pianists Brad Greene and Kaylee Cole took our breath away. You can hear some of Brad's music on his site and Kaylee's here. I know we're all busy people, but if you get a sec give them a listen.
Hope all is well, my bloggy friends.