It can be difficult to find a diary that will fully meet all the requirements for design and content. In this case, it’s not at all difficult to do, especially since it can become a wonderful and exclusive gift.
To make a notebook, you can use only available materials without spending money on purchases. There are many instructions telling you from the notebook that this activity can turn into a hobby and bring pleasure and new experience.
Notepad from notebook sheets: step-by-step manufacturing instructions
To understand how to make a notebook from notebook sheets, you need to familiarize yourself with the master class in detail. In addition to notebook sheets, you will need colored paper, thick cardboard, a needle and thread, office clips, ribbons, silicone sealant (Moment glue) and various decorative elements.
- You need to take notebooks, their number depends on the desired thickness of the notebook, remove the covers from them and fold them into one even pile.
- Next, you need to make markings near the spine of the future notebook, marking six points equidistant from each other. You can make holes using a file or other convenient tool.
- You need to put the tape and sew the first notebook to it along the holes made. The thread is not cut, but other notebooks continue to be sewn on top along the holes made. Finally, you need to secure the thread with a knot.
- Next, the notepad is pressed using office clips and the strap is sealed with sealant. They need to fill every crack and secure the spine even more tightly with clips.
- While the main part of the notebook is drying, you can make endpapers (sheets connecting the cover and pages) using colored cardstock or
- Now it’s up to the cover; it is made of thick cardboard and decorated according to your preferences.
How to make a notebook from a notebook with your own hands: cover design
There are many ways to turn an ordinary notebook cover into an exclusive one. And very often you won’t need anything for this except available materials and tools.
The cover can be hand-painted using pens, paints, etc. The notebook can also be decorated with fabric, embroidery or appliques. Another simple and interesting option is on the cover. This way you can even create a wish map.
Design and filling out a notepad
When thinking about how to make a notebook from a notebook, you should not forget about personal notes. But how to fill it out so that the design is original and reflects the personality of its owner. In this case, there are many options.
The first step is to choose a bright ribbon that will become a bookmark. On the first page you can characterize the symbols that will be used later when filling out the notebook.
At the end of the diary, you can devote several pages to useful tips. And of course, no one has canceled various thematic drawings and stickers that can be placed on the pages.
If you are wondering how to make an alphabet notebook from a notebook, then it is not that difficult. To do this, you just need to manually make alphabetical cutting, so the diary will become more practical.
Notebooks in Moleskine Cahiers style
"Moleskine Caye" are thin notebooks with covers made of multi-colored cardboard. These flexible and convenient notebooks are an excellent alternative to regular notebooks.
An excellent analogue of a classic notebook can be made in just an hour. To do this you will need a notebook and decorative elements for the cover. The tools that will come in handy are scissors and a ruler.
If you are thinking about how to make a notebook from a notebook, 12 sheets will be enough. Notebook sheets need to be cut to the desired size; the cover can be reinforced using thick colored cardboard or scrapbooking sheets. Now your moleskine style notebook is ready.
Notepad with removable blocks
Very often there are blank sheets left in a notebook; you can cut them off and make a small notebook. This master class will tell you how to make a notebook from a notebook or notebook sheets with your own hands. Its main feature is that the sheets will be removable, and this is very practical.
The materials you will need are cardboard, notebook sheets or a notebook, PVA glue or double-sided tape, thread with a needle and lace. The first step is to make a cover from thick cardboard; if desired, it can be covered with fabric. You need to make several holes in the cover and fix the cord on which the notebook sheets will be attached.
A functional and practical notebook is ready. In this case, you can independently adjust the thickness of the diary, and the cover can last for more than one semester.
How to age notepad sheets in vintage style
Today it is very popular, this also applies to notebooks. But how can you give your homemade diary an aged look? To do this, you can use sheets with an antique effect.
Making such paper is not at all difficult; you just need to dip it in a tea solution. The more tea leaves you use, the yellower the paper will be. Notebook sheets are dipped into the solution for a few minutes, then dried and ironed.
An original notebook, made from scrap materials with your own hands, will become an excellent assistant in daily life. Detailed instructions and tips will tell you how to make a notebook out of paper so that it looks beautiful and original.
As you know, the role of notebooks in our lives is very significant. In them we record important dates and events, passwords and addresses, meetings and telephone numbers. If we buy a beautiful, original notebook, we immediately get excited about filling it with unusual text: poems, quotes, etc. However, you can do it yourself. It can be big, or it can be small.
Let's try to make a miniature notebook with our own hands. And once you have mastered the technique of making it, you can make a standard size notebook.
We will need the following materials:
1. Cardboard;
2. Notebook sheets;
3. Fabric (any dense);
4. Scissors;
5. Stationery knife;
6. Ruler;
7. Pencil;
8. PVA glue (however, if available, it is better to use quick-drying glue);
9. Needle;
10. Thread (white);
11. Paper clips (optional).
So let's get started:
1. The first thing we do is cut out the middle of each sheet. We won't need any red fields or a curved part.
2. Regarding the size, we will be guided by the cells. The width of the turn (i.e. without bending) should be 12 squares. Thus, when we fold the sheet, the width of one page will be 6 cells.
4. Cut it out. Ours will consist of spreads like this, where one page will be 6x6 cm.
5. Fold one into one, 4 spreads each. And put it under a press (book, etc.).
6. After we have taken out the spreads, we can fasten them with paper clips so that the sheets do not “walk” when stitching. But before that, be sure to make sure that the edges of the sheets are smooth and match each other.
7. In the middle of the spreads we make 4 holes and sew the sheets through them with thread. Thus, in the inner part we will see 2 short threads.
8. This is what the back side looks like. We folded all the spreads, aligned them and now measure the entire width of the back.
9. We cut out dense fabric relative to this width. In this case, its size was 0.7 mm wide and 3 cm high.
10. Glue it onto the stitched part of the future notebook. We wait until the glue is completely dry.
11. To complete we will need cardboard. We add 1 mm as a reserve and the cover of our book will be 3.1X3.1 cm, where the side of the sheets is 0.8 mm. Fold as in the photo and attach the sheets.
12. Be careful during the process and wait until the glue is completely dry.
The miniature is ready. It can be used as a keychain by purchasing special mounts. And if you are worried about losing phone numbers, write them down in your pocket book.
In this instruction I will show you how to make a notebook with your own hands with a perfect binding. I wanted a small paperback notebook and used my bindery press, I used an old classic car manual as a unique cover and a glued binding method to secure the spine of the notebook with PVA glue.
For this project you will need:
- A5 paper (UK) (USA)
- PVA glue (UK) (USA)
- Spray adhesive (UK) (USA)
- Black cardboard A4 (UK) (USA)
- Black acrylic paint (UK) (USA)
- Clips (UK)
Step 1: Paper Block
I started with standard printer transfer paper. I didn't want the notebook to be too big and decided that A5 would be perfect for me. I've never wanted to carry one in my pocket (otherwise I would have preferred an A6 or similar size), but I would like it to fit in the backpack I always carry with me.
My first thought was, why not make A5 paper myself using a regular paper guillotine? I tried. And he failed. Not a single sheet cut perfectly, I just couldn't do it. If you have the best quality guillotine, then everything is possible and will work out!
So, I found and ordered A5 paper online. For some reason, I really wanted to make the paper myself, but for this project, I didn't want to complicate things. I took out about 50 sheets of paper. The thickness of this volume of paper seemed good to me and not too thick. If the notebook was going to live on a desk or something, I would have made it much thicker, but since I wanted to carry it around with me, it was overkill. I tamped the sheets down on all sides to make sure the block of paper was perfectly level. And used clips to temporarily secure the leaves together.
Step 2: Clamp and Glue
The next step was to place the block of paper in my binding press (the clips were still on the block). Once the block was in the press, I tightened all the screws to keep the book secure and removed the clips.
I took some PVA glue and, using a stiff-bristled brush, applied a thin layer of glue to the spine of the future book. I did everything very carefully, and you will see that everything is smooth and the entire spine is covered with a layer of glue. I let the glue dry for 20 minutes and coated the spine with a new coat, as I recall, for a total of 4 coats. Between layers of glue, I ran my fingers along the edge of the spine to make sure the glue wasn't running off the edge of the paper.
Step 3: Cover
I had an old manual for one of the classic cars my dad had (he didn't have many, don't worry!). I flipped through it until I found a page with interesting illustrations that I liked. I think this is the radiator circuit diagram? Either way, she looks cool.
I wanted to use black cardstock to apply the gold plating next, so I took A4 cardboard and sprayed some spray adhesive onto it. The first time I made the cover (and as many of the instructions said), I applied a lot of PVA. But it turned out that no matter how thin a layer of PVA was applied, it would still make the cover wrinkled or not stick at all. In the end I decided to use spray adhesive, it works much better and doesn't warp the cover paper at all!
Step 4: Gilding
I wanted this notebook to stand out a little, so I watched a few videos about “gilding” the edges of the book. The traditional color is gold, but I wanted to do something more modern, so I chose black. I used some black acrylic paint and brushed it on in very thin layers. Typically, when creating a book, you try to avoid damaging the paper. If you overdo it with glue or paint, you'll end up damaging the paper!
I made sure to place the block of paper back into the press to secure all the pages together and stop any ink bleeding into the pages. I went around all three sides and applied paint to each one.
Once the paint has dried, it's time for final assembly. I placed a block of paper inside the cover and folded the cover over the binding. You can measure the width and thickness of your book and transfer it to the cover, then you will get a better fold. But in the end, I decided that I would take the easy route and fold the cover directly onto a block of paper.
Using spray adhesive, I coated the inside of the cover and adhered the paper inside to it.
Step 5: Finished Look
All is ready! I think it's great that you can give the notebook any look you want. I'm excited about learning new types of book binding. This no-sew method looks very easy for beginners and what I like about it is that you can easily rip out the sheets you need. This soft cover notebook is designed for jotting down ideas so that if the idea suddenly disappears, you can simply remove the page!
If you make your own notebook, be sure to come back here and share a photo of your notebook!
Today it is becoming increasingly difficult to surprise with an unusual gift, especially if it is purchased in a store. Although the assortment there is quite impressive, the downside is that we have already seen it all somewhere.
Stores purchase goods in batches, so it is very unpleasant to see the same thing as someone else. It’s another matter if a gift is made with your own hands; it has much more advantages than a store-bought item.
The uniqueness of a handmade gift
Firstly, such a gift will be exclusive, one of a kind, even if someone tries to repeat it, the likelihood that they will be similar is reduced to zero.
Secondly, by making a gift with your own hands, especially for a specific person and taking into account preferences, the gift will emphasize his individuality. After all, most mass producers think in stereotyped ways.
Thirdly, such gifts always bring warmth, and looking at such a masterpiece the author will be remembered with love.
Handicrafts are now experiencing a rebirth, and in addition to knitting or embroidery, new types are appearing, which are gradually gaining popularity among handmade lovers. One of these areas is scrapbooking or handmade notebooks.
Very often you can see photos of such notebooks on popular social networks. And colleagues, housewives, and children will be happy with such a gift. Notepads are never superfluous. Making them yourself is not that difficult.
We offer several step-by-step instructions on how to make a notebook with your own hands. Moreover, even those who have nothing to do with needlework can do it.
And if, after all, labor lessons at school were not your favorite, then you can use our advice. As a result, you get a beautiful notebook with minimal time investment.
Office at home
The notebook master class, which is presented below, is similar to a regular notebook. Making such a notebook is easy and simple.
So, to make it you will need:
- A4 paper;
- cardboard;
- hole puncher;
- awl;
- stationery clothespins;
- stationery knife;
- wooden plank;
- ruler;
- needle and thread;
- glue;
- sandpaper or nail file;
- scrap paper, decorative tracing paper, fabric, lace, beads, etc. (For decoration).
Progress
We take several A4 sheets, the quantity depends on your desire and the power of the hole punch.
We fold all the sheets in half, you can iron the fold with a ruler, this will make it smoother and neater. We put them one inside the other to make an A5 booklet.
Tip: Notebook pages can be decorated in a vintage style. To do this, before assembling the notebook, you need to soak them in coffee or tea for 30-40 seconds, and if you make creases on them in advance, the effect of antiquity will be even brighter.
For the next step we will need a hole punch. We insert the folded sheets from the fold side into the hole punch, so that semicircular holes are created along the edge. Next, you should open the notebook and look through it so that all the sheets are punched.
If the pages do not stick out evenly when the notepad is closed, this needs to be corrected. We lay a wooden board and cut the sheets with a stationery knife. The cut edge must be processed with a nail file or fine sandpaper to remove all roughness.
Note!
We fasten the notebook with regular thread; for strength, it can be folded in half. We insert the thread into both holes from the inside, pull it out and pull it well. Tie a knot and cut off the excess thread.
It is worth considering that for a full-fledged notebook you will need at least several of these mini-notebooks. After we get the desired thickness, we lay a stack of several notebooks on both sides with cardboard, and fasten the spine with stationery pins.
The rest should be placed under the press. Thick books will ideally cope with this role. The notepad should remain under pressure for some time (approximately 3-5 hours). In any case, the longer it stays there, the better it will stick together.
The next stage is the second firmware update of the entire notebook. Making holes with a hole punch at such a thickness will be problematic or even impossible. Of course, you can divide this process into several stages, but there is a risk that the holes will be in different places and this can ruin the whole idea of the notebook.
But there is a way out here too. To do this, on the top notebook you need to use a ruler to make notes for future holes, and then carefully pierce them with an awl through each paper layer.
Note!
To prevent the notebooks from sliding off one another, you should secure them with stationery pins, stepping back slightly from the edge of the spine.
Then you should sew all the notebooks with a needle and thread through the holes made. It is better to secure the thread with several knots. Next, you should glue a sheet of cardboard to the stitched spine and secure it with office clothespins.
When gluing, make sure that the glue fills every gap between the sheets of paper. Next, you need to remove the remaining glue and put it under the press until the notepad is completely dry.
As soon as the glue has dried, you should start making endpapers from colored cardboard, scrap paper or decorative tracing paper. They should be glued to the inside of the cover, and a hard spine should be made from cardboard, but it should be glued to the outside. We decorate the front side of the notebook with our favorite techniques.
Tip: To make a beautiful endpaper, it is best to use scrap paper. You can purchase it at a bookstore, office supply, or craft store.
Note!
The cover is everything
Making a notebook out of paper is half the battle; the other part of the job is decorating its façade. After all, the first thing we see when looking at a notebook is the cover, and based on it we decide whether we like this thing or not, whether we want to open it or not.
There are several ways to decorate a notebook cover:
Use ready-made scrap paper kits. Create your own elements to decorate a notebook: you can use almost all fabrics of different composition and texture, lace, leather, rhinestones, beads, clippings from magazines and newspapers, photographs, shells and sea pebbles and much more that can be found in any home!
Here are just a few examples of how you can creatively decorate a notebook:
- You can sew a soft cover onto a notebook if you put thin foam rubber between two layers of fabric;
- for decoration, you can use photographs or other pictures related to hobbies or certain events (for example, receiving a diploma), as well as clippings from magazines;
- if you use phosphor stickers in the decor, the notebook will glow in the dark;
- You can also make a memorable inscription with invisible ink - such a surprise will be unexpected;
- If you sew a thin magnet into the cover you will get a notebook that attracts good luck.
If making notebooks is not your thing, but you want to show your creativity, you can cheat a little and decorate a ready-made notebook, previously purchased at the store. It will look no worse than a handmade notebook.
It should be remembered that no notebook bought in a store can compare with a notebook made with your own hands and given with love! You can give it as a gift for any occasion.
Photo of a notebook with your own hands
