We are all keeping several different kinds of notebooks this year – a Nature Journal and a modified Book of Centuries, which we’ve done before and new this year are science, math, and history notebooks.
I looked for some notebooks with some specific features:
- Inexpensive
- Good quality paper so markers would not show through
- Unlined
- Large – around 8.5″ x 11″
I couldn’t find anything that met all 4 of my criteria, so I made them!
Finding paper was the biggest challenge – it needed to be short grain and a medium weight and what I finally found was this from Staples. It’s a little too smooth to be ideal for pencil drawing, but it works and is great for pen and marker.
When looking for paper, you must use SHORT GRAIN 11×17 paper (for an 8.5″x11″ book), so that the grain will run parallel to the spine when you fold it in half. If the grain runs the long way (parallel to the 17″ edge), when you fold it in half, the grain will be perpendicular to the spine and that will make the whole book bend funny and it won’t lay nice and flat.
Once you find your text paper, this is everything else you’ll need:
- Mod Podge
- Scrapbook paper
- Paintbrush
- Bone folder (optional)
- Sharp needle with large eye
- Heavy thread (cotton is best)
- Binder clips
- Awl
- Self healing cutting mat
STEPS
1. Glue out (from center to edges) one entire piece of the 11×17 paper and cover the 11×17 paper with 2 pieces of 8.5″x11″ scrapbook paper.
There will be a seam along the spine, which we will deal with later.
Press out all the bubbles with a bone folder or ruler or credit card.
2. Let that dry under weight for a few hours. I put wax paper on either side so it won’t stick to the floor or table or whatever weight I put on it. For weight, I used the rest of the paper ream and a heavy basket of books.
3. After a few hours, retrieve your cover. Count out 12-15 sheets of 11×17 paper, lay on top of the cover, and fold that whole thing in half. I like to butt one edge of the paper up against the wall and bring the other end over the top to meet it. I push both ends toward the wall so it’s nice and even, and then use a bone folder to make a nice crease.
4. Open it back up and clip the pages/cover together in a few places so it won’t shift while you’re doing the next few steps.
5. Using an awl or something else skinny and sharp, poke a hole in the center of the spine. Poke more holes 1″ apart until you get to the ends. Your end holes shouldn’t be closer than about 1/2″ from the edges.
6. Thread a sharp needle with a large eye with heavy cotton thread.
7. Bring the thread UP through one end hole and sew in an up/down pattern until you get to the other side. Turn around and continue the up/down pattern until you get back where you started.
8. Tie the two ends of the thread together on the OUTSIDE of the book. Snip the threads to about 1.5″ long.
9. Using a heavy duty box knife and a straight edge, cut the spine edge of the book so all the pages are the same width.
All done! We are enjoying these colorful, blank pages and I’ll be back to share what we’re doing inside of them.
