Neatly aligning with this month’s Book Review: Glue, here’s a sweet little project: How to: Hold it Together. What with everything going on at the moment, I’m trying to keep hold of what helps; what and who keeps me going. This is a reminder, in book form. It’s a stiff leaf binding; no stitch, just glue. Simple.

You’ll need:

• A sheet of thick paper, A4 or US Letter size (I’m using 170gsm Flat White)
• A glue stick
• Coloured pencils or paint, in eight different colours
• Waste paper (for notes and for gluing)
• Scalpel and ruler or scissors or a cutting knife

Step-by-step:

Cut your sheet down into eight rectangles, roughly 10cm by 5cm, or 2 inches by 4 inches (shortgrain.)

Make a list of what/who keeps you going. For this project, eight is good.

Write each one on the right hand side of the page, and perhaps illustrate it on the other.

Fold each of the pages in half, with the blank side on the outside.

Stack them in order.

Take the one from the bottom of the pile, and insert a sheet of waste paper between the fold., so that you can glue right over the edges on three sides. (Er there’s a small rock on my pile to stop it blowing away.)

Take the next one from the bottom of the pile, and place it right on top of your glued side. Check that the creased edge of one is next to the creased edge of the other (sounds obvious, but it’s easy to muddle up with a square book.) Make sure the edges line up before smoothing down firmly.

The Travelling Bookbinder: How to: Hold It Together:

Carry on like that. Here’s what three glued together looks like.

And this is four folded pages stuck together.

Keep going…

…until all eight are stiff-leaved together.

Not really a structure that likes to lie flat…

Add a title to the cover if desired.

You don’t need to stop at eight pages in this format; the more the merrier.

You may want to create a belly band or a wraparound cover, but I’m happy with the simplicity of this.

Please send us an email or tag @thetravellingbookbinder so that we can see what holds you together!