I bound and made my own books

[DiffydaDude]

So this is something i did over the weekend after i saw a video by getty museum about how old manuscripts were made. I made this book in the first place because my original book, which was a homemade gift my teacher made for me one school year, was starting to get full, so i decided to make my own homemade book i could write about whatever in. So i took a bunch of 14 inch long sheets of paper, folded them into a group of five, then made 7 more bunches of paper. Then i took this pin and made holes through all the pages, added covers which i made out of this fancy cardstock, threaded it all with some breadties, and added that thingy that goes over the spine so you dont see the raw back of all the paper. I also just stuck some old art i made on the front
Im really proud of my work so i ended up feeling like i couldnt just write random stuff inside, so I ended up making ANOTHER book for that. This time it was just a gathering of 20 something sheets of paper covered with a cut up cheap Oxford brand folder and threaded with (and this was a really bad mistake) UNTWISTED PAPERCLIPS!!! I was too scared to ask mom if i could use her sewing needles so I used these thick paperclips and i had to use the strength of zeus, jesus, the pagan gods, all the other gods, just so i could bend them into shape. My hands hurt after the end and im surprised they weren't bleeding. They also snagged on fabrics so i put some of these sticky labels over them to hide the fact i used straight up death to tie my book together. So lesson learned, dont EVER use untwisted paperclips to tie your books.
Anyways, heres the finished result. Have y'all ever made any of yalls own books. I heard that there are like actual spellbooks pagans make and stuff and i wanna see one being made cuz i think its cool as heck that there are actual necronomicon type books out there.

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

This is damn cool!
I remember doing a spiral bind back at school, many years ago. Never attempted it privately, but I've some hand-printed sleeves I use for various paper collections. Also, I repaired some books using glue; quite tricky .

[Memory]

that's great! i love bookbinding! it's really fun. i've made a handful of books and really enjoy it - it's super satisfying!! i got too into it and kept pestering my friends about things i could make into books for them and they all got sick of it hahaha. i learned through the renegade bindery fanfic binding community, they've got HEAPS of resources! i haven't done any in a whiiiiiile but my housemate filled up the journal i made for them and i need to make them a new one... and i have a couple projects in progress i haven't worked on in a long time, oops. bookbinding is the craft i was really really into before webcrafting! i've been thinking about making a section on my site for it. i'm a little self-conscious about it because i'm not Good at it and do everything on the cheapo and a little clumsily, and it's a fancy traditional craft that people still do apprenticeships in and everything, but it is a toooooon of fun.

i attached some pics of books i've made!

[DiffydaDude]

@xixxii m8 this is better than what i've done! ive made my books out of random stuff from office supplies and you had actual bookmaking materials like cloth and ribbons and stuff. those books look great and i'd use them totally if i could.

[mezucore]

oh boy oh boy!!!! perhaps i'm bumping an old thread but i love love love book-binding!

honestly you've done such amazing work. book-binding takes dedication more than anything else i feel like. there are a thousand ways to bind your own book, as long as you've got the willpower to pull through. the paperclip method is just unbelievable, i'm in awe.
also @memory, i just cannot believe you said they don't look good they are genuinely incredible looking to me. so professional-looking?!!?

personally, i've had to stop a little while ago because it cost me so much in ink cartridges LOLLL but i managed to make three books before considering my wallet!!! i did mostly book bindings of my most favorite fanfiction, the sort of fanfiction i knew i'd read again, no matter when. so i had to format the fanfiction, illustrate my own cover, everything. it was just so much fun!!!!!!!
i can even give you exactly what i used in order to get started on it:

- in order to get the fanfiction ready for printing into book-like pages, and get it to look awesome : How to Make A Book, by ArmoredSuperHeavy on google docs
- in order to make and sew the page blocks together: How to Stitch a Text Block for Case Book Binding by sealemon on youtube
- for the broke fellas who can't afford pretty, fancy covers (me.): How to Make a Paper Hardcover: at home DIY with Household Items by extra cozy diy on youtube

it takes a lot of time, effort and dedication, and i have to admit my books aren't the sturdiest or the prettiest-looking, but i had a blast making them--- and they are still on my bookshelf to this day!! i can just take them and read them and it's just the best feeling in the world. so, so worth it. i need to get back to it frankly!