Let the dreams flow, let them soar onto the

pages of your own personal book.

The Ultimate Earth safe Reusable book.

Step 1: Tools and Materials You Will Need .....

.You will need some tools:
Glue Gun
Heavy duty sissors
Wire cutters
Hole punch
Leather punch
String or cord you would like to use,be sure it is very strong
A .Pick
Leather puncher
peices of silks, satins, and cottons that you like, to match the cover leather.
A hard back, Front and Back cover from an old book, or almost any type of book that would be the size you would like.
Paper sheets, for drawing, sketching , the paper will need to be cut to size of the book cover

Step 2: Cleaning Out the Inside of the Covers.

To make this book I found an old picture alblum that had a hard cover, that was in good shape. Making leather bound books are easy for they are very flexable and can be made from almost any size of reuseable materials. As you can see form the pictures I took the photo albulm and ripped out the the plastic inserts, leaving the hard cover.

Step 3: Cutting the Cover

After I cleared the inside of the covers, I then laid then flat on a hard surface and cut them down the middle. You will notice that a little of the softer binding cover is left on both sides. This will help to made the leather binding be more flexable, allowing the covers to open more freely.

Step 4: Linning the Inside of the Cover

After

I cleared the inside of the covers, I then laid them flat on a hard surface and cut them down the middle. You will notice that a little of the softer binding cover is left on both sides. This will help to made the leather binding be more fixable, allowing the covers to open more freely.

Next you will need to pick out a nice piece of material to use for the inside covers. I picked a cotton with a small printed pattern that will nicely match the cover leather. It kind of reminds me of the old western days type of leather books.

Iron the cloth and lay it out straight with no wrinkles, printed-side down.

Place the hard cover on top of the material back side down and center it with at least one inch of cloth hanging out each side.

Make sure your glue gun is plugged in and getting hot.

As you start to pull the material over the cover and onto the front side of the cover you will place a small line of hot glue along to edge and then fold the material down onto the glue. Be sure to hold the glued part firmly so that it sticks very well. Also be sure to use small amounts of glue at a time, for if you get too much glue on the covers it is hard to get off and it could stain or tear the cover, plus you don’t want it real lumpy, or bumpy.

I have found that if you start on one side then do the opposite side next in order to keep the material taunt. Once you have one set of sides finished do the next. Now you will see that you have the corners to fix. I have found that everyone likes to do the corners a little different, so I suggest you experiment and fold the corners in different ways and go with the design you prefer.

Finish both covers with the lining.

Now you will need to trim some of the cloth off to even out the lines. Even though this side will not be seen it is good to keep all of the material as straight as possible to keep the lumps and bumps down to a minimum.

Now you have the lining finished.

Step 5: Time to Streach the Leather Across the Covers

Go through your leather piles and pick some that will work great on your book.

Lay the leather out flat and then place the covers on top of the leather. Place the lined covers in the middle of the leather where there will be at least one to two inches of leather to streatch over the cover.

Once you have the leather precut to the size clear the table so nothing will get in your way when you are putting the leather on the cover.

Now you need to be sure the covers are placed exactly where you
need them, then just as you did with the cloth you will pull the leather tightly over the edges remember to do the oppiset sides or the cover could come out warped.

Once the leather is glued down onto the cover you will need to trim the exsess leather from the inside. After the leather is all secured then you could go through some strips of notions, striped leathers, or something that would match the cover. You don’t have to do this step but I think it helps to leave smother and straight lines.

Step 6: Stich the Covers

Using a leather punch you will punch holes all around the front and back covers, keep them as even as possible and the same amount of room between each hole. This can be very tiring but with a good leather hole puncher it will be consideritly easier.

When all of the holes have been punched you will take a strong string and stitch all along the the edges. This stiching will help the cover stay strong and it adds to the design.

You can see from the pictures above how I started the stitching by sending the string through the first hole, pushing the knot into a spot that could conceal conceal it. I then loop the string over the edge of

the cover and go through the same hole again, this will secure it in place.

The next time I pull the string over the cover I slide it under the previous vertical stich, then pull it horizontal, then I repeat the steps. This will take a little practice, and in trying you may come up with a style of your own.

Step 7: Make and Add the Pages and Bind the Book.

Time for the paper pages. Depending on what you want to use the book for will determine what type of paper you will need to use. I usuley pick up acid

free paper at the craft stores,when it is on sale; this will give me a wide verity of textures that can be used in many versions.

Once you have cut all of the pages to the correct size, you could even use those fancy edged sicisors to give the paper a funky finish.

Cut as much paper as you want for the book, but not too much. Then you will need to decide if you want to have two or three holes punched for the bindings. Be sure to line up the hole punches evnenly, punch one of the covers, then place that cover over the other cover, making sure you have then lined up correctly. Now you will need to punch the pages.

Set the pages aside and lay out the covers in front of you. Pick out a piece of leather string as long as 4 x’s the length of the book.

Do some resurch to find the type of binding lacing you would like on your book.

Be sure to tie it down tight.

Step 8: The Finishing Touch

The book is mostly done but I like to add something to the

cover to embelish it, adding more charetor to it. I found an irregular piece of leather and an old piece of jewelry. I then find different ways of using them and adhere them onto the book.

Thank you for reading my listing, I hope you wherte able to learn some new tips.

Rock on, Craft in, and live within all colors.