Concertina notebook

You will need

  • large sheet of paper (A3 is a good size)
  • scissors
  • double sided tape or glue stick
  • old cards/ scrap papers
  • Ribbon (optional)
  • Button, needle & thread (optional)

 

Instructions

  1. You are wanting to fold your paper into 16 sections (4×4)
  2. Fold in half (on the long edge)
  3. Fold in half again
  4. Open out the sheet
  5. Fold in half the other direction
  6. Fold in half again (on the short edge)
  7. Open out and you have 16 sections
  8. Cut along the top 3 sections fold from the left leaving the last section uncut. Do the same for the middle coming from the right, then the bottom 3 from the left (see picture – it looks like a sideways M)
  9. Fold your pages into a long concertina (there are 3 pages that fold in a different direction when you turn a corner)
  10. Cut out some cardboard from an old birthday card or similar that is the same size or slightly larger than your book pages. Glue this to the front and rear to make a protective cover
  11. (optional) decorate with scrap papers to make your own personal design
  12. Admire your book! Fill with shopping lists, poems, reminders, diary thoughts….

 

A3 paper
A3 sheet folded in half
A3 paper folded in half again
folded A3 paper opened out
A3 paper fold lengthways
A3 paper fold lengthways again
A3 paper folded open again
cut along 3/4 of strip, alternating from each edge
folding to form the pages
cut cover image to fit
collage images for inside pages
folded book left untied to show pages

 

Other tips and ideas

Glue a ribbon between the back cover and back page and sew a button to the front cover before sticking it to your book. You can then wind the ribbon around the button to keep your book closed

Use some handmade paper for your cover

 

 

Download

Download Concertina notebook instruction sheet (pdf)