22 World Sweet World: Issue #07 World Sweet World: Issue #07 23

MAKING TIME: MAKING TIME: MAKE A NOTE OF IT

Make a
note of it
For my mother, life without lists would be SCAVENGING YOUR
MATERIALS
unmanageable. In recent years, I’ve found
Stack of used A4 paper
that I share her need for written reminders.
NOTEBOOK NO. 1:
Whether you’ve got a hectic life, or just a Fabric for the covers (bigger than A6)
sieve for a brain, having a handy book at the Embroidery floss

ready for phone numbers, to-do lists, or Glue (PVA, flour paste or fabric glue)

wee poems and ideas, can be the difference NOTEBOOK NO. 2:

between productivity and chaos. Here are Tetra Pak

Plastic binder comb
two simple notebooks that you can make
out of scrap paper – choose between pop- TOOLS YOU’RE GOING
TO NEED
art inspired Tetra Pak and a traditional
Scissors
Chinese bookbinding method.
NOTEBOOK NO. 1:
Brush for glue
Awl (or similar hand tool for piercing

Notebook No. 1: holes)

Paper knife or smallish kitchen knife

Fabric-covered diary Sturdy needle

NOTEBOOK NO. 2:
By Jiang (Jan) Yinghua and Comb binding machine

Sabine Schneider Steel ruler

Craft knife
This method of binding originated in China, but quickly spread
PHOTO BY KATE MACPHERSON

from there to other Asian countries, such as Korea, Japan,

Malaysia, Singapore. Outside of China, the notebooks were $5ish
covered in paper. For this one we're using fabric, but feel free to
experiment with paper if you like. The fabric should be SKILL COST

reasonably thin, an old shirt will do, or scraps from a sewing

project. If you have to buy some, go to a fabric shop and ask for
the remnant bin or fat quarters for quilting. We’ve used an old
SPEED
tea-tray liner for the one shown here, so feel free to get creative.
24 World Sweet World: Issue #07
MAKING TIME: MAKE A NOTE OF IT
Choose embroidery floss in a contrasting colour, a matching hue
or use a creamy off-white for a natural look. Embroidery floss
can often be found in second-hand shops.
1. Fold six sheets of A4 paper in half using the short sides.
2. Using a knife, cut paper along fold FIG 1.
3. Fold sheets in half – again using the short sides. If you’re using
second-hand paper, make sure the blank side is facing outwards.
4. Place a folded sheet of paper on your fabric and trim with
FIG 1
scissors so fabric is about 1cm larger than paper FIG 2.
off the corners.
5. Starting with short sides, apply glue and fold fabric over.
Press and repeat until all four sides are folded FIG 3. The
front cover is now done.
6. Repeat with back cover.
7. Place remaining folded sheets between covers – with folds
FIG 2 pointing to the right of the notebook, open sides of paper to
the left.
8. Using a ruler, mark seven holes along the left side of the
notebook: Two of the holes should be 1cm in from the left
edge, as well as top and bottom. A further three should be
evenly spaced between the first two and also about 1cm away
from the left edge. A final two should be 5mm in from left
edge and top and bottom FIG 4.
FIG 3
9. Make holes with the punch, holding the notebook firmly so
paper and covers don’t slide.
10. Cut your embroidery floss – you should have six times the
length of your notebook. An easy way of measuring this is to
wind it lengthwise around the notebook.
11. Starting at the second hole from top and holding the end of
your thread, push needle through from front to back
FIG 4
12. Still holding the thread with your thumb, push needle
through the same hole – again from front to back FIG 6.
13. Push needle through first hole from top – from back to front
FIG 7. Leading thread the spine of your notebook, push
needle through the same hole, again, from back to front.
Then, leading thread around the top of your notebook and
using the same hole, push needle from back to front again.
FIG 5 14. Push needle through corner hole – front to back FIG 8.
World Sweet World: Issue #07 25
MAKING TIME: MAKE A NOTE OF IT
FIG 6
Cut
FIG 7
15. Sew corner: Leading thread around the spine of your notebook,
push needle through corner hole from front to back. Then,
leading thread around the top of your notebook and using the
corner hole again, push needle from front to back. Push needle
through first hole from back to front. The top corner is done.
Using the next hole – the one where the beginning of your thread
sticks out – push needle through from front to back FIG 9.
16. Then, using the third hole from top, push needle through
from back to front. Leading thread around the spine of your
FIG 8
notebook, push needle through the same hole from back to
front. Don’t worry about the gaps, they will be closed soon.
17. Using the fourth hole, push needle through from front to
back. Leading thread around the spine of notebook, push
needle through the same hole from front to back again.
18. Using fifth hole from top, push needle through from back to
front. Leading thread around the spine of notebook, push
FIG 5. needle through the same hole from back to front.
FIG 9
19. Sew bottom corner: Leading thread around the bottom of your
notebook, push needle through the same hole, from back to
front. Push needle through corner hole – front to back.
Leading thread around the spine of your notebook, push
needle through corner hole from front to back. Then, leading
thread around the top of your notebook and using the corner
hole again, push needle from front to back. Push needle
through fifth hole from back to front. Push needle through
FIG 10 fourth hole – from front to back.
26 World Sweet World: Issue #07
MAKING TIME:
20. Closing gaps: Push needle through third hole
– from back to front. Push needle through
second hole – from front to back, but don’t
pull thread through completely. Leave it a bit
slack. Now loosen the beginning of your
thread by pulling about 5mm of it through the
hole.
21. Apply a tiny drop of glue to the front of your
second hole. Then pull threads tight. The glue
will be pulled into the hole, securing the
beginning and end of your thread FIG 10.
22. Snip off ends at front and back of second hole.
Sabine and Jan are enthusiastic crafters and love
beautiful handmade things, from furniture to mittens,
coffee mugs to hand cream, sourdough bread to
hand-bound diaries. They believe in re-using good-
quality materials and hope this little notebook will find
its way into many handbags and back pockets.
Notebook No. 2:
A juicy read
By Tara Robertson
Unfortunately Tetra Paks are not recyclable in
most of New Zealand. Here’s a great, quick
project to re-use computer paper and old juice
packs to make bright and colourful books or
notepads. You'll need access to a binding machine
– many office workplaces have these, so see if you
can borrow one. Otherwise a stationary or copy
store, like Office Max or Warehouse Stationary
might have one that you can use there.
1. Cut the top and bottom off the Tetra Pak. Do
this over the sink, as there will be a bit of juice
PHOTO BY KATE MACPHERSON
left in the fold of the tetra pak. I like to keep
the plastic juice spout attached, but you can
cut it off if you prefer.
2. Wash and dry the inside of the Tetra Pak well.
3. For a large book, cut the Tetra Pak in half.
Fold the Tetra Pak in half and crease well. Use
the crease lines as guides to cut.
World Sweet World: Issue #07 27
MAKING TIME: MAKE A NOTE OF IT
4. Fold the used A4 paper in halves, with the
printed side on the inside. The amount of
paper you need to fold will depend on the size
of your plastic binder comb. Bigger comb =
more paper = bigger book.
5. Stack your book, so you can be sure which
side you’re punching holes in. The edges of
the A4 paper will be facing the left (and
be bound), and the creased side will face
the right.
6. Get someone to show you how to use the
binding machine. They’re not difficult to use,
but the first time they can be a bit confusing.
Generally the arm or lever goes one way to
punch holes, and the other way to unfurl the
binding combs.
7. Punch holes in the covers, and along the edges
of the paper. With most binding machines you
can’t punch holes in more than ten sheets of
paper, which is the same as five sheets folded
in half. Go easy on the binding machine, trying
to stuff more paper in to save time will likely
result in stuffing up the machine.
8. Use the machine to unfurl the binding comb,
and put the cover, inside sheets, and the
other cover on the binding comb. For the
inside sheets, you’ll have to put them on a bit
at a time. If you make sure the binding comb
goes through all the holes the final book will
look neater.
9. If the binding comb is too long, trim it
carefully with scissors. After you’ve finished
binding, use a steel ruler and a craft knife to
neaten the top and bottom of your notebook
- don't trim the outer edge though, or you'll
cut off the folded edges.
Tara Robertson is a crafty, queer, geeky
librarian who likes to ride her bike. She recently
moved to Wellington from Vancouver, Canada. Tara is
passionate about open source software, social justice,
and finding the perfect shade of red lipstick. She has
a big mouth, a big butt, and a big heart.