Class 4: Star Books: Also known as carousel books come in several variations. Some are made from three sets of long accordion folded sheets of paper and others are made of many sets of cut and nested papers. The model we will be making will take advantage of the smaller paper readily available in art and craft supply stores

Paper Preparation

1. You will need to make colour and design choices for your book that will affect your paper choices

a. What is your theme or quote?

b. What colour choices will enhance or support that?

c. Will you have cut outs in the outer layer? If so, the middle layer should complement in colour.

d. The inner layer is usually only seen at the spine or from the top. It could be covered in a decorative paper to add visual interest from the back.

e. Consider the colour of the cover fabric and the thread you will use to sew the spine as it relates to your paper choice.

2. Possible design variations may affect your paper choices

a. Paper C can have an opening, like a frame, to reveal images or text or pop ups on paper B.

b. Both papers Band C can have cut out openings.

c. Both papers B and C can be of differing heights, to give the effect of a tunnel book.

d. Paper C can be a long accordion fold paper that covers the cut edges of underlying layers.

e. Pockets can be added to paper C

3. Three colours of coordinating card stock or paper cut to the following dimensions

a. Colour A 5 pieces 6” x 12”

b. Colour B 5 pieces 6” x 9.5”

c. Colour C 5 pieces 6” x 8”

d. Colour A 10 pieces 6´x 2”

e. Scrap 1 piece 6” x2” for sewing guide

Signature Preparation

Once you’ve made all your colour and design choices:

1. Cut your paper to size.

2. Create a sewing guide. Fold the 6” x 2” strips of paper in half lengthwise then open again and mark at .5”, 1”, 2” 4”, 5” and 5.5” on the fold line. You will use this guide when you punch holes in your signatures. Mark the top or head with a H in pencil.

3. Fold the five Colour A 6” x 12” pieces and the 10 6” x 2” pieces in half. These will be your spacers.

4. A signature will be made up of one folded 6” x 6” piece with 2 spacers inside it

1. Use a telephone book, large book or encyclopaedia as a punching cradle and use your awl to pierce the sewing stations that you marked on your sewing guide.

2. Repeat that on each signature. Remember to mark the top or head of each signature with a H in pencil.

Sewing the Signatures

1. Beginning with the last signature, enter the first hole from the outside. Leave a two inch tail of thread to tie a knot. See the diagram above.

2. From the inside of the signature, exit the second hole and enter the third hole from the outside.

3. From the inside of the signature, exit the fourth hole and enter the fifth hold from the outside.

4. From the inside of the signature, exit the sixth hole and place the next signature on top of the one just sewn, aligning the sewing stations.

5. Enter the sixth hold from the outside.

6. From the inside, exit the fifth hold and pass the needle under the thread that connects the fifth and fourth hold of the previous signature and then enter the fourth hold from the outside. This is called a French link stitch. Refer to the diagram above.

7. From the inside, exit the third hole and pass the needle under the thread that connect the third and second hold of the previous signature then enter the second hold from the outside.

8. From the inside, exit the first hole and tie a knot with the tail of the thread that was left for this purpose. Trim the tail to .25” Place the next signature on top of the one just sewn aligning the sewing stations. Enter the first hole from the outside.

9. From the inside, exit the second hole and pass the needle under the thread that connects the second and third holes of the previous signature. Make sure that you pass under the thread before it crosses with the thread from the original signature. Enter the third hole from the outside.

10. From the inside, exit the fourth hole and pass the needle under the thread that connects the fourth and fifth holes of the previous signature as described above. Enter the fifth hole from the outside

11. From the inside, exit the sixth hole. Slide the needle between the first and second signatures so that the thread loops around the stitch at the sixth sewing station. You can simply make a loop or do a kettle stitch at this point.

12. Place the next signature on top of the one just sewn, aligning the sewing stations. Enter the sixth hole from the outside.

13. Continue sewing the signatures together, catching the thread from the previous signature in a French Link stitch and using a chain stitch or a kettle stich on the first and sixth sewing stations.

14. When you have entered the last sewing station on the final signature, secure your thread with two knots and trim the tail to .25” (you can also thread the tail to a needle and pull the tail into the inside of the signature, knot and trim)

Creating the Layers of the Star Book

This is where you do the creative work on the middle and outer layers of your book. You do this before assembly. You will cut out any openings you will need and dry fit the pages together to make sure things line up the way you want them to in each section. Now is the time to stamp your text or make any changes. It becomes very difficult to make those adjustments once things are glued together.