The first step is to choose your supplies. Some of the stuff you’ll be able to find in your house, but if you’ve never done any bookbinding before, you'll probably have to purchase a couple items. Most art and craft stores should have these items. You can also search for local paper/bookbinding stores in your area.
My favorite bookbinding stores are Paper Source and Hollander's. Paper Source has a nice selection of paper and carries some other craft supplies such as stamps. I've also seen a couple stores in my area. Hollander's a good place to shop online (they have one store location in Michigan). They have a wider selection of decorative paper and also have good bookbinding supplies.
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Binder’s Board: Binder's board is used to make the covers of the journal. It's sort of like a good quality cardboard. Hollander's is a good place to find binder's board. You can buy binder’s board in different thicknesses. I usually get about .080 or .087 thickness.
PVA Glue: I used to think PVA glue was a special type of glue, but I realized it’s the same stuff as basic Elmer’s glue. I’d recommend getting a nicer, professional quality brand though because it seems my projects come out better with a more expensive brand of glue. I recommend the Paper Source brand glue or Hollander’s for a bigger container. These glues will last several months.
Glue brush or paint brush: You can buy glue brushes in a variety of widths. It isn’t necessary to have a glue brush though. You can also use any old paint brushes you already have.
X-Acto knife and cutting mat or paper cutter: This is for cutting the boards and paper in a straight line. You can use an X-Acto knife with a cutting/self healing mat. If you don’t have a cutting mat, you can use cardboard as a substitute. I use a paper cutter when I cut items because I find it the easiest. You can find them for about $20.
Sand paper: The sand paper is for sanding down the boards after you cut them. I recommend getting a few different textures.
Needle: You’ll want a needle with a large eye to fit the linen thread. You can buy specific bookbinding needles though I’ve sewn books without them before. You can also buy curved needles which are useful if you're doing the coptic stitch.
Linen thread: Linen thread is strong and comes in a variety of colors and thicknesses. Hollander's has a good variety of thread. I like to match the color of my thread with whatever color the cover of the book is. White linen thread is shown in the top photo on the middle left side.
Ruler: You’ll need a ruler for measuring. If you have a paper cutter, there should be a ruler on there.
Bone folder: A bone folder is used for folding, creasing, pressing and tearing paper. You can see my bone folder on the far right side of the photo above.
Awl: An awl looks kind of like a needle. It is used for punching holes. You can substitute a needle if you don’t have an awl. It’s good to have an awl if you’re going to make holes in heavier materials. The awl is pictured in the photo above on the far left side.
Wax paper: Use basic wax paper you can find at the grocery store. This is used so paper doesn’t stick together.
Paper for text block: You’ll need to choose paper for the inside of the book. There are many different types of paper you can use. I like to use computer paper or sketch paper because it’s not too expensive or hard to find.
Decorative paper or fabric for the cover: You have to decide what you want your cover to look like. Paper Source and Hollander's have a lot of nice decorative paper (just a note: I was googling "decorative paper Hollander's" to find a photo to use and saw one of my cards in the Google Search that linked to this blog). You can use any fabric. Book cloth is made specifically for journals. Be creative and see what materials you already have if you don’t want to buy paper or fabric. You can use magazine cut outs, newspaper, felt, etc.
Paper for the inside covers: You’ll need paper for the inside covers. You can have the paper go along with your cover. If I have a complex decorative paper pattern on the outside, I might use a solid, matching color on the inside. You can also use decorative paper which works well if you’re using a solid fabric for the cover.
Some other items you might want to have are a pencil, scissors, tissue paper, methyl cellulose (a lighter weight adhesive that can be mixed with your PVA), a headband (used to decorate the head and tail of the text block), mull (which helps reinforce the spine), weights, heavy books or wooden board and a container of water.
In the next part, I'll explain how to start bookbinding and sew the inside pages! Check back tomorrow.
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