How to Make a Fabric Book

Here's a whole new spin on book and zine-making: make 'em from fabric instead of paper! Here's a simple method:

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First, choose some fabric. This project works best for woven fabrics. You can use solids or prints, and you can use several different fabrics in the same book.

Next, decide what size you want your finished book to be. Cut yourself a template from lightweight cardstock. It should be the same size as your book would be if it were opened flat.

Then, trace this template onto several pieces of fabric, and cut them out. (You can use between three and eight pieces of fabric for this method.)

Easier-way instructions: If you own a rotary cutter, then just cut yourself a series of fabric rectangles, all the same size. And watch your fingers.

Now, let's talk a bit about your fabric choice. If you're using a fabric that has the same appearance on both sides, then your pages will all look the same. If your fabric has a distinct "right side" and "wrong side," then some of your book pages will be showing that "wrong side." If you like, you could fuse your rectangles together back-to-back, so only the "right side" shows. This tutorial shows you how to fuse.

Once you have your fabrics as you like them, stack those rectangles up as shown here.

Fold this stack of rectangles in half, and press them with a steam iron.

. . . .This creates a helpful crease where the spine of your book will be.

You'll want to sew along this crease line in order to bind your book together. The easiest way is to stitch it up with a sewing machine, but you can also do it by hand. If you're stitching by hand, a simple running stitch or backstitch work well.

And voila! This puppy is a blank canvas, practically begging for embellishment. Consider these ideas:

- You could embroider on the pages before binding, and then fuse them together back-to-back, to hide the backsides of your embroidery.

- You could draw on the pages with puff paints. (Just be sure to allow lots of drying-time!)

- You could write on the pages with paint pens.

- You could stitch or glue paper ephemera to the pages.

- You could sew beads or sequins to the pages.

- You could fuse cuts-outs from other fabrics to the pages.

I think the fabric book has great potential as a children's picture book, or an art journal. Have fun!