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The Basic Tools
To get you started you will require some basic tools that you can find anywhere with ease no fancy contraptions or gizmos needed.
1. A 30cm ruler
2. A sharp Pencil
3. A book - hardbacks with a minimum of 300 numbered pages
4. A pattern - MMF is easiest or C&F for more complex designs
5. Scissors - If doing a C&F pattern
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At a later date you can start adding folding frames, bone folders, incra rulers etc but to get you started any you can get your hands on will do :)
Measure Mark Fold (MMF)
Simplest method of folding - requires 2 marks per page (no cutting required)
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Step by step tutorial can be found
Measure Mark Cut Fold (C&F)
More Complex method of folding with almost endless possibilities with the patterns - Can have 2+ marks per page (i have seen a few with as many as 70 marks per page)
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Step by step tutorial can be found
Innie - Outtie - Combie
All of My C&F pattern can be done as Innie - Outie or Combie from the same pattern without editing the marks, this is achieved by changing which part you cut and fold, refer to this folding guide.
180 Folding
180 is a preparation fold so can be done on with any C&F pattern.
It involves folding the whole page over before marking and cutting the book, the fold can be 0.5 - 6 cm. It adds bulk to the final book making the book have a better final result.
The further back you fold the more open the finished book will be @ 5-6cm the book can even have a rounded front
Comparison between two
500 page books with a 1cm
180 Fold
5cm 180 fold creating a round front to the book
(very quickly folded in a damaged book)
2.5 cm 180 fold revealing the text on the page
From experience it is best NOT to 180 fold the entire book before marking as it can be very Bulky and awkward to then mark accurately.
I fold approximately 20 pages/mark/repeat.
Colour With Card Stock
Best results are achieved by using the 180 folding method, Then using the cardstock as the fold hides the excess of the card.
Personal experience its best to remove the tab and then unfold your 180
Cut your Cardstock so it it slightly longer to cover the gaps where the tabs were removed
(I use Sticky tape to hold them in place)
Close up your 180 fold ensuring the card sits snugly to the face of the fold
Colouring using this method is a little time consuming but has great results, I was using 5mm quilling strips in this example an is way harder then using 2cm strips like i have on other books
Covering using various Materials
I Fully cover every Book I fold, This means that it doesn't need to be themes ed or match any colour scheme as long as the book is in excellent condition and have a good amount of pages it can be used.
Here are examples of books i have covered using various Material Types, All have been coved in exactly the same way with hot glue following my step by step guide.
use button here to see the
Spray painting for gilded edges
It all started when I had a customer that wanted 10 books with matching gold gilded edges, Unable to find 10 matching gilded books for under £150 I looked at alternatives.
I decided my first experiment was going to be spray paint, so got some cheap silver auto spray paint from my local Poundland (English version of Dollar Tree)
To my surprise the very first experiment was a success and been using this same method since. I have even started incorporated 180 folds then spray painting and added cardstock for very successful results.
Here is a video guide for spraying:
Here is a Video of the finished results:
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