Craft Project for Children: Notebook

This is a very simple set of instructions for making a notebook, using a style of book binding called the pamphlet stitch. You can decorate your notebook however you like and it could make a great gift for friends or family.

Materials

Thick paper

Needle and thread

Decorations (a piece of cloth, stickers, felt tips etc).

Instructions

1.     Get a stack of 4-8 sheets of plain paper plus one piece of card. I chose thick cream coloured art paper to make the notebook appear more antique. Carefully fold each piece of paper and the card in half.

2.     Using a drawing pin (or other sharp pointy object) gently poke 3 equally spaced holes in the centre of the book. Be sure to go through all the page at once.

3.     Thread a needle and pull it down through the centre hole from inside the book. Then push the needle through the outside hole and then back through the last hole. Finally pull it up through the middle hole again (you don’t have to hole this sewing pattern, just make sure that you put in enough stitches to hold the book together!).

4.     Tie the thread together in a knot. Be sure the leave enough thread to tie and adjust the threads if you don’t.

5.     You can cover your notebook with whatever material you like, I chose to use a piece of flowery fabric. After I had stuck the fabric onto the notebook I glued a piece of card into the front and back cover to create a neater finish.

If you would like to share photos of your papier-mâché maracas then please feel free to post them on our Facebook page, or just leave a comment below.