Make Time: Japanese Book-Binding

Learn how to create your very own book with this easy-to-follow Japanese Book Binding technique. LBPL Studio Guide Richard will take you through the process so you can put together notebooks, journals, sketching pads, or whatever you can dream up!
Be sure to share your creations on social and use the hashtag #LBPLMakeTime for a chance to be featured on our social media accounts!

[@iwastubed96]

This is one of the best book binding videos out there! So calming and very clear.

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Thank you!!

[@MiLittleCorner]

Thank you for the excellent tutorial, including the template. I made my book from felt and love this binding. Even though the book is very bulky, I can still flip through the pages. I love the way it turned out.

[@betsyd3894]

I am an art teacher for a homeschool co-op. I want the kids to do weekly sketchbook assignments...I am having them MAKE their sketchbooks (layering art skills!) and this tutorial is exactly what I was searching for! These directions were simple yet effective and so clear. Another big plus - no fancy schmancy tools, equipment, or supplies needed (I can't afford that for 30+ kids!) My hope is that my co-op kids will feel empowered to recreate this at home with supplies they'll have on hand. Thank you for this video!!

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Love this!!

[@marcusmayor8528]

The best tutorial on KZbin for this binding Ty kindly

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Thanks, much appreciated!

[@fatimazahraeelmerrache7659]

six months ago I made a notebook for studying. now I'm watching the video again in order to make a new one for the coming semester ✨ Thank you so much.

[@FlaminHauTism]

I feel so humbled after this video… I came for a tutorial (got an amazing one) and now my anxiety went down a level. Thank you

[@vamonarch4740]

Definitely going to try this out with a half sheet of 8 x 11 paper. I journal regularly and think this will be a great way to create quick, custom journals. Thanks!

[@jaquanwilliams5098]

Thanks you guys for making the video more simple. You guys are always the best. I think Im getting the whole book binding activity.

[@ellareed793]

Thank you for the video! I'm using this technique to bind some sheet music together.

[@luffywillbecomethekingofpi2242]

Simply amazing! and I love that you show other people's creations too.

[@AlandelMundo1003]

Just came across this video on my feed. This was a well done, very informative, and educational video. The step-by-step process was explain very clearly and made this project so much more accessible! I love it and look forward to making my own project book.😊

[@lucygarrick]

I'm going to use the binding method for an art book. I agree this is one of the best tutorials I've seen. It seems well planned out, paced and just the amount and level of narration content needed. Often tutorials ramble on and take forever to complete. Thank you!

[@lvmln7843]

I just made one and used old postcards as covers, and it looks nice! I needed a small sketchbook to practice drawing in and I didn't want to buy a new one, and new sketchbooks always make me nervous because I don't want to mess them up, but I'm not so stressed about this one because I didn't pay for it! Thank you for this video. The instructions are very clear and I'll probably come back to make more sketchbooks haha :D

[@joannluich-robbins5414]

Excellent video! So very well presented! Loved the examples at the beginning and very good examples at the end with other makers!! Great job! 6/20/23

[@shibani_sl]

I tried it out, It was really easy to follow through, and the end result came was really good!

[@annabellagardner3190]

LOVE THIS JAPANESE BINDING METHOD. Thank you for making a excellent VR. I totally enjoyed it, seeing the other books made it even better. Big smiles Melbourne Australia 🙃 ❤️👍🏼❤️

[@lorrywin32]

Thanks for explaining this method. I have bound some coffee stained paper l have been working on. ☕️

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Ooh, love that idea!

[@samanthaphillips5102]

Hello! Thank you for making this great tutorial video for us to watch and enjoy. It is very clear, easy to follow, and understand. I believe after watching this helpful video, that I can use this book-binding technique myself. Thank you very much!

[@mickigarvey7608]

❤❤❤😮instructions are steady and calm. Thanks 🙏 for sharing this.

[@marcnelsonouano5979]

Thanks ,Sir. This video helped me a lot!

[@jacquelinerookes2247]

Thank you , it is the easiest book binding

[@zacbowland7388]

I can't wait to try this! Thanks for explaining and showing each step so clearly.

[@selenanina8810]

Finally a clear video i don't know why you don't have million views yet

[@ishadesai5650]

Great help. Thank you

[@elenacordova2105]

Great tutorial! Thank you so much!

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

You're welcome!

[@jeffreycrawley1216]

Some helpful tips there - we especially like making the template to get evenly spaced stitch points rather than measuring each of them out. Never thought to use embroidery thread before either! We've used it to make a Japanese recipe book. After typing out the recipe (and inserting a photo into the text) we printed them on the LEFT half of A4 size sheets of paper (we're in Europe) in landscape mode. The sheets were then folded in half to make A5 pages with the fold on the right and cut edges on the left (Japanese style)*. The cut edges are bound together and we were left with recipes on pages 3, 5, 7 etc. (page 1 has a title on it) and a blank sheet on pages 2, 4, 6. This means we can make notes about the dish on the blank side in fountain pen without worrying about the ink bleeding through and spoiling the previous recipe. You're also left with a pocket you can pop notes/newspaper cuttings/ingredient labels into - we might try gluing up the bottom edge inside the folded paper next time. Hope this is understandable!

[@jeffreycrawley1216]

* The wife of my German language class teacher is Japanese - I got the idea of folding the paper from seeing one of her books and then had to learn how to do a Japanese binding.

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Love the idea of leaving extra blank space in your recipe book for notes :)

[@jamesmacleod8388]

We are getting married in two weeks, and we are making the guest book. The plan is all the pages will be fairly loose in and then after the wedding bind the together like this, possibly with photos from the photo booth with peoples page! We are designing it all from scratch so knowing I can bind it all together after is giving us lots of flexibility with the plan. This is a helpful guide, but I think I will use something a little more robust than dental floss to help contain our wedding memories :-D

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Probably a good idea 😅 Congratulations on your wedding!

[@KurihaniCarbajal-Vega]

thank you so much it helped me a lot with my school project

[@RCRice]

Finally able to do it, thanks a million!!

[@niiyuux-x6783]

İ needed something like this for my violin sheets thanks for explaining!!

[@anaclode3062]

perfect!

[@arthuriapendragon2562]

Can't I just use the needles to poke holes through the paper or is a thumbtack really necessary? Love the vid

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

You definitely can! The thumbtack just makes it easier to get the hole started since it's easier to grip, especially when working with multiple pages, and then using the embroider needle after will help make the hole a bit bigger.

[@marmaz57]

Really helpful video. Thanks!

[@sal7a7asan44]

Used it for my sketchbook thank you❤

[@lolgang908]

Thanks mate

[@autobiopanography]

This is a fantastic video and I love the look of this bookbinding technique. I'm hoping to use textured cold press watercolour paper for the pages for the inside, but I'm wondering if you can anticipate any problems I might have using this type of paper.

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

We don't imagine there would be any issues if you used that type of paper. However, it might be helpful to use a bone folder to get sharp creases when folding the pages open.

[@MaNa-bz6tx]

Super tip.

[@giovannascotti488]

Very useful tutorial! Thank you! May I ask you if it is possible to use for the cover something thicker, a cardbord for example?

[@salomeoliveira6239]

what is the minimum amount of pages (printer paper) that can be used?

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Hi there! It’s really up to you on how many pages you’d like to have for your book. However, we'd recommend using no fewer than 10 pages with that kind of paper, especially since the binding process could tear the thin pages at the holes. But, experiment and let us know how it goes!

[@sameash3153]

Based!

[@sari7166]

does it work with a lot more pages?? like 100

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Hey there! You could definitely use it for 100 + pages, but we'd recommend not punching holes through too many pages at a time. Stacks of around 10-20 pages at a time would be best. Make sure the pages are aligned as closely as possible and each stack is secured with a binder clip. When binding the book, make sure to pull the thread tightly through every hole to help ensure a secure binding. Hope this helps!

[@lorenaperez3822]

This video is great. Just one question, if I want to make the same size but have it like in landscape mode (instead of the holes being on the longer side of the sheet, putting them on the shorter side) do I have to make the same amount of folds or is it less? To make my hole guide.

[@sameash3153]

Does it have to be landscape orientation? Will it work in portrait?

[@okaniedavis3551]

Is there a max recommended number of paper for this book-binding technique?

[@daver744]

Awesome. Do you think there is max amount of paper? I have a 232 page book I am going to self bind and wonder if there would issues to doing it all at once with this style? or perhaps i will have to bind sections at time. thoughts?

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Hi there! With that much paper, it may be difficult making holes through all of that paper at once and lining up the holes correctly, too. Doing sections at a time is probably your best bet. Also, make sure to pull the thread through each hole very tightly to avoid a loose stitch down the line.

[@khajiitkitten5679]

What kind of glue are you using?

[@DeerheartStudioArts]

Use your cutting mat grid instead of ruler!

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Not everyone owns a cutting mat, so we try to keep it as accessible as possible by showing you can use a ruler to do this project.

[@jackiebowling2968]

This a waste of time. It doesn’t,t show the stitching.

[@LongBeachPublicLib]

Should've watched it 2x so we didn't waste so much of your time!