Remember the spiral bound journal from last week?

Here’s another one I made with the June Little Black Dress Kit

I’ve become quite obsessed with theses spiral bound journals actually, so it wasn’t difficult for me to make yet another and do a step by step tutorial.

But first:

The Bind-it-All was one of those tools I had to have because it seemed like if I got one I could immediately whip out 5 mini albums in one sitting. Sadly this was not the case, the thing actually had a learning curve. I messed up pretty much all the notebooks I tried to make at first. Finally after much trial and error, and some help I got from instructions on their site, I think I have figured out how to make it work for me. I also had a couple AHA moments when using the Teresa Collins products made for the Bind-it-All. So these instructions are just what I’ve learned and my interpretations, there may be better ways out there!

Make a Spiral Bound Journal

Here’s what you’ll need to make the journal – the finished dimensions are 5&1/2″x8″

A Bind-it-All machine and 3/4″ o-wire

A stack of papers cut to 5&1/2″x8″ (more on this in a bit)

One piece of patterned paper or cardstock 12″x8″

Two pieces of chipboard also 5&1/2″x8″

Rulers, paper scorer, pencil etc.

Selecting papers for the Spiral Bound Journal

The papers I used for my pages didn’t all measure 5&12 by 8, some were smaller as you can see here

I used a combination of patterned papers and bits of ephemera like book pages and game pieces. It doesn’t matter if they are smaller or bigger than the book size (well they shouldn’t be too big or too tiny), it just means being sure later that they are positioned properly to be bound in.

Once you have your papers prepared make a nice neat stack, making sure that none of the sheets are overhanging the left edge (the edge to be bound) and the bottom edge (so that the book will stand up one complete). It’s no biggy if pages stick out the top or the right side if you like that look.

Measure your O-Wire to decide how many spirals you will use.

In this case 8″ will give me 16 spirals. Cut off the extras. You can actually use less than this, maybe 14 or even 12. The important thing is that you use an even number. Here’s why:

The Bind-it-All can punch a maximum of 6 holes at a time, so my approach is to cut six holes in the center of my pages, and then add additional holes to each side. So for this book I will first cut 6 middle holes. Since I am using 16 spirals I need to add 10 more holes, which is 5 to each side. This is the simplest way I have found to properly align the holes, and thus the spiral in my books.

So if you choose to use 14 spirals, you will first punch 6, which leaves 8, meaning 4 on each side. Clear as mud? Good, moving on…..

a. Take up the top few papers from your stack of pages and find and mark the center point at 4″.

b. Slide the little positioner switch on the side of the machine to A- Open. Place the pages facing towards you and line up the center mark with the center of the machine.

c. Punch the first 6 holes

d. Lift the pages up and slide them to the right, lining up the first punched hole in the paper (counting from the left) with the last hole mark on the machine.

Here’s a closer look at that last step

Push the papers down into the machine and slide the black doohicky to position B-Continuous, so that the tab slips into the third hole. You’ll see what I mean in these photos

Hold the left side of the papers firmly down in the nachine and punch. You’ll be punching through one already punched hole, and punching five new ones.

To add the final 5 holes. turn the stack of papers over so the back now faces you, and proceed as above lining up the first hole on the left with the last hole on the machine.

I forgot to take a photo of the holes all punched! Duh, sorry……

Now continue with your stack of pages until they are all punched. This is actually pretty tedious, especially if your pages aren’t all the same size, but hang in there, you can do it!

I like to set up with my machine in the middle, the uncut stack to my right, and the cut stack to my left.

Pick up a small stack, punch, move over to the left. Repeat ad infinitum….

Once your pages are done it’s time for the cover! Well you could probably do the cover first actually, but I like to get the pages done and dusted first.

On the inside of your cover make marks at 5&1/2 and 6&1/2 inches at the top and bottom, then use your ruler and scorer to make scoring marks.

Now comes the piece-de-resistance!

Fold your cover in half with outside showing, mark the center and proceed to punch holes as you did for the pages.

Once punched fold along the scored lines.

And voila!

Aren’t you excited? I am!

Now stick your chipboard pieces to the inside front and back of the covers for reinforcement.

I found that the covers were pretty floppy without the chipboard. I think soon I will try making the cover completely from chipboard, Hopefully the machine will be able to punch through!

To bind it all together (ha ha):

Place your stack of pages inside the covers as though the book is complete. Now fold the back cover over unto the front cover i.e to the top of the stack

Pass the spiral rings through the entire stack starting from the back i.e the last page of the book. Once again, this is a tedious bit. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!