* The tutorial is divided into 2 parts. Please read both parts entirely before beginning. Seriously, it helps. Start here.
The book has 20 pages, including cover and back. There are five sections – each composed of 4 rectangles/pages.
3 sections have slots.
and 2 sections have tabs.
This tutorial demonstrates how to construct the two kinds of sections in the book – slot and tab. Before you begin to sew the sections please read this post on how to create and organize the pages.
You will need:
- your 20 pages/rectangles
- chopstick or similar
- a basic sewing kit
- embroidery thread
make a slot section
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- 1.
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- 2.
1. To make a slot page take two rectangles and lay them out with the right sides facing you.
2. Place one over the other – right sides together.
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- 3.
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- 4.
3. Draw a half inch margin down the right hand side of the top piece.
4. Clip the short lines on your page pattern. Fold the center section back.
5. Place it over the rectangles and mark the short horizontal lines.
6. Sew the half inch seam above and below those marks.
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- 7.
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- 8.
7. Press the seam open.
8. Your joined pages should look like this
Repeat steps 1- 4 with two more rectangles.
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- 10.
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- 11
10. You have 2 pairs of assembled pages.
11. Pin them with the right sides together.
12. Mark a ¼ inch seam line and sew around the edge.
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- 13.
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- 14.
13. Clip off the corners.
14. Use the opening to turn the section right side out.
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- 15.
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- 16.
15. Run the chopstick firmly against the inside of the seam and into the corners to fill out the shape. Press the section.
16. Stitch the slot sides together. I used a contrasting embroidery thread.
make a tab section
Follow steps 1- 5 above in the slot section tutorial.
6. Sew the half inch seam between the marks.
7. Press the seam open.
8. Assemble 2 more rectangles in the same way. You have two pairs of assembled tab pages.
9. Pin them with the right sides together. and mark a ¼ inch seam line all around. Sew the seam on the left side.
10. Sew the seam on the right.
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- 12.
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- 13,
12. Clip off the corners and use the center opening to turn the section right side out. Run the chopstick firmly against the inside of the seam and into the corners to fill out the shape.
13. Press the section.
14. Stitch the sides of the tabs together.
The pages of the book you made are incredible. I really want too make one of these- the texture and white, black and red palette is really drawing me in.
Thank you for such clear instructions for the book assembly. I will just need the measurement on the right side of the page pattern for marking the sewing lines for tabs and slots as I use only an IPad and cannot download. I have used screenshots for the two downloads.
I am working on the third page -such fun- I will decide the order and first and last pages as I go along.
Meantime thank you so much for such a clever and original scrap project.
Hi Valerie – so glad you’re having fun with it! The margin on the right is 1/2 inch. The little horizontal marks in that margin are at 1 and 5/8ths from the top and bottom edges.
I am a huge follower and maker of your fabulous patterns . Thank you
This is so wonderful! I can’t believe you are giving this to us for free! THANK YOU! I have a 6month old grandson and my daughter is requesting a “tactile” book for him! DONE!! (Well, not done…but at least I know where to begin! Haha.) THANK YOU!
A comment and question:
I’m late to the party but what a fun little project. Love the ingenious construction of the booklet!
What I’m wondering is what people are doing with their end product. Is it mainly an opportunity to practice and learn more about stitching and putting together a fun booklet? Or does it serve another purpose – such as a needlebook, or perhaps a themed booklet as a gift, etc. What are you doing with yours? And, as always – thank you Ann!
I’m making 3 this year as Christmas gifts for my 3 oldest granddaughters. I’ll copy quotes on fabric and put on some of the pages, paint some white space on some of the pages with Gesso so they can jot down a memory. Maybe copy an old photograph on a couple of pages with a memory of mine about them. We will see what all I can come up with.
I too am interested to see what people are doing with their finished books. You have the greatest ideas, Ann, and are so generous in sharing them. I have made over a 1/2 dozen long pincushions as gifts and everyone loved them. Thank you SO much.
This is a great idea to use quilt blocks which never became a quilt, sentimental remnants from wedding dresses, and parts of clothing from dearly departed. My fabric journals without a pattern turned out really well inspite of myself (graduation gifts for great-nieces), but the slot/tab patterns and numbering are so very helpful! Thank you.
Thank you, I have tons of vintage fabric samples, linen, silk and cotton, now I know what to do with them, what a lovely little book they will make, thank you, I look forward to your ideas and love receiving your emails, what a wonderful talent you have and to share with everyone, kudos to you
Thankyou so much for sharing this amazing make.
I’m definitely going to make this.
Love your stitchery and artistry.
Stay safe everyone
I got my first page done! This is going to be fun! Can we share pictures somewhere?
Great! I hope you enjoy it. I don’t have a place here for photo uploads but you can use #annwoodstitchbook on instagram. There’s tons of cool pages in progress to see.
I’m trying to do the book. But I’m so lost! I made tabs and slots did not number. Not good with instructions!
Hi Ann
I dont quite understand how I turn the tab page inside out, or the right way around after I have stitch the Left and Right sides. – Please could you explain again?
Thank you,
Hi Monique – I’m not understanding exactly what difficulty you’re having – please review the steps – it’s all there.
Hi Ann,
Thank you so much for these instructions! In the past 3 days I have made 2 books!
Finally a perfect solution to display all my embroidery, smocking and needle lace samples.
I do have a question for you… My books are quite thick and as a result, the pages do not fit neatly together. Due to lack of space, some pages will wrinkle at the corners.
How can I solve this?
Thank you again!
Hi, just wondering can the book be made with less pages eg. 12 pages.
Thank you
Shirley
Off course it could.
However, I would prefer to have a 20 page book…
wow thank you very much for this lovely tutorial.
I just discovered it on your site but will certainly make the book!
I did it! WOW! not perfect but it worked! Thanks for the awesome instructions!
Been wanting to make a little book of my travels for granddaughter. Will embroider scenes on various sizes of white cloth then stitch to page. Great idea and thank you for sharing. Have enjoyed your sight for awhile.
Qué maravilloso regalo!!!!
Es verdaderamente genial!!!
Voy a realizarlo
Gracias, gracias, gracias!!!
Por tanta generosidad. Anna!!!
El Universo te recompense infinitamente.
Hi Ann,
I’m at the assembling sections stage and there seems to be a key piece of info missing in your two tutorials. When you put two rectangles on top of each other, right sides facing, which one of the two “pages” goes on the top?
For example, I’m putting pages 6 and 1 together. In your page diagram of the signatures, 6 is on the left, and 1 on the right.
It looks like you always place the right hand rectangle on top of the left-hand rectangle. Is that correct? This seems crucial as the “spine” needs to be on the correct side.
Thanks!
“there seems to be a key piece of info missing in your two tutorials.” You need to read part one – organizing and assembling- more carefully. Nothing is missing.
Dear Ann, I also have trouble turning the tab page inside out, as I don’t understand “use the center opening”. I’m my pages there are only the two little openings, the tabs. Should I turn it through one of these?
Best regards, Kathrin
Yes- you should.
Thanks a lot!
My sewing machine needs to be serviced. It looks like you may have stitched things together for assembly by hand? Is that true, Ann? I’m addicted to this and should be slowing down soon or I’ll go cross eyed! Thanks so much. I love this and am going to try to go on Instagram to see everyones’ projects. I’ve never done much with Instagram though I may have set up an account once upon a time..haha