Book artist, photographer and writer Rachel Hazell loves working with paper. She creates beautiful things with it, and her favorite thing to make are books. Here she explains how you can make your own concertina booklet.
A concertina booklet is an origami-looking pop-up book. It is called a concertina booklet because the folded structure resembles a concertina, which is an instrument similar to an accordion.
- Are you interested in learning more about paper and all you can make with it? In June, you can follow an e-course of Rachel called Paperlove. In five weeks, you will learn all about paper creativity by making original projects with easily-available resources. Find out more on the website.
1. You will need:
Three pages of patterned paper (from the Flow Book for Paper Lovers, for example) * One sheet of thin card (you’ll only need a bit for the covers) * Cutting mat * Ruler * Craft knife * Glue stick * Awl * String * Waste paper * Heavy book
2. Cut each of the three sheets of patterned paper into eight.
3. Cut the card to create two covers the same size as the above-cut sheets.
4. Fold all the sheets in half widthways and arrange in order, interlinking as shown.
5. Glue one page at a time with waste paper underneath.
6. Glue one side of each folded page to the next folded page.
7. Keep repeating the process, smoothing each page flat as you go.
8. Use all the paper to make one long zigzag, or you can choose to make several, smaller books.
9. Press the concertina under a heavy book for a while, and prepare to add the covers by folding the two pieces of cut card in half widthways.
10. Glue the cut card to each end of the concertina in the same way as you attached the sheets of paper to create a back and front cover.
11. Make a hole in one cover and attach your string.
12. Here’s your book, ready to be filled with tiny drawings, poems or whatever you want.
- You can find more fun DIY-projects made by creatives from all over the world in the Make it Yourself-special.
