How do I Bind a Booklet?

To make a booklet from pre-cut paper, you can fold the paper and adapt professional binding methods, or use binders available from office supply stores. Standard letter-sized paper makes a folded booklet with a size of 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches.

Side Stitching

• To use the classic handling of signatures that go together to make a hardcover book, assemble your booklet and crease it well. Staple or even sew along the crease of the closed booklet. This method is difficult to use for more than eight pieces of paper, or with heavy covers. Side stitching requires the widest "gutter," or white space in the middle of folded sheets. It can also be used to bind loose sheets of unfolded paper.

Saddle Stitching

• The saddle is the crease down the middle of a folded booklet. Long staplers, both manual and electric, are available to connect 12 or more sheets, possibly including photo papers or cover stock. You can also sew in the saddle, using metallic threads, yarn or fine ribbon, but it will be difficult. You don't have to stitch the whole length; just a couple of spots will do.

Report Binders

• Office and school supply stores offer a wide range of report binders in made of different materials. They may or may not require holes to be punched in pages. Most are proportioned for letter-sized paper.