BookCraft (TomeCraft) 1

Since I love trying out new kinds of art related projects, I decided to try making blank books which can be used as sketchbooks. So first, i decided to go for medium sized books. Bought a 500 page packet of 11x8.5 cream colored paper. Did a little bit of math and found out i could do a total of 10 books, with 100 pages each (200 front and back). I proceeded to group 5 pages and fold them together in half. Did that with all of the packet. Then just take 10 of these folded groups to make the 100 pages of each book. In the picture below, what i'm holding is pretty much what will make one book. 

 I bought some cheap black poster paper. to use as the initial cover that would hold the sewn pages together.I  made these covers slightly larger than the 5.5x8.5 pages; about 1/16 to every exterior side and measured the spine to be about 1/2 inch. Folded at the measuring marks.

Made sure the pages fit in nicely and then proceeded to prepare for the sewing by puncturing each of the grouped pages with a needle tool. This tutorial shows you what i did, step by step.

 I'm not sure what thread i used; found it in the knitting section. Below is pretty much what i ended up with after the sewing. First one i did came out a little loose, but by the third book i got the hang of it.

I decided to work with 5 of the books first, to see what works and what doesn't when making the book covers. next step is the actual book cover which i'm planing to make out of illustration board and i suppose i will go about sketching some of the cover designs.