If you’ve ever wanted to try bookbinding but weren’t sure where to start, a simple bound mini book is a perfect first step. It’s quick, beginner-friendly, and doesn’t require any fancy tools – just a few materials you probably already have at home.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to make your own mini book using easy hand-stitching and folded pages. It’s the perfect little project for artists, crafters, journalers, or anyone who loves tiny things (I mean – who doesn’t?).

This was the first type of mini-book I ever made. I used it as a way to eek out the last bits of some lush watercolour paper my gran had left me, I didn’t even add a cover as it was my first attempt!

It is one of the quickest and easiest miniature books styles to make, and you don’t need any sewing skills beyond threading a needle (and there are ‘needle threaders’ for that!).

You’ll need:

• Paper for the inside of the book (any paper you like – plain, patterned, recycled)
• Card or thick decorated paper for covers
• Scissors or craft knife
• Thread, ribbon, or twine
• Needle or a darning needle depending on the thickness of your thread
• A tool to poke holes (a pin, awl, or needle)
• Cutting mat or scrap card to protect your table while poking holes
• Optional: something heavy to press your pages flat
• Optional: a ‘bone’ folder or something to help you fold the paper
• Optional: Bulldog clips, or similar

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Prepare your book
   Decide how big you want your finished pages to be. If you’re using scraps, the size might be dictated by the smallest of your scraps. Cut your paper to size, then fold the sheets in half all together. If your paper is thick, try using a folding tool to get a crisp fold and then leaving them under something heavy for a while to help them retain the fold.

Tip: If your stack is too thick to fold neatly, remove a few pages. It’s better to have a tighter fold than too many pages.

2. Make a cover
   Cut a piece of card or decorative paper just slightly larger than your folded pages. Fold it in half and slip it over your paper stack.

3. Trim (optional)
   If your pages stick out beyond the cover, you can carefully trim them down for a cleaner look.

4. Poke your holes

Open up your folded pages and mark two points along the centre fold – about a third of the way from the top and bottom.

Using bulldog clips, or keeping a firm grip on the pages yourself, carefully poke through all the layers at once using a needle, awl, or other sharp tool. Protect your table with a cutting mat or piece of scrap card while doing this.

5. Stitch it together
   Thread your needle and knot the end. Starting from the outside of the book, stitch in through the lower hole, then out through the upper hole. Repeat a few times to secure it.

Tip: If you’re using thicker thread/twine, you might only need to sew through the book once

Knot on the outside and trim, or leave a long tail to use as a bookmark!

That’s it – you’ve made a simple bound mini book!
These little books are brilliant for tiny sketchbooks, journals, memory books, or even personalised gifts. I love using up my favourite scraps of paper in them – nothing goes to waste, and each one feels totally unique.

Want more beginner-friendly bookbinding projects?
I’ve created a free downloadable guide with step-by-step instructions for five mini bookbinding projects – including this one – that are perfect for beginners.

Click below to grab your copy and start making beautiful mini books today:

(You’ll also be subscribed to my newsletter for more creative tips, freebies, and inspiration.)

A note on terminology

In bookbinding, books where all the pages and cover are stitched or stapled straight through the spine, everything together, is sometimes called saddle stitched. I’m not using that term here for a couple of reasons. One of them is that traditionally, saddle stitching comes from leather working and actually involves two different threads passing through each hole to create a very reinforced, durable stitch, and this isn’t that. But the other reason, perhaps the real reason, is that I have another stitched book project in mind that I’m saving that term for. So, for simplicity’s sake, I’ve just called this one ‘Simple Bound’ or ‘Simple Stitched’. Please don’t send the bookbinding terminology police after me 😉

Also, if you feel like making a mini book live, alongside me…

I’ll be teaching “Create Your Own Tiny Book: Simple No-Sew Bookbinding for Beginners” as part of this year’s Summer Creative Retreat hosted by The Pigeon Letters – and the best part? It’s completely free to join!

🗓 Saturday 2nd August 2025
🕑 2 – 3pm BST (British Summer Time)
💻 Live and online – and free!

This 60-minute class is perfect for beginners and playful creatives of all ages. Together, we’ll make a miniature accordion-fold book – a delightfully dinky handmade book complete with front and back covers and a sweet little bellyband to hold it all together. No sewing, no fuss—just fun, mindful making.