I thought about naming this drunken triangles or dizzy triangles. It’s pretty straightforward, especially with only 31 holes to punch.
Tag Archives: how to
Japanese stab binding tutorial: tiara
By popular request, the tiara pattern. Sorry this has taken so long, I’ve had a lot of personal stuff going on and I thought I had lost the pattern instructions and was going to have to recreate them from memory, but I found the paper today, yay! So here it is. A beginning bind, with only one small tricky part in the middle. Click on any photo to enlarge.
hole pattern
sewing pattern
EXIT = needle pointed DOWN and ENTER = needle pointed UP
=====
enter 1 (leave a tail but don’t knot it), wrap right edge, enter 1 again
exit 2, wrap around spine, exit 2 again
enter 1
exit 3
enter 4
exit 3
enter 5
exit 6
enter 5
exit 7
enter 8
exit 7
enter 9
exit 10
enter 9
exit 2
enter 9
exit 11
enter 4
exit 11, wrap around spine, exit 21
wrap around spine through loop, point left, exit 11
enter 12
exit 6
enter 12
exit 13
enter 8
exit 13
enter 14
exit 15
enter 14
exit 16
enter 10
exit 16
enter 17
exit 18
enter 17
exit 19
enter 20
exit 19
enter 21
exit 23
enter 21
exit 22
enter 28
exit 22
enter 15
exit 22
enter 24
exit 18
enter 24
exit 25
enter 20
exit 25
enter 26
exit 23
enter 26
exit 27, wrap around left edge, exit 27 again
enter 28, wrap around spine, enter 28 again
exit 27
enter 26
exit 25
enter 24
exit 22
enter 21
exit 19
enter 17
exit 16
enter 14
exit 13
enter 12
exit 11
enter 9
exit 7
enter 5
exit 3, tie off
Japanese stab binding tutorial: lotus blossom
The lotus blossom or lily-pad flower, whichever. 36 total holes, about an intermediate bind. Make sure that your holes along the top line are even! As always, if there is an error or if you have a question, leave a comment and I will do my best to answer.
**click on an image to enlarge**
hole pattern
sewing pattern
EXIT = needle pointed DOWN and ENTER = needle pointed UP
=====
enter 1, (leave a tail but don’t knot it), wrap around right edge, enter 1 again
exit 3
enter 4, wrap around right edge, enter 4 again
exit 5
enter 6, wrap around right edge, enter 6 again
exit 7, wrap around right edge, exit 7 again
wrap around spine at angle to below 5, exit 7 again
enter 6
exit 5
enter 8
exit 5
enter 4
exit 3
enter 8
exit 3
enter 1
exit 2
enter 9
exit 10
enter 11
exit 12
enter 11
exit 10
enter 13
exit 14
enter 2
exit 14
enter 8
exit 14
enter 15, wrap around spine through loop from 7, point right, enter 15 again
wrap around spine, enter 16
wrap around spine through loop from 15, point left, enter 15
exit 14
enter 16, wrap around spine, enter 17
wrap around spine through loop from 16, point left, enter 16
exit 14
enter 17, wrap around spine, enter 25
wrap around spine through loop from 17, point left, enter 17
exit 14
enter 13
exit 12
enter 19
exit 14
enter 19
exit 17
enter 18
exit 25
enter 18
exit 17
enter 19
exit 18
enter 19
exit 25
enter 19
exit 24
enter 19
exit 20
enter 23
exit 24
enter 25, wrap around spine, enter 26
wrap around spine through loop from 25, point left, enter 25
exit 24
enter 26, wrap around spine, enter 30
wrap around spine through loop from 26, point left, enter 26 again
exit 24
enter 30, wrap around spine at angle to below 34, enter 30 again
exit 24
enter 29
exit 32
enter 29
exit 34
enter 29
exit 24
enter 28
exit 24
enter 23
exit 22
enter 21
exit 20
enter 21
exit 22
enter 27
exit 28
enter 31
exit 32
enter 33
exit 34
enter 35
exit 36, wrap around spine through loop from 30, point right, exit 36 again
wrap around left edge, exit 36 again
enter 35, wrap around left edge, enter 35 again
exit 34
enter 33, wrap around left edge, enter 33 again
exit 32
enter 31, wrap around left edge, enter 31 again
exit 28
enter 27
exit 22
enter 23
exit 20
enter 19
exit 12
enter 13
exit 10
enter 9
exit 2, tie off
japanese stab binding tutorial: hearts
This is a beginning bind, with an intermediate level of holes (40). If you don’t want the gaps between the hearts, then repeat the steps marked in orange until you have the desired number. When you have reached the end of your line of hearts, wrap the left edge, then work your way back to the beginning through the middle of the hearts repeating the steps in blue. Be aware though, you will have to adjust the hole pattern. If you get completely lost, leave a comment with your question and I will try to answer it.
**click on an image to enlarge**
hole pattern
sewing pattern
EXIT = needle pointed DOWN and ENTER = needle pointed UP
=====
enter 1 (leave a tail but don’t knot it), wrap around right edge,
enter 1 again
exit 2
enter 3
exit 4
enter 5
exit 6
enter 7
exit 6
enter 5
exit 4
enter 3
exit 2
enter 1, wrap around spine at angle to below 9,
enter 1 again
exit 8
enter 9
exit 10
enter 7, wrap around spine, thread needle through loop from 1, point right,
enter 7 again
exit 11
enter 12
exit 13
enter 14
exit 15
enter 16
exit 17
enter 16
exit 15
enter 14
exit 13
enter 12
exit 11, wrap around spine at angle to below 19,
exit 11 again
enter 18
exit 19
enter 20
exit 17, wrap around spine, thread needle through loop from 11, point right,
exit 17
enter 21
exit 22
enter 23
exit 24
enter 25
exit 26
enter 27
exit 26
enter 25
exit 24
enter 23
exit 22
enter 21, wrap around spine at angle to below 29,
enter 21 again
exit 28
enter 29
exit 30
enter 27, wrap around spice, thread needle through loop from 21, point right,
enter 27 again
exit 31
enter 32
exit 33
enter 34
exit 35
enter 36
exit 37
enter 36
exit 35
enter 34
exit 33
enter 32
exit 31, wrap around spine at angle to below 39,
exit 31 again
enter 38
exit 39
enter 40
exit 37, wrap around spine, thread needle through loop from 31, point right,
exit 37 again
wrap around left edge, exit 37 again
enter 40
exit 39
enter 38
exit 31
enter 27
exit 30
enter 29
exit 28
enter 21
exit 17
enter 20
exit 19
enter 18
exit 11
enter 7
exit 10
enter 9
exit 8, tie off
japanese stab binding tutorial: dancing snowflakes
This bind has 84 holes, which makes it more complicated than it might be otherwise. Also, holes 24, 44, 64, and 84 need to be much larger than the others because there are 15 threads entering and exiting.
The tutorial was a bit complicated to write (though I don’t think it is as difficult to sew)…so if you find an error, please leave me a comment and I’ll correct it. I also broke up the written instructions so you can see where one snowflake ends and the next begins.
**click to enlarge**
hole pattern
sewing pattern
EXIT = needle pointed DOWN and ENTER = needle pointed UP
=====
enter 1, leave a tail but don’t knot it, wrap around right edge, enter 1 again
exit 5,
enter 6, wrap around right edge, enter 6 again
exit 7
enter 8
exit 9
enter 5
exit 9
enter 8
exit 7
enter 6
exit 5
enter 24
exit 6
enter 24
exit 7
enter 24
exit 8
enter 24
exit 9
enter 24
exit 10
enter 11
exit 12
enter 24
exit 12
enter 11
exit 10
enter 24
exit 13
enter 14
exit 15
enter 24
exit 15
enter 14
exit 13
enter 24
exit 16, wrap around spine at angle to below 24, exit 16 again
enter 24
exit 17, thread needle through loop from 16, point right, exit 17 again
enter 24
exit 18
enter 19
exit 20
enter 24
exit 20
enter 19
exit 18
enter 24
exit 21
enter 22
exit 23
enter 24
exit 23
enter 22
exit 21
enter 24
exit 5
enter 1
exit 2
enter 25
exit 44
enter 38
exit 2
enter 38
exit 44
enter 26
exit 27
enter 28
exit 44
enter 28
exit 27
enter 26
exit 44
enter 29
exit 30
enter 31
exit 44
enter 31
exit 30
enter 29
exit 44
enter 32
exit 33
enter 34
exit 44
enter 34
exit 33
enter 32
exit 44
enter 35
exit 36
enter 37
exit 44
enter 37
exit 36
enter 35
exit 44
enter 39
exit 40
enter 41, wrap around spine, enter 41 again
exit 42
enter 43
exit 39
enter 43
exit 42
enter 41
exit 40
enter 39
exit 44
enter 40
exit 44
enter 41
exit 44
enter 42
exit 44
enter 43
exit 44
(opposite side, weave needle under thread coming from 39 and 43) enter 25
exit 2
enter 3
exit 45
enter 46
exit 47
enter 48
exit 49
enter 45
exit 49
enter 48
exit 47
enter 46
exit 45
enter 64
exit 46
enter 64
exit 47
enter 64
exit 48
enter 64
exit 49
enter 64
exit 50
enter 51
exit 52
enter 64
exit 52
enter 51
exit 50
enter 64
exit 53
enter 54
exit 55
enter 64
exit 55
enter 54
exit 53
enter 64
exit 56, wrap around spine at angle to below 64, exit 56 again
enter 64
exit 57, thread needle through loop from 56, point right, exit 57 again
enter 64
exit 58
enter 59
exit 60
enter 64
exit 60
enter 59
exit 58
enter 64
exti 61
enter 62
exit 63
enter 64
exit 63
enter 62
exit 61
enter 64
exit 45
enter 3
exit 4
enter 65
exit 84
enter 78
exit 4
enter 78
exit 84
enter 66
exit 67
enter 68
exit 84
enter 68
exit 67
enter 66
exit 84
enter 69
exit 70
enter 71
exit 84
enter 71
exit 70
enter 69
exit 84
enter 72
exit 73
enter 74
exit 84
enter 74
exit 73
enter 72
exit 84
enter 75
exit 76
enter 77
exit 84
enter 77
exit 76
enter 75
exit 84
enter 79
exit 80
enter 81, wrap around spine, enter 81 again
exit 82, wrap around left edge, exit 82 again
enter 83
exit 79
enter 83
exit 82
enter 81
exit 80
enter 79
exit 84
enter 80
exit 84
enter 81
exit 84
enter 82
exit 84
enter 83
exit 84
(opposite side, weave needle under thread coming from 79 and 83) enter 65
exit 4, wrap around left edge, exit 4 again
enter 3,
exit 2, tie off
japanese stab binding tutorial: sushi
Second place in the tutorial poll. A very simple bind, no twists or complicated V shapes. 58 total holes. If you’d rather have cinnamon rolls instead of sushi, ignore the steps marked with an asterisk “*”.
**click any image to enlarge**
hole pattern
sewing pattern
EXIT = needle pointed DOWN and ENTER = needle pointed UP
=====
enter 1, leave a tail but don’t knot it, wrap around right edge, enter 1 again
exit 2, wrap around spine, exit 2 again
enter 3
exit 4
enter 5
exit 6
enter 5
exit 4
enter 3
exit 2
enter 1
exit 7
enter 8
exit 9
enter 10
exit 11
enter 12
exit 13
enter 14
exit 15
enter 16
exit 17
enter 18
exit 19
enter 20
*exit 16
*enter 20
exit 19
enter 18
exit 17
enter 16
exit 15
enter 14
exit 13
enter 12
exit 11
enter 10
exit 9
enter 8
exit 7
enter 6
exit 21
enter 5, wrap around spine, enter 5 again
exit 22
enter 23
exit 24
enter 25
exit 24
enter 23
exit 22
enter 5
exit 21
enter 26
exit 27
enter 28
exit 29
enter 30
exit 31
enter 32
exit 33
enter 34
exit 35
enter 36
exit 37
enter 38
exit 39
*enter 35
*exit 39
enter 38
exit 37
enter 36
exit 35
enter 34
exit 33
enter 32
exit 31
enter 30
exit 29
enter 28
exit 27
enter 26
exit 25
enter 40
exit 24, wrap around spine, exit 24 again
enter 41
exit 42
enter 43, wrap around spine, enter 43 again
exit 44, wrap around left edge, exit 44 again
enter 43
exit 42
enter 41
exit 24
enter 40
exit 45
enter 46
exit 47
enter 48
exit 49
enter 50
exit 51
enter 52
exit 53
enter 54
exit 55
enter 56
exit 57
enter 58
*exit 54
*enter 58
exit 57
enter 56
exit 55
enter 54
exit 53
enter 52
exit 51
enter 50
exit 49
enter 48
exit 47
enter 46
exit 45
enter 44
exit 45
enter 40
exit 25
enter 26
exit 21
enter 6
exit 7, tie off
japanese stab binding tutorial: maple leaves
The maple leaf pattern tutorial, as requested in the poll! I’d say this one is pretty simple. The instructions for the ‘V’s at the edges are written differently than usual, but I hope it make it a bit easier.
*Tip: make holes 1, 14, and 26 a bit larger than the others, as the needle will have to go through them eight times.*
**click on an image to enlarge**
hole pattern
sewing pattern
EXIT = needle pointed DOWN and ENTER = needle pointed UP
=====
enter 1, leave a tail but don’t knot it
exit 2, wrap around right edge, exit 2 again
enter 1
exit 3
enter 1
exit 4
enter 1
exit 6
enter 1
exit 7
enter 1
exit 9
enter 1
exit 11
enter 1
exit 12
enter 11
exit 10
enter 9
exit 8, wrap around spine, exit 8 again
enter 7, wrap around spine
enter 6
exit 5, wrap around right edge, exit 5 again
wrap around spine, exit 5 again
enter 4, wrap around right edge
enter 3
exit 2
enter 3, wrap around right edge, thread needle through loop at edge, point up
enter 4
exit 5
enter 6, wrap around spine, thread needle through loop at edge, point right
enter 7
exit 8
enter 9
exit 10
enter 11
exit 12
enter 13
exit 14
enter 15
exit 14
enter 16
exit 14
enter 18
exit 14
enter 19
exit 14
enter 21
exit 14
enter 23
exit 14
enter 24
exit 23
enter 22
exit 21
enter 20, wrap around spine, enter 20 again
exit 19, wrap around spine
exit 18
enter 17, wrap around spine, enter 17 again
exit 16
enter 10
exit 15
enter 13
exit 15
enter 10
exit 16
enter 17
exit 18, wrap around spine, thread needle through loop at edge, point right
exit 19
enter 20
exit 21
enter 22
exit 23
enter 24
exit 25
enter 26
exit 27
enter 26
exit 28
enter 26
exit 30
enter 26
exit 31
enter 26
exit 33
enter 26
exit 34
enter 26
exit 35, wrap around left edge, exit 35 again
enter 34, wrap around left edge
enter 33
exit 32, wrap around left edge, exit 32 again
wrap around spine, exit 32 again
enter 31, wrap around spine
enter 30
exit 29, wrap around spine, exit 29 again
enter 28
exit 22
enter 27
exit 25
enter 27
exit 22
enter 28
exit 29
enter 30, wrap around spine, thread needle through loop at edge, point right
enter 31
exit 32
enter 33, wrap around left edge, thread needle through loop at edge, point down
enter 34
exit 35
enter 26
exit 25
enter 24
exit 14
enter 13
exit 12, tie off
tutorial poll #1
I’m way behind in providing binding tutorials here, and I apologize if you asked me for one and I didn’t come through. It has been so long I can’t remember which design I was asked for last…so here is a poll with some of the most recently popular designs. Cast your vote and let me know which pattern needs a tutorial!
**update** Wow, thanks for the great response, everyone! Next tutorial up: maple leaves!
japanese ledger binding: a tutorial
Not that it’s much of a tutorial. I drew these instructions a couple of years ago, fully intending to post them…and then forgot. Or was distracted by other things. Not very hard to believe, if you know me! I was asked for more information about a ledger bind I previously posted, so here is what I know.
This is about as simple of a bind as you can get…it just looks complicated. The most difficult part is gluing it all together and keeping it aligned. This bind should be landscape, or wider than it is tall.
Start with a book block made of single sheets. You’ll need to drill three evenly spaced holes at least half an inch in from the spine edge, though ultimately where you place your holes depends on how wide your book is.
I generally cut a thicker piece of paper to wrap around the book block, like below. It isn’t necessary, but it makes the spine look much cleaner and if the paper of your book block is thin, the thicker paper is more durable.
Sew the block together by starting in the middle hole, and making a figure eight. Tie off. Cut the ends of your thread short, but they don’t have to be tucked in or hidden.
The boards for the front cover should leave a gap that is twice the thickness of the board. If you skimp on the gap, your book will not open all the way. Don’t go overboard with the gap though, because the section of the cover with board #2 will flop too much and be more likely to eventually rip off. Board #3 should be wide enough to cover the stitching.
Glue the boards to the book block. I generally glue them in the order they are numbered below.
A look at the finished product:
A blank journal for a friend
An art history paper for grad school. I had to make four copies of this book.
Hope that helps! If something doesn’t make sense, leave me a comment and I’ll try to clarify.
japanese stab binding tutorial: stars
By popular request. Next up, ‘woven’.
An fairly beginner bind and a beginner hole pattern.
**click on an image to enlarge**
hole pattern
sewing pattern
EXIT = needle pointed DOWN and ENTER = needle pointed UP
=====
enter 1, (leave a tail but don’t knot it) wrap around right edge, enter 1 again
exit 4
enter 3, wrap around right edge, enter 3 again
wrap around spine, enter 3 again
exit 4
enter 1, wrap around spine at angle to between 1 and 2, enter 1 again
exit 2
enter 3
exit 2, wrap around spine, thread needle under loop from 1, point right, exit 2 again
enter 5
exit 7
enter 4, wrap around spine, enter 4 again
exit 7
enter 5, wrap around spine at angle to between 5 and 6, enter 5 again
exit 6
enter 4
exit 6, wrap around spine, thread needle under loop from 5, point right, exit 6 again
enter 8
exit 10
enter 7, wrap around spine, enter 7 again
exit 10
enter 8, wrap around spine at angle to between 8 and 9, enter 8 again
exit 9
enter 7
exit 9, wrap around spine, thread needle under loop from 8, point right, exit 9 again
enter 11
exit 13
enter 10, wrap around spine, enter 10 again
exit 13
enter 11, wrap around spine at angle to between 11 and 12, enter 11 again
exit 12
enter 10
exit 12, wrap around spine, thread needle under loop from 11, point right, exit 12 again
enter 14
exit 16
enter 13, wrap around spine, enter 13 again
exit 16, wrap around spine, exit 16 again
wrap around left edge, exit 16 again
enter 14, wrap around spine at angle to between 14 and 15, enter 14 again
exit 15
enter 13
exit 15, wrap around spine, thread needle under loop from 14, point right, exit 15 again
wrap around left edge, exit 15 again
enter 14
exit 12
enter 11
exit 9
enter 8
exit 6
enter 5
exit 2, tie off with tail from 1
becca making faces 