Piano Hinge Books

Instructor: Bonnie Bird

Piano hinge books are built on skewers, chop sticks or dowels, which form a supporting structure or spine. They are relatively easy to make and present endless possibilities for artistic expression, scrapbooking or journaling. The skewers can be painted or decorated to add to the artistry of the project.

The supporting structure interlaces the book’s signatures, by weaving through first one signature and then though a second, then back though the first. Here’s how to make one:

Materials List:

Three sheets 12″x12″ duplex (colored on both sides) cardstock
Ruler
Bone folder
Scissors and paper cutter
Cutting mat
Four thin skewers or chop sticks
Decorative items: ribbon or yarn, stamps, gel pens, paints, glue, press-on letters, photos

  1. Cut each sheet of duplex cardstock in half.
  2. Fold each 6”X12” sheet of paper in half lengthwise, so that you have 6 pieces of folded paper measuring 6”X 6”. Crease with bone folder.

    3. Piano Hinge

  3. Using a ruler, make a mark at 1.25″, 2.5″, 3.75″, 5″ on the folded side of each piece of paper (or use the template on the side of this sheet ).

    4. Piano Hinge

  4. At each of the marks, make a 1/2″ cut perpendicular to the fold.
  5. Mark ¼” on either side of the cuts you have just made.
  6. Cut from these marks on the folded edge to the tips of the already existing cuts, removing a triangular piece of paper.

    7. Piano Hinge

  7. You will now have four piece of paper with five tabs cut into each of them.
  8. Pick up two pieces of cardstock and align the tabs. Take one skewer and place it inside the first tab of the topmost piece of cardstock

    9. Piano Hinge 3

  9. Run the skewer out of first hole of the top sheet and through the second tab of the second sheet.
  10. Run the skewer out the second tab of the second sheet and back through the third tab of the first sheet.

    11. Piano Hinge 4

  11. Run the skewer out through the third tab of the first sheet and in through the fourth tab of the second sheet.

    12. Piano Hinge 5

  12. Run the skewer out through the fifth tab of the first sheet.
  13. Pick up another piece of cardstock and repeat steps 8-12 and continue until all pieces are linked together.
  14. Your book should look something like this:

    15. Piano Hinge Binding
    Piano Hinge Open

With yarn and paper punches, you can prepare a “canvas” on which to make a masterpiece.