How to Bind With Grommets
Binding a book with grommets is a fun way to add a unique individuality to your project. Another advantage of grommets is that the book you are binding will open and lay flat, unlike a traditionally bound book. This makes grommet binding an excellent choice for binding cookbooks or other instructional type books, or for large scrapbooks or photo albums. Grommets are also sometimes called eyelets when using them for crafting purposes.
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Things You'll Need
- Cardboard or poster board
- Utility knife
- Paper
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Hammer
- Grommet punch/setting tool
- Grommets
- Ribbon or string
Instructions
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1
Cut your pages to size from your chosen paper. You may use any size you like as long as you make certain the pages are all identical and have clean edges.
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2
Cut your board to match the size of your pages. You may choose to have an overhang of 1/8 of an inch or so, but with soft-board binding, it is traditional for the cover and pages to be the same size. Acid free board is recommended.
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3
Measure and mark each grommet's place with a ruler and pencil on your cover. Keep all the sheets aligned properly as you work to ensure a neat appearance in the finished product. It is good to use a minimum of two grommets; the larger your page, the more grommets you will need to use to secure it.
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4
Place the grommet punch over the center mark and use a hammer to punch through all layers of paper and cardboard. Check often to be certain your pages are all in line with one another.
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Use the setting tool to secure the grommets into the punched holes. Be sure the top of the grommet is visible on the front of the cover and pages and the tabs are visible on the backs.
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6
Stack your finished pages and covers; the holes and grommets should all line up so you can see through them.
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Measure the ribbon or string that will bind the book according to the length of the spine and the number of grommets you used. This is mostly trial and error. Always cut the ribbon longer than you think you'll need, as it is easy to trim excess.
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Thread your ribbon through the grommets in any way you like. You may choose to use a short piece for each grommet, tying it through and around the spine. Or you may choose to have your ribbon run parallel to the spine, weaving in and out to secure the pages. You may also do a "whip-stitch," running the ribbon through the bottom of the first grommet, out the top, around the spine, and through the bottom of the next one.
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Tips & Warnings
You may cover your cardboard with cloth or colored paper for decoration.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
