If you have ever wanted to make your own notebooks but felt intimidated by the jargon and specialised tools of bookbinding, saddle stitch is the place to begin. It requires little more than paper, a needle, and thread, yet it produces a book that opens flat, lies open willingly, and can be made in an evening. The method is ancient—stitched pamphlets and chapbooks have been bound this way for centuries—and it remains one of the most practical ways to create a small notebook or sketchbook. This guide will take you through every step, from gathering materials to sewing your first signature, with a few notes on what can go wrong and how to avoid it.
Materials and Tools
Before you begin, assemble the following. You likely have several of them already.
- Paper – Plain printer paper, drawing paper, or any lightweight paper that takes ink well. For a first notebook, eight to twelve sheets make a comfortable thickness. Heavier paper can be used, but it will be harder to punch and sew.
- Cardstock – For the cover. A single sheet of heavy cardstock (around 200 gsm) folded in half works well. You can also use stiff wrapping paper, a manila folder, or a piece of watercolour paper.
- Waxed thread – Linen or cotton thread coated in beeswax. The wax helps the thread hold tension and reduces tangling. A length about three times the height of your book is enough.
- Needle – A bookbinding needle has a blunt tip and a large eye. A size 18 tapestry needle is an excellent substitute. The blunt tip slides through paper without tearing fibres.
- Awl – Used to punch holes. A simple awl with a sharp point is ideal. If you do not have one, a large sewing needle or a thin nail can be used, but an awl gives you better control.
- Bone folder – A flat, smooth tool for creasing paper. A wooden ruler or the back of a spoon can work in a pinch, but a bone folder is inexpensive and makes clean folds.
- Cutting mat – Protects your work surface. A piece of thick cardboard will also do.
- Metal ruler – Essential for measuring and, with a utility knife, for trimming edges.
- Pencil – For marking.
- Clips – Bulldog clips or binder clips hold the pages together while you work.
Photo by amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash.
Preparing the Pages and Cover
Start by cutting your paper and cover to the same size. A common size for a first notebook is A5 (148 × 210 mm) or a half-letter size (140 × 216 mm). If you are using A4 paper, fold each sheet in half and cut along the fold to make two A5 sheets. Stack the sheets neatly, align the edges, and place the cardstock cover on top.
Fold the entire stack in half along the long edge. Use the bone folder to crease the spine firmly. Run the folder along the fold from the centre outwards to avoid creases. Clamp the stack together with clips near the spine to keep it from shifting.
Marking and Punching the Holes
Saddle stitch usually uses three or five holes along the spine. More holes give a stronger binding but take slightly longer to sew. For a first project, three holes are enough.
Open the folded booklet so the spine faces up. Measure 1½ inches (about 4 cm) from the top and bottom edges of the spine, and make a small pencil mark at each spot. Then mark a third hole exactly in the centre of the spine. If you prefer five holes, measure two additional holes evenly spaced between the centre and the top and bottom marks.
Place the booklet on your cutting mat, open it to the centre spread. Hold the awl vertically and push it through each mark from the inside out, piercing all layers (cover and pages) in one motion. A small piece of scrap cardboard underneath will protect your mat. Rotate the awl gently as you push to create a clean round hole. Repeat for all marks.
Check that the holes are evenly spaced and that the awl passed straight through all layers. If a hole is crooked, you can re-punch from the opposite side, but it is better to be deliberate on the first pass.
Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash.
Sewing the Saddle Stitch
Thread your needle with waxed thread and pull about half the length through the eye. Do not knot the end. The saddle stitch relies on tension to keep the thread secure.
Beginning at the centre hole, push the needle from the outside of the spine (the cover side) through to the inside. Leave a tail of about two inches hanging outside. Now bring the needle back out through one of the end holes—either top or bottom. Pull the thread gently until the loop at the centre is snug but not tight enough to pucker the paper.
From the outside, insert the needle into the other end hole and out through the centre again. You should now have a thread that runs along the spine like an “X” across the centre hole. Pull the thread gently to remove slack.
Now sew the second signature. This is simply a repeat of the same path: from the centre out through one end, back into the other end, and out through the centre again. Each time you pass through a hole, keep the thread taut but not so tight that it pulls the paper. The goal is a firm, even stitch line.
When you have sewn two or three complete passes (depending on the book’s thickness), tie off the thread. On the final pass, bring the needle out through the centre hole. The two thread ends (the starting tail and the working thread) are now both on the outside of the spine. Tie a square knot, pulling it snug against the cover. Trim the ends to about ¼ inch. The waxed thread should hold the knot without slipping.
If you used five holes, the sewing pattern is the same but with more paths. Start at the centre, go to one end, back to centre, go to the other end, then back to centre. Then go to the next hole and back, and so on, until all holes are connected. The thread forms a continuous line along the spine.
Finishing and Pressing
Remove the clips and open the book. Run the bone folder along the spine from the inside to sharpen the fold. If the edges of the pages are uneven, you can trim them with a utility knife and a ruler after the book is sewn. Clamp the book firmly and cut a small amount at a time, cutting away from your body.
To flatten the book, place it under a weight—a stack of heavy books works well—for a few hours or overnight. This sets the stitches and gives the notebook a professional feel.
Photo by amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Holes too small – If the needle does not pass easily, the pun\ches are too small. Ream the holes with the awl by rotating it gently to widen them.
- Tangled thread – Always use waxed thread. Unwaxed thread will snarl. If the thread becomes tangled while sewing, stop and untangle it; pulling through a knot can tear the paper.
- Uneven stitches – This usually happens when the thread tension varies. Pull the thread steadily and check after each pass that the line lies flat. If one stitch is loose, you can go back through that hole and gently tighten it.
- Pages shift while sewing – Clips are your friend. Keep the booklet clamped until you have sewn the first few passes. Alternatively, use a small piece of binder tape along the spine to hold the signatures together while punching.
- Cover too stiff – If the cardstock is very thick, punch the holes only through the cover and the first few pages, then use the last hole as a guide for the awl. This prevents the awl from slipping.
Saddle stitch is a forgiving technique. Even a crooked first notebook will hold together and serve as a record of your progress. Once you have mastered the three-hole version, experiment with different paper sizes, covers of cloth or leather, and more elaborate stitching patterns. Each book you sew teaches you something about how paper, thread, and tension work together. The only way to learn is to begin.
Keep a few scraps of paper nearby and practice the sewing pattern before you work on your final booklet. Within an hour you will have a notebook that opens flat, stays closed when set down, and asks only to be filled with writing or drawing.
Every bookbinder started with a simple saddle stitch. This is yours.