I volunteered to teach a simple bookbinding class at Death & Taxes so I thought it might be a good idea to make a couple of samples so I could work out the step-by-step instructions. The book has a soft cover folded to create a pocket in the center of two signatures of plain printer paper (watercolor papers work quite nicely for the pages, too). I made one with a colorful scrapbook paper cover and a plain one for a pseudo-period look.
Start by cutting a 12" x 4" strip of cardstock for the cover and score it at 3", 6", and 9".
Then fold in half at the 6" score line, open back out, and fold the ends toward the middle along the 3" and 9" score lines. To create the pocket apply adhesive to the bottom edge of one of the "inside" sections.
For the inside pages cut 3 3/4" x 11" strips of printer (or watercolor) paper. Cut those strips in half to 3 3/4" x 5 1/2" then fold in half again to make pages 3 3/4" x 2 3/4". I used three sheets for each of the two signatures in my samples.
To assemble the book center one signature along the fold inside the cover and mark it in the center and approximately 1/2" from each end. Use a paper piercer, awl, or large needle to piece holes through the paper and both layers of the cardstock cover. The easiest way that I have found to get holes in the pages of the second signature to line up correctly is to take one sheet from the already pierced first signature, lay it on top of the second signature and pierce through the holes.
To bind the book cut a string approximately two-and-a-half times the height of your book (I used embroidery floss for my colorful book and linen thread for the plain example) and thread it through a blunt tipped needle. Pass the needle and thread through the center hole of all layers leaving a tail. Pass the needle and thread through bottom hole, bring it up and pass through the top hole, then bring it back through the center hole. Tie the ends of the thread together catching the long stitch in the knot and trim the ends.
