A One Sheet of Paper Booklet

You can make a variety of booklets using just one sheet of paper but varying the size of the sheet or the texture and colour etc.

These booklets are useful for children and adults alike. One version creates pockets to store small items and another can have lines for a child to make an information booklet on a place or an animal etc.

These can be useful in the class room when the children receive their school pictures. They can make several booklets in which they can glue their friends pictures or they can make a multiple booklet to accommodate more pictures.

If the booklet is made of felt, it can house pins and needles.

The uses for these little booklets is quite long and they are so easy to make.

Step 1: Lets Get Started

You need a sheet of paper. I suggest the first time you try this method you use a standard 8.5x11 inch sheet of paper. The basic instructions will be based on those measurement.

There are templates available for the 21.5cm x 28cm or 8.5x11 inch size paper.

This size of paper will make a booklet 7cm x 11 cm or 2.75 x 4.25 inches.

One template will show you how to fold and cut.

Another template will show you the way the pages are organized.

There are templates that will show you how to make an informational booklet that could be good for animal or geography studies, complete with lines and a title page.

A craft knife or other cutting blade for one small cut.

If you want to download the lined booklet then you will need a copier machine.

Step 2: The Transformation Moment

As you can see by the templates, you need to fold the sheet of paper length wise so that it is long and narrow.

It is important that you are careful to match the corners and edges as precisely as possible.

Then you unfold the sheet of paper and again matching corners fold it in half crosswise, so that it is now chubby.

Then you need to fold the paper again crosswise. I find it best to bring the one edge to the fold that you just made and then crease it. Then do the same for the other edge.

You will now have one crease going lengthwise and three creases going across the page.

Now with the page open before you, find the very centre of the lengthwise fold and start to cut on that fold down to the crosswise fold. You will have cut one quarter of the length of the fold. Now turn the page around and starting at the centre again cut to the crosswise fold. You will now have a slit in the middle of the paper.

Fold the paper lengthwise again. The slit in the paper will be at the top and in the middle of the fold. Grab the folded paper at both ends and push gently towards each other.

Now comes the magic moment. You should see the middle of the crosswise fold bulge outward. Grab the folds that are pushed out and crease them so that they stay out and the paper now forms a cross. Close the pages and with the paper now in booklet form go over the creases again making them sharper.

When the four pages form a booklet.
If you use a standard 8.5x11 piece of paper you will end up with a booklet that is 7cm x 11cm or 2.75 x 4.25 inches.

Step 3: Creating Pockets in the Booklet

Making Pockets

If you take adhesive strips and lay them down the edges of the inside of the booklet pages, you can create pockets in the booklet. You could write on the pages and then put little things inside the pocket. Perhaps you could write the name and other details about a person and then slip their photo into the pocket.

Step 4: What We Can Do With Our Little Booklet

Now that you have a basic booklet, you can add little touches. You can print out a sheet with lines or create your own ideas.

Step 5: Making a Larger Booklet

If you take a sheet of paper that is the size of a regular newpaper (double page) 38cm x 58cm or 15 x 23 inches, you will end up with a booklet that is 14.5cm x 19cm or 5.75 7.5 inches