Mini-Comp Double-Fold [Mods]

Green Pilgrim is an experienced bookhacker and I've been eager to feature some of his work on Composeum. Check out this tutorial on how to make a double-fold composition notebook.

When I was younger, composition notebooks were worth their weight in silver. They were handy for just about everything. About two years ago, I found that a dollar-store near me was selling these pocket-sized composition notebooks and I picked up a few dozen to play with.

This project involves turning two of these small, comp. books into a double-fold book. I've made several full-sized, double-folds for friends over the years and this is just an easier, quick version. Double-folds are handy because it allows you to have two separate books within the same cover. I have used the double-fold design for things like bibles, diaries, and scrapbooks.

I dunno what I'd use a double-fold book for in my daily routine, but it sure gives me ideas for non-comp bookbinding projects. Hmmm!

DailyThreads Notebook Covers [Mods]

Lolita is an artist in North Florida who, among other things, makes these awesome notebook covers from a variety of fabrics. She sez:

I am always creating new ways to use fabric and I especially like making useful items beautiful as well. The comp book works beautifully with the fabric covers, as the book covers are good and sturdy. I've gotten great response and feedback with them.

I particularly like the zipper pocket on the front cover. Check out her notebooks and other projects on her dailythreads.etsy.com.

Tabs! [Mods]

Megan keeps this tiny compy on-hand to record her important phone numbers and contact information in case her phone's SIM card crashes.


She cut big chunks out of the side of her pages to make these little tabs to keep everything nice and organized.

In combination with Quentin's page numbering, you can have a very searchable little tome.

Notebook Covers [Mods]

A couple years ago, I mentioned publicly mentioned my affection for composition notebooks. A few months after that, I was waiting in a hotel lobby to meet the dudes from Evil Hat Games in the hotel lobby. Then here comes well-known prince Rob Donoghue with surprise gift in hand:


A fancy schmancy notebook cover! I had no idea these things existed until he dropped this in my grubby mitts. Since then, it's been wrapped around a couple notebooks for various projects and been a very reliable doo-dad. It's got a bookmark...


...a business card holder, and large pockets for loose papers. The pen holder works best with bic pens whose ends have been chewed so that they're wider at the top.

One of these days, I gotta think of a cool mod for those class schedules and multiplication tables that are printed on the inside covers.

How to properly remove pages from a notebook. [Mods]

Starring Desk Frog!

Before you go dissecting your notebook, you have to know its basic anatomy.



See, composition notebooks are really just a big stack of wide sheets stitched down the middle.


That stack of sheets is also sewn to a bit of cardboard for the cover, then the exposed stitches on the spine are covered up with some tape.


So what you do to a page, including taking it out, could affect the page on the other side of the book.


Case in point: If you just carelessly rip out a page...


...it will compromise the strength of the stitch holding in the page on the other side.


And then you get an unsightly notebook.


So when you need to remove a sheet from your book, use a pair of scissors or an exacto knife and cut along the red line noting the margin. That will leave about half an inch of paper to keep the other page from falling out.

In other words...


'Til next time!

Numbered Pages [Mods]

You may have seen some scientific notebooks floating around with numbered pages. Great idea, right?

You can keep your handy-dandy composition notebook in working order by just writing the numbers in the corner of each page like Quentin Hudspeth demonstrates here. This especially nice with this little trick:

I also suggest leaving a couple of blank pages at the front for a table of contents.



This is especially helpful when your work spans multiple volumes and you need to find that obscure bit of information from twelve revisions ago that no longer exists in digital form. Of course, a TOC requires you to number the blasted pages. If only someone would publish a page-numbered comp book, that would be cool. It might be worth an extra dollar on the price.

I'm a frugal sort, so I don't mind numbering my pages by hand as I go, especially if it saves me 15 bucks from a more pricey scientific notebook.

Thanks Quentin!

Clippies! [Mods]

Today's notebook mod is a reliable old standby: the binder clip!


"Hi there."
"Hello!"
"Wanna go out... maybe get something to eat?"
"Sure!"


"OM NOM NOM NOM"
"Aieeee!"


You can use leedle clippies to hold your pen. I recommend using medium size so you can stick the whole pen in there and keep it secure, baby.


You can also use clippies to hold your book open flat and store loose notes.