5 Fun and Free Mini Book Tutorials

This year, I’ve been leaning into a “reduce, reuse, recycle” mindset—challenging myself to make the most of the materials I already have. Luckily, I’ve always had a soft spot for all things mini, so turning my scrap stash into tiny handmade books has been the perfect way to use up those little leftover bits.

If you’re looking for a delightful project to help you do the same, here are 5 fun (and free!) mini book tutorials to get you started!

Mini Matchbook Books

I’m a bit obsessed with these matchbooks made from recycled scraps. In this video, I combine postcards and greeting cards with scraps on my desk and transform them into cute little matchbooks for all occasions.

Mini Squash Notebook

You can do so much with this adorable little book! Use a 6″ x 6″ piece of paper (you can use Gelli prints, scrapbook paper, handmade paper, paste papers, eco prints, etc.) to make this quick and easy squash book.

Tea Bag Book

In this tutorial, I show you how to make my version of a tea bag book. This is a really fun and simple handmade book project to try as either a beginner or an advanced bookmaker!

Mini Leather Journal

This is the perfect project if you’re looking to recycle an old leather bag, jacket, etc. It incorporates an accordion style insert, which you can use to display mini photos, Zentangle tiles, notes, or your own small pieces of artwork! See the video tutorial here.

Eco Printed Little Link Stitch Book

In this video, I show how to make an incredibly cute little Link Stitch book using an eco print and single sheet books as signatures. (Find the tutorial to the single-sheet books here.)

Mini Books in the Handmade Book Club

Just this month in the Handmade Book Club, we made little open-flat books to fit in tins. (Club members had a blast with this one!) We had another mini project last year where we made books in match boxes!

WHAT IS THE HANDMADE BOOK CLUB?

The Handmade Book Club grew out of my love for teaching and community. Having spent more than 10 years teaching in-person classes, I decided to reach a wider audience in 2019 and founded the online Handmade Book Club.

The Handmade Book Club is a community of bookmakers from around the world. Each month, I teach a new bookbinding project to the club members. In addition to making books, we love learning about ways to fill our handmade journals. That’s why we have guest artists and speakers join us every month! Club members also have access to a robust selection of past projects within the archives.

Whether you’re an experienced bookmaker or a complete novice, the Handmade Book Club is a community for you. You can try out a free book project here.

We’d love to have you join us! Sign up for the waitlist!