Bookbinding Kits to Craft Your Own Classic Novels & Miniature Books

If you’ve ever wanted to try bookbinding for yourself, you are in the right place. The pre-formatted book signatures available here will allow you to create something truly personal — whether you want to bind an edition of a classic novel or challenge your skills with a miniature book from my Matchbox Fairy Tale series.

Book Signatures

A book signature is a collection of folded pages. A group of signatures sewn together into a textblock is then ready to be bound into a book. These signatures are carefully prepared with thoughtful attention to every page — from fonts and formatting to balanced typesetting — giving you a high-quality starting point for your own project. Whether you’re an experienced bookbinder or just starting out, these PDF files will make it easy to dive into the craft and create a custom book that’s uniquely yours. You will also receive several pages of information to get you started, along with suggested resources to support your bookbinding process.

Note: These are not print-and-fold textblocks. Each side of a sheet of 8.5″ × 11″ paper contains four pages. After printing, the sheets are cut in half and then folded to create 4.25″ × 5.5″ signatures. See The Charm of Small Books for more on why I chose this format.

Matchbox Fairy Tale Series

For binders looking for a high-precision project, the Matchbox Fairy Tale series scales traditional binding down to a miniature format. It took two years of work and experimentation to figure out how to make books this small readable! I’m including stories from around the world, as well as public domain illustrations for each tale. Each story includes the printable signatures, a matchbox cover template, and an assembly checklist.

Book Gallery

Books made using some of the printable textblocks. Not for sale–just examples to show what’s possible with home bookbinding.

Thank you for supporting handmade craftsmanship. I hope you find something that sparks your creativity or adds a special touch to your collection.