Just for Fun

KU Mini Book

This little book is made from one sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper, printed on one side to to create a little 16-page book. It's a little tricky, but if you follow the instructions, you'll have a neat little book with campus images, and after learning how to do the folds, you can create your own special books. The cover of the book is prepared from a separate half sheet, and the end pages insert into the cover to finish the book.

Folding the pages
Print off the pdf of the KU Campus Book cover, and the KU Campus Book pages. You now need to section the page into 16 even pages by folding the sheet. Follow the page folding instructions.

Lay the page flat with the printed side facing down, blank side up. Fold the sheet in half lengthwise. You should now have a folded sheet that measures 4.25" x 11" with the printed images facing out (fig. A). Fold both of the flaps up to the center fold. You have a folded piece measuring 2.125" x 11", with the blank side facing out (fig. C and D).

Unfold the paper, and flip the paper so the printed side is down. Turn 90 degrees, and fold the same way as before. (Fig E, F, G and H.)

Cutting
With the sheet positioned as shown in the cutting and accordion-fold diagram, cut the folds to the third panels, as shown. Make sure you cut cleanly and just to the corner of the fold cross-section. Be sure to make the first cut from the left edge, the second cut from the right edge, and the third cut from the left edge, as shown. See figure 1.

Constructing the book
The book is constructed from a type of accordion fold (fig. 2). Begin folding the book by folding the inside front cover face to face with page 1; page 1 back to back with page 2; page 2 face to face with 3. Flip page 3 up back to back with 4; page 4 face to face with 5, and so on. The blank first and last pages become the "endsheets" and slide into the pocket of the cover to finish the book.

Folding the Cover
The book cover is made from a 5.5 x 8.5" piece of paper. Refer to the cover instructions. The folds create a "jacket" for the endsheet pages to slip into.

With the page positioned horizontally with printed side down, mark the center by folding in half, but just lightly crease the very ends to mark the center. This will indicate the center line to help guide you when making your folds, but you do not want a strong center-line crease on the cover. Fold the top and bottom flaps in to within 1/8" on each side of the center crease (fig. A). You should now have a folded piece measuring 2.5 x 8.5".

Form the spine by folding the right edge in to 1/8" from the left edge. Fold the left edge in to 1/8" from the right edge. Your spine should measure .25" (fig. B and C).

To form the book jacket/cover, fold the left edge in to 1/4" from your left spine crease. Fold the right edge in to 1/4" from your right spine crease. This forms the cover jacket (fig E and F).

Slip the blank edges of your text pages into the cover for a finished book.