Basic Supplies
If left on a desert island to craft, these are the things I would absolutely want with me. Everything else is icing on the cake. I've provided my favorite places to find some of the supplies.- Paper - good quality card stock is a must. I prefer card stock by Club Scrap or Stampin' Up! Both are heavier than the average card stock, which makes them better for bookbinding projects, and they have a variety of great designs.
- Paper trimmer - I've bought at least six paper trimmers, and there are lots of opinions about these. I prefer the Tonic guillotine cutter in either size (Club Scrap or Stampin' Up! sell it). If you don't want a guillotine cutter, or like to cut fancy edges, my favorite is the Carl trimmer. (I have an RT-200)
- Bookbinding glue - I like the glue Club Scrap sells, and this can be used as an all purpose adhesive for a lot of other crafting needs.
- Craft knife and grid ruler - for those times when a paper trimmer won't cut it. Try the grid ruler from Club Scrap or a clear quilting ruler.
- ATG adhesive - the best value for adhesive out there, and it glues anything together. This is a bit of an investment, but it will be so worth it. Framing supplies is probably the most popular place to buy this gem.
- 3L tape runner - my second favorite adhesive, and still handy for some projects.
- Rubber stamps - My top three are Club Scrap, Stampin' Up!, and Hero Arts, but there are many, many others.
- Ink - I most often use a waterproof black, brown, and Versamark. For basic colors, I like the hybrid inks that Club Scrap sells - they're waterproof, and work on most surfaces, so you won't need to hunt for a different kind of ink when you change papers.
- Die cutting system - this is not the most basic supply, but I couldn't live without my nestabilities dies for long. Start with the basic shapes like squares and circles and build once you've developed your style. I like the Big Shot, but most die cutters work with each other.
- Waxed linen thread or linen thread and beeswax - you can't sew a book without thread! Try Club Scrap, Talas, Hollander's, or Twinrocker.
- Bone folder - handy for so many things besides folding. This can be found at any crafting store.
Basic Techniques
There are lots of videos with techniques out there - google is your friend if these links don't answer your questions! These are a few of my favorites that I use over and over again.
- Stitchbound book - I make a lot of these and the videos from Club Scrap show the basic techniques I use most frequently
- Part 1: Supplies you'll need and how to neatly wrap your covers.
- Part 2: Sewing your book block (the inside of the book).
- Part 3: Assembling your book.
- Basic stamping techniques from Stampin' Up!
- Basic stamping techniques from Hero Arts - includes how to ink a stamp, so this a great place to begin.
