If you've got a pile of paper scraps you've been meaning to use up, this tutorial is for you. I show you how to make a flag book — an accordion-style handmade book where small embellished pieces are sewn onto the accordion pages, then the whole thing is bound inside a fabric-covered hardcover. The result is a one-of-a-kind art object that can work as a journal, a gratitude book, or a piece you sell or give away. I walk through the complete construction from the first score line to the final glued cover page.
What we cover
This is a full build-along for a flag book with a fabric hardcover — starting with the accordion interior, moving through embellishing and sewing the flag pages, attaching the accordion to the cover boards, and finishing the inside cover panels. I also cover how to decorate the exterior and talk through the embellishment options you have for the individual flag pieces.
What you'll learn
How to build and score an accordion interior from cardstock, including:
- Scoring sections at a consistent width using a scoreboard (or a ruler if you don't have one)
- Folding the accordion in alternating directions to create the zigzag structure
- Joining multiple sheets so the peaks all align — including how to handle the short end-flap that appears when you're working with A4 paper
Why the order of construction matters — the accordion interior has to be fully assembled and embellished before you attach it to the cover. Getting this backwards means you'll either lose your embellishments or be gluing into an impossible position. I plan the three stages out at the start: accordion first, fabric cover second, glue the flap to the cover third.
How to plan and cut your flag pieces, including:
- Working out how many scraps you need based on the number of accordion peaks (seven peaks, three pieces per side = 42 pieces in this book)
- Checking that piece height won't exceed the cover height before you start embellishing
- Preparing two orientations — pieces that sit on one face of the accordion need to be oriented the opposite way from pieces on the other face, or images and text end up upside down
How to arrange and attach flag pieces to the accordion, including:
- Using double-sided tape to hold pieces in position before sewing
- Running each section through a sewing machine (straight stitch, zigzag, or both) while keeping the end flap pulled clear so you don't accidentally sew it down
- Why sewing the flags limits how far they open — which actually helps the book stand without pieces pushing against each other
How to cover bookboard with fabric, including:
- Pulling the fabric tight as you glue for a crease-free finish
- Preparing corners on thick or upholstery-weight fabric so you don't end up with a bulge at each corner
- Using a quick-drying clear glue rather than hot glue for this step, so you have a moment to adjust
How to glue the accordion flap onto the cover board — aligning the flap flush with the cover edge (not recessed, not overhanging), applying Yes paste across the whole surface for strength, reinforcing the edges with a fast-drying clear glue, and then going over the join with masking tape before the paper layer goes on top
How to line the inside cover panels with scrapbook paper, including:
- Measuring and trimming the paper to leave a clean margin around the edge
- Sewing around the paper panel before gluing it down, which creates the appearance of the paper being sewn directly to the cover
- Working the paper down firmly over the thick fabric layer underneath to eliminate bubbles
How to embellish and finish the exterior cover — arranging trims, die cuts, and decorative pieces, using a hot glue gun sparingly so nothing seeps out around the edges
Tips & gotchas
Build in the right order and mark your flaps early. Write "this side down" on each accordion end-flap as soon as the accordion is assembled — before you start embellishing. It takes two seconds and saves you from spending an hour decorating the wrong side.
Use proper cardstock for the accordion, not copy paper. When the book is standing open, the accordion is carrying the weight of everything you've glued and sewn onto it. Flimsy paper won't hold that, and the book will sag.
Check your paper height against the cover height before you cut a single flag piece. The accordion has to match the cover exactly — not slightly shorter, not slightly taller. Shorter means the book won't have support when it's standing; taller means you'll be trimming embellished pieces down after the fact.
When you're at the sewing machine, pull the end flap clear of the section you're sewing. It's easy to forget, and sewing the flap in is a fixable mistake — but an annoying one. Keep that flap out of the way for every single section.
Don't sew too close to the spine edge of the flag pieces. The closer to the edge the stitching runs, the less the book will open. Give the pages room to move.
Check for glue seepage before you close anything. If glue has seeped out onto an adjacent surface and you close the book, pages will bond together. Catch it while it's still wet — the clear craft glue I use can be rubbed off cleanly at that stage.
Leave glued sections under heavy books for at least half an hour before moving on. I know it feels like enough after ten minutes. It isn't.
Don't use glue stick or double-sided tape to attach the accordion flap to the cover board. Every time the book opens, there's strain on that join. It needs Yes paste, reinforced with a clear drying glue around the edges, and then masking tape over the top before the paper panel goes down. That's not overkill — it's just how the book stays together after a year of handling.
With the hot glue gun on cover embellishments, use less than you think you need. Too much and it seeps out around the edges and shows. Work quickly, and keep a close eye on the edges as you press each piece down.
If you're using thick or upholstery-weight fabric for the cover, prepare your corners before gluing so the fabric folds don't overlap and create a hard ridge. With thinner fabric you can skip this step, but with anything substantial it's worth the extra minute.
The individual flag pieces can be left blank for writing on later, pre-embellished before they go in, or filled in gradually over time — as a gratitude journal, an altered book, or a display piece. You can vary the shapes (rectangles, leaves, ovals, tags), change the number of accordion sections, or play with the scale by using larger or smaller cover boards. The structure is the same whatever direction you take it.
