How to Assemble your Zine
Ready to assemble your zine to keep handy in your project box or sewing bag? Here are the easy steps to get you going.
Before You Start: Print the Zine
Open the file and check your settings. To get everything to align correctly, treat it like a quilt template - print at 100% or Actual Size.
Assemble
Use the following diagrams to fold and cut the page to assemble the zine. Take time to fold carefully and crease the page well before opening the page up to move to the next step.
Starting with the page aligned portrait style (the short edge at the top), fold vertically to divide the long side of the page in half.
Next, fold horizontally to divide the short side of the page in half.
Fold the top edge of the page to meet the center horizontal crease. This makes the first set of four pages, which should all be equal in size.
Mirror the previous fold by bringing the bottom edge up to meet the center crease. When the page is opened back up, you should have 8 sections, all equal in size.
On the printed side of the page, locate the printed dotted line and cut between the two colored dots. The dots should align with the intersection of the outermost folds.
After cutting, fold the page along the long center fold and gently push the outer folded pages toward the center to push the inner pages outwards.
With all four page sections pressed outwards, locate the cover section and fold all of the inner pages inside the cover.
If you've folded carefully, everything will align into a tiny booklet that you can tuck into a project box, sewing bag, or even in the tool compartment of some sewing machines.
See it in Action
If you're more of a visual learner, I was reminded of the joy of zines by the one and only Austin Kleon. He makes the folds in a different order (and he's wild and rips the slit rather than cutting!) but this reel will give you the idea: How to Make a Zine from a Single Sheet of Paper.
Need a Zine to practice with? Click here to get The Pocket Guide to Leader Enders, and start tackling your scraps in the margins of your sewing time.
Happy crafting!
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