This type of book was traditionally used in India to keep financial ledgers. A practical, inexpensive paper would be used, something like today's kraft paper. I was taught this structure by Susan Mills at the Center for Book Arts and made this modern version for an artist and milliner.

Contact me about making a special book for you.

materials pictured: a pad of graph paper; a large, thin sheet of acid-free paper; fabric; a scrap of thin leather and some hemp string
also used: embroidery floss, dye

After I cut each piece of graph paper lengthwise, I folded the entire stack of paper into a large signature and placed it in a press, where it spent 24 hours. I inserted a piece of blotter above and below the signature to keep it from becoming marred by marks on the pressing boards.

For the cover I cut down the large sheet of paper into three strips and pasted them together with watery paste.

The pasted paper dried under boards and weights for a good 48 hours with acid-free newsprint around it to absorb the moisture.
I swapped soggy blotter paper for dry paper several times -- every 12 hours or so.

I cut down the dried cover paper to the proper size (allowing about 5/16" extra on either side of the signature of graph paper) and used it as a guide to draw lines for sewing. The fabric will completely cover the paper and be quilted with the cover design.

Making the pattern for the cover design took a bit of figuring. The design is based on one of the milliner's hat patterns. After the (hand) quilting was finished it was time to sew the book together with the hemp cord, which I dyed red to match the cover stitching. Little bits of leather protect the holes in the center of the book.

Fin. Thanks for looking.

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