How it works
This lined paper for bookbinding prints two ruled pages side by side on a sideways sheet, with nothing printed down the fold. Fold each sheet in half and nest a few together for a section that is ready to sew.
Read the full guide
From sheets to a section
Press Print book pages, then turn the paper over and print again to rule the back. Fold each sheet in half: one folded sheet is two leaves, four pages. A few folded sheets nested together make a section, also called a signature, which is sewn through its fold.
Margins and the fold
Each page is ruled in the middle of its half, half an inch clear of every edge and of the fold, so both pages of a sheet carry the same lines at the same heights. How closely the front and back line up depends on how your printer feeds paper.
- Print one sheet on both sides and fold it before printing the rest, to see how your printer lines up the two sides.
- For a pocket notebook, the Half Letter or A5 sheet folds to pages a quarter the size of Letter or A4.
Questions and answers
What is a signature in bookbinding?
A signature, also called a section or a gathering, is a set of sheets folded in half and worked into the binding as one unit. Sections are sewn through their folds, each one joined to the section before it.
How many pages does one sheet make?
Four. A sheet folded once is two leaves, and each leaf has two sides. Five sheets nested together make a section of 20 pages.
Which line spacing can I print?
The Sheet menu has 6 mm, 7 mm and 8 mm rules, narrow rule at 1/4 inch and college rule at 9/32 inch. On Letter each page holds 31 lines at 6 mm, 27 at 7 mm and 23 at 8 mm.
Can I print on 11 x 17 or A3 paper?
Yes, if your printer takes it. Two sheets are drawn for 11 x 17 inch or A3 paper. Folded once, each leaf is the size of a Letter or A4 page.
Can I save the page as a PDF?
Press the print button and choose Save as PDF as the printer. The file holds the sheet that is on screen, on the paper size you picked.