Squash Book Class

Some time ago we made a squash book in class and I promised to publish the dimensions for everyone. Life, study, the markets and work have all intervened but at last here they are. (trying to cross off some of those half finished things on my list!!!)

Squash books make a great gift and are not too difficult to make but they do have a WOW factor. They are beautiful for new babies, Christmas with photos from the year, birthdays, and great as a card for a going away gift where you need lots of people to sign it ( I make these for staff leaving us)

There are lots of video clips out there under "squash book" and I watched quite a few and tried some of the tips, this was the best method for me.

You will need
3 squares of base cardstock cut to 8x8" (we used Crumb Cake)
2 squares of firmer card for your book covers cut to 41/4 x41/4"
2 squares coloured cardstock 33/4" x 33/4" (these are 2 of the mats where you add your photos and are optional, we used Night of Navy)
4 squares of DSP cut to 3/34 x33/4" then cut into 8 triangles by scaling diagonally from corner to opposite corner
2 squares DSP for the book covers, cut to 43/4 x43/4 (or 5x5 for more ease of application)
length of ribbon to tie closed

what to do:

• take the 3 large squares of card and score at 4" on each side to create 4 equal squares, then score diagonally once from any corner to the opposite corner
• Fold each piece along all score lines using a bone folder, folding over in both directions so your card folds and unfolds easily

• place 2 of the large squares in a row point to point. Take the third large square and adhere the two corner squares over the same size corner square of the pieces underneath ( a picture is definitely worth a thousand words!)

• practice folding the whole book down so that it learns the memory of how to sit. The diagonal folds of the two end pieces will go in one direction (i.e.for example both will fold away from you) and the centre diagonal fold will go in the opposite direction.

• next take your 2 large squares of DSP and glue the firm card covers onto the centre of each. Cut the corners off on an angle (like you were covering a library book from school days!) don't trim too close to the corner as you want enough paper to hide the cardboard corners inside. Some tutorials suggest painting the entire assembly with mode podge or glue but I found this just warped the covers
• glue the book cover onto the flat end of your folded book - this should cover the folded flaps from your DSP, If you place the book cover on your work surface good side down then you will be able to see better to centre the squash assembly and cover the wrong side of the book cover
• decorate as desired
• take a length of ribbon and adhere to the front of your book, cover this spot with an embellishment/title card/photo etc. 
• adhere the DSP triangles however you wish and stamp/decorate as much as you like

that's it!

I'd love it if you post some photos of what you make, feel free to link back to here.

Thanks for looking, 

Liz