Slot & Tab Tunnel Book Project

Time to make something. Here's another new incarnation of the Slot & Tab (I used it for the Cloth Book last month. Standard instructions for the original are on pages 55-56 of MHB). With a knife and some strong colored paper you can make a tunnel book without glue. I used Canson Mi-Teintes paper for this. You could also use Strathmore Artagain, Pure Paper Tints, or any medium weight, high-quality acid free paper. The example shown here is small. For a larger book, a ratio of 2:1 (width to height) or 1.5:1 works well. Adjust your template accordingly. As usual, I recommend reading through the instructions once or twice before you begin.

Tools: knife and cutting mat, pencil, metal ruler, extra knife blades
Materials: 4 pieces of paper, grained short, 5" x 2 1/4" (13 cm x 6 cm) for the scene pages; 2 pieces, grained short, 6" x 2 1/4" (16 cm x 6 cm) for the accordion sides; one cardboard template, 4" x 2 1/4" (10 cm x 6 cm) into which you will cut a window that is 1/2" (1 cm) from the top and bottom, 1/4" (5 mm) from the sides.

1. Mark 1/2" (1 cm) from L&R.
2. Fold two 8-panel accordions. On the 4 peak folds of each accordion, cut slits starting 1/2" (1 cm) down from head and stopping 1/2" from tail.

3. Cut 1/2" (1 cm) head & tail on lines.
4. Use template to draw window on pages.

5. Draw scenes and cut them out.
6. Stack them to check orientation.


7. Slip page tab through accordion slot.
8. Bend down tab to insert head.

9. Pull up and flatten at back.
10. Continue to insert pages on both accordions.

11. top view, complete
12. front view, complete


Comments

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