Stack together the students' work that they wish to bind into a book. Ask them to use a scissors to trim off any ragged edges or pieces that stick out.
Measure the front and back pieces of work and make sure they are essentially the same size.
Punch holes into the papers down the left-hand side of the stack. Use a three-hole punch to do this.
Give each student two pieces of light-weight paper like washi or sumi, two pieces of light-weight cardboard and two pieces of cotton fabric cut to size to cover the front and back of their book.
Have students use paint brushes to coat thoroughly with paste one side of both pieces of paper. Make sure there are no spots on the papers that are left uncovered. Press the pieces of paper onto the light-weight cardboard pieces and then add more paste to the front of the papers.
Place the fabric pieces onto the pasted paper and have students press firmly but gently from the middle, working out to the edges. Show students how to press air bubbles that may get trapped in the middle out to the edges. Tell them to pay particular attention to all the edges so that the fabric is well sealed to the paper. Have students write their names on the backs of the fabric-covered papers and place them on a drying rack in your classroom to dry overnight.
Tell each student to line up their dried fabric pieces on the top and bottom of their book. Punch holes in the fabric pieces that correspond with the holes they punched in the papers on the day before. Use a single-hole punch or fabric-hole punch to complete this step. Let students finish their books by tying them together with short pieces of yarn or pipe cleaners.