How to Make a Mini Accordion Photo Book

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Square feature image of an accordion photo book, one open and one closed on a black background.

Try this easy mini accordion photo book DIY to create pocket-sized keepsakes for family and friends. Below you’ll find simple steps for printing contact sheets and making a scrap fabric cover.

Supplies

How To Print Photos in Strips – 5 Easy Steps

STEP 1: Gather Your Digital Photos

First, gather up all the digital photos you’d like to use in your accordion photo book and put them in a folder on your desktop. I found that nine photos made a good-sized mini photo book. You can use—all vertical photos—all horizontals—or both!

Screen capture of digital photos to make to make a mini accordion photo book.
Put digital photos in a folder.

STEP 2 – Print a Contact Sheet

Select all of the photos in your folder.

On a PC, right-click and choose Print. On Mac, open the File menu and select Print. You may need to choose More Options to see the full print menu.

In the Print dialog box, choose a contact-sheet style layout. I’m on a PC, so I selected the Wallet size option. On MacOS, you can set the number of images per page to create a contact sheet.

Before printing, select the option to print as a PDF file so you can save and reprint the sheet as needed.

Screen capture of print dialog box set to Print PDF file as a Wallet Contact Sheet to make a Mini Accordion Photo Book.
Right-click (Windows) and select Print from the menu. Print as a PDF File.

STEP 3 – Print The Contact Sheet to Your Home Printer

Print the PDF photo contact sheet to your home printer. To make a Mini Accordion Book, small enough to fit into a small tin (link to the decorative tin tutorials below), Print the PDF file 80% size.

Screen capture of a print dialog box set to landscape at 80-percent size to make a mini accordion photo book.
Print the PDF file 80% size.

STEP 4: Assemble Photo Strips

After you have your photos printed on cardstock, cut each row of photos using a straight edge and a precision knife as shown below.

Cut into photo strips.
Cut into photo strips.

Your photo strips should look like this, with tabs to glue together into one long strip. Lightly score between photos with your precision knife and bend it into an accordion.

Your photo strips should look something like this with tabs to glue together into one long strip. Lightly score between photos with your precision knife and bend into an accordion.
Your photo strips should look like this, with tabs to glue together into one long strip.
Use a glue stick to glue the photo strips together into one long strip.
Use a glue stick to glue the photo strips together into one long strip.

Use a glue stick to glue the photo strips together into one long strip.

This is how mine looked with all three photo strips together.
This is how mine looked with all three photo strips together.

STEP 5: Make a Cover

Measure your Accordion Photo Book – closed size. Use these measurements to cut a front and a back cover out of lightweight cardboard. Cut fabric or decorative paper a little larger than your cover. Cut notches at each corner as shown. Hot-glue the flaps to the cardboard.

Cut fabric or decorative paper a little larger than your cover. Cut notches at each corner as shown. Hot glue the flaps to the cardboard.
Make a cover out of lightweight cardboard, scrap fabric, or decorative paper.

Finish the cover by adding white cardstock to the inside and write a personalized note on the inside cover if you like!

Here's a closeup of the inside front cover glued to the book. I add a piece of white card stock to the inside cover to cover the exposed cardboard.
Close-up of the inside front cover.
Finished Mini Accordion Photo Book.
Finished Mini Accordion Photo Book.
How to Make an Accordion Photo Book PIN1 - Pinterest Pin to share.
Star divider used has two hand drawn lines with a star in the center, used as a content break and signals new or different content below. This doodle style illustration is in a medium charcoal gray.

– MORE TO EXPLORE –

Mother’s Day Tin Craft + Graduated Pony Bead Bracelets + Father’s Day Tin Craft

Square feature image of a decorative tin that says 'totally fabulous mom' on it with pick flowers and one on the side with makeup and a mirror on a white background.
Square feature of two graduated pony bead bracelets. One has neutral brown and caramel color beads with a carved looking daisy bead as a spacer. The second bracelet is colorful in multicolors like red, purple, pink, aqua, bright greens with a sterling silver heart at the center.
Square feature image of three gift tins you can make for dad.
Square feature image of a decorative tin that says 'totally fabulous mom' on it with pick flowers and one on the side with makeup and a mirror on a white background.
Mother’s Day Tin Craft
Square feature of two graduated pony bead bracelets. One has neutral brown and caramel color beads with a carved looking daisy bead as a spacer. The second bracelet is colorful in multicolors like red, purple, pink, aqua, bright greens with a sterling silver heart at the center.
Graduated Pony Bead Bracelets
Square feature image of three gift tins you can make for dad.
Father’s Day Tin Craft

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