Stitched Book Artwork Guide
How to Prepare Files for Stitched Books
Stitched booklets (saddle-stitched) are created by folding sheets of paper and securing them with metal staples through the fold. To ensure your booklet is bound and trimmed correctly, please follow these technical requirements.
Example below shows a 12 page booklet.
Stitched booklets must be supplied as two separate PDF files. This allows the cover to be printed on a different paper stock if required.
PDF 1 (The Cover): A 4-page PDF containing:
1. Outside Front Cover
2. Inside Front Cover (Page 1 of your inner page)
3. Inside Back Cover (Penultimate page)
4. Outside Back Cover
PDF 2 (The Inners): A multi-page PDF containing all remaining internal pages in the correct reading order. The file must contain single pages (NOT Spreads).
Because each sheet of paper folded in half creates four pages, your total page count must be divisible by 4.
In a stitched booklet, the thickness of the paper causes the inner pages to "push out" further than the outer one; this is known as Page Creep.
The Trim: Because the edges must be trimmed to keep the booklet flush, more paper is removed from the centre pages than the outer ones.
Safe Margins: While our software automatically adjusts for creep, we strongly recommend keeping all text and important images at least 5mm from the page edges to ensure no content is lost during trimming.
Folds: Avoid placing graphics across the centre page folds to prevent alignment issues caused by the physical fold and staple.
