How to Make Your Own Perforated Pages

This article was co-authored by Lois Wade. Lois Wade has 45 years of experience in crafts including sewing, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, drawing, and paper crafts. She has been contributing to craft articles on wikiHow since 2007.

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Do you need a custom perforated line for your scrapbook? Is your notebook's perforation line not ripping properly? Don't waste money on over-priced specialty paper - you can make perforated pages with most types of ordinary paper!

Method 1 of 4:

Hand Method

Step 1 Place your sheet.

Place your sheet of paper on a Cutting Mat.

Step 2 Place a ruler along the line you wish to perforate.

Place a ruler along the line you wish to perforate. (if the line is curved, you can cut a cardstock or plastic "guide" to use.)

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<a href=Step 3 Press the point of a large-headed Quilting Pin through the paper every 1/16th of an inch or less along your line." width="460" height="345" />

Press the point of a large-headed Quilting Pin through the paper every 1/16th of an inch or less along your line. [1] X Research source

Advertisement Method 2 of 4:

Make a Tool - Method #1

Step 1 Obtain a rotary pizza cutter.

Obtain a rotary pizza cutter.

Step 2 Mark 5 degree increments along the outer edge with permanent marker.

Mark 5 degree increments along the outer edge with permanent marker.

Step 3 File or grind away the edge between the marks using a Dremel bit or a hand file.

File or grind away the edge between the marks using a Dremel bit or a hand file.

Step 4 Leave small, sharp edges/points every 5 degrees.

Leave small, sharp edges/points every 5 degrees.

Step 5 Roll your tool along the line to be perforated.

Roll your tool along the line to be perforated. [2] X Research source Advertisement Method 3 of 4:

Make a Tool - Method #2

Step 1 Obtain a rotary Pizza or Pastry cutter.

Obtain a rotary Pizza or Pastry cutter.

Step 2 Mark 5 degree increments along the outer edge with Permanent Marker.

Mark 5 degree increments along the outer edge with Permanent Marker.

Step 3 Place sewing pins in a radial pattern so that their points overlap the edge by approximately 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm).

Place sewing pins in a radial pattern so that their points overlap the edge by approximately 1 ⁄4 inch (0.6 cm).

<a href=Step 4 Attach the pins to the rotary cutter by one of the following methods:" width="460" height="345" />

Step 5 Roll your tool along the line to be perforated.

Roll your tool along the line to be perforated. [3] X Research source Advertisement Method 4 of 4:

Easy Method

Step 1 Get a pattern tracing wheel and use it to draw a line across your paper.

Get a pattern tracing wheel and use it to draw a line across your paper. [4] X Research source

Step 2 The tracing wheel has small spikes on it, so it will make tiny holes on the line, making it easy to tear paper.

The tracing wheel has small spikes on it, so it will make tiny holes on the line, making it easy to tear paper. [5] X Research source

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Community Q&A

Can this be purchased in Victoria, Australia? Top Answerer

The rotary cutter and the tracing wheel are both items that can be purchased in a fabric store. The rotary cutters can vary in price, with brand names being more expensive. Most stores will carry a generic, less-expensive brand that will do the job. The tracing wheel is a dressmaking tool, and is the most efficient for making perforations. Scrapbooking sections of craft stores also carry a tool specifically for this task. It can be described as a "piercing tool" on the packaging.

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Couldn't we just use a protractor with a sewing needle stuck into a soft pencil or even a thumb tack? Just lift and poke as the angle gets smaller?