To make an awl guide cut a thick paper (light weight map folder works best) to the same size as a (folded) signature in your text block. Figure out how many holes you need depending on what type of binding you are doing. Start by marking and measuring out the head, usually around 10mm. Mark inside the folded map folder with pencil. I like to write head and tail on the map folder to make sure I keep stacks of signatures going in the right direction. Then mark the tail, leaving a little extra room since usually the book is printed with more trimming room on the bottom. (10-15mm). To measure the middle of the two points you can take a piece of paper and line it up with both the head and tail pencil marks and fold it in half. An easy way to save time is to choose how many holes you need and then use that method of folding paper to get the middle of each point. (For 4 holes you would measure the middle between the head and tail, and then again take the middle of those points.) Once you have all the spacing marked simply use an awl to make a hole on either side of each marker. The space between should either be big enough to cover any ropes or binding strips you are using, or if you're just using thread about 10mm across. I like to cross of the middle dots that aren't perforated using an X (or erase them) so that I don't accidentally go through them later when I am perforating my signatures, which you are now ready to do. You can also save awl guides for later use. I like you label mine withe the project I used them on as a reference.
Lately I've been making hinged endsheets where the side that is glued down to the inside covers is fancy aka marbled etc, and the side attached to the text block is a plain paper that is the same on both sides, maybe even something with a little texture. This saves time because you don't have to wait for glued endsheets to dry in the press overnight, and you don't have to use as much fancy paper. It also looks really cool and kind of more mellow on the inside. Here is my current favorite color combo.
