This isn't a blog post about how to make a book, or a post to people interested in making a book, but a post for people interested in making a book after book after book. This is a post for people who have the desire to become great at bookbinding, or even great bookbinders. So, listen up beginner

Olá, Por causa de muitos pedidos, resolvi postar um tutorial sobre berço para encadernação feito com papelão cinza. Pap do berço em pap...

I suppose bonefolder to be an archetypal bookbinder’s tool. I know other artisans use them too; still, making books without a bonefolder proves to be not so comfortable and neat. There will be links to some metal and other types of folders below, but let me begin with my own story. When I started teaching bookbinding, I decided to provide all my students with a basic set of tools: folder, utility knife and a simple sewing frame. Everything to be included in the price. Understandably, I wanted to make that kit as cheap as possible without compromising the quality. Wooden Folders Utility knife is the easiest thing. Prime cost of a simple sewing frame appeared to be something about $5 (ignoring the cost of my time). Folders remained to be a problem. For my first class I’ve ordered a set of bonefolders, but that was too expensive. Whole batch amounted for almost a third of the entry price. Then I remembered that during my apprenticeship at a bookbindery many years ago we used wooden folders. Cutting one was an easy and cheap process. Less than in an hour I had a full set for my next class. Moreover, materials cost was close to nothing. The only problem: either you have to use nice strong and expensive wood, or that folder may be thrown to the trash after only ten hours of use. After series of experiments, I found the best solution. I gave a carpenter a pack of laminate flooring boards to be cut in pieces 1,5×10 cm or something like that. After I’ve got a bag with those laminate bars, I only had to sharpen them and give them to my students — they loved that thing! Bone Folders I don’t think it is needed to say much about the bone folders. There is plenty of information around. Many suppliers offer them in different shapes and sizes, including Talas or at Shepherds. Humans made bone tools from prehistoric times and some of them (including folders) are still made of bone nowadays. Folders Made Of Polymer Materials Teflon More and more craftsmen use folders made of different polymer materials. Polytetrafluoroethylene (better known as Teflon) is one them. Teflon folders are somewhat unbreakable and have that famous non-sticking surface. That also works for the glue and paint. I just have to say that many bookbinders (including myself) prefer bone folders. Sometimes without any proper reason other than them just liking it as it is. Delrin The other polymer you may use is Delrin — that’s another DuPont brand. You can find it under its ‘scientific’ names polyoxymethylene (POM), acetal, polyacetal and polyformaldehyde. And under the brand names Celcon, Ramtal, Duracon, Kepital and Hostaform. I can just cite Jeff Peachey here: After making a folder and test driving it for a while, I became a devotee. It is a great material for a folder (apologies Jim Croft) combining advantages of both bone and teflon, while not feeling plasticky and soft like Teflon. It can be shaped with hand tools. It is food compliant and impact resistant. It is used for the stock of the M16 rifle. Du Pont’s informational Delrin booklet. You can read much more (or order a Delrin folder) at his web site. Photo by Jeff Peachey (CC BY-NC) Photo by Jeff Peachey (CC BY-NC) Photo by Jeff Peachey (CC BY-NC) Bakelite Once again, that’s not a new polymer at all. It was developed more than a hundred years ago. I remember my grandfather using it for some of his science radio projects many years ago. I wouldn’t ask you to remember its ‘proper’ name (polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride). First time I’ve seen it used for making folders was this July. Don Glaister (fine binder and a teacher at the American Academy of Bookbinding) told us he was using that tool for many years. That was not a standard small folder, but a larger one. I’m really thinking about making one for myself. Now you can buy Bakelite folders at my Etsy store. Photo by Bookbinding Etsy Street Team Photo by Bookbinding Etsy Street Team Metal Folders I never considered using a metal folder, but just a few weeks ago, I didn’t think about Bakelite either. Once again, I would refer you to Jeff Peachey. He made a thorough research of aluminum folders in yearly 2014: http://jeffpeachey.com/2014/01/14/the-excelsior-metal-folder/ If you want to buy a metal folder you can make and order at elbel libro (Netherlands) or at Bookmakers, Inc. (USA, look under the ‘Metal Creaser’ section). We would be glad to read about your experience with different folders (and links to other dealers and craftsmen making and selling them) in the comments below. Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

Black Magic Leather Grimoire - Bookbinding Tutorial: I've been really into bookbinding lately, and with Halloween coming up, I decided to make a dark grimoire with black leather and an amethyst centerpiece! Supply list: Real leather, black sheepskin leather 0.4mm thick 96 sheets A3 sized sketchbook…

Practical Bookbinding Morris Lee King This essay was written principally for those who are interested in an amateur way in this subject or are contemplating taking it up, and at the same time are not able to come in contact with teachers of the art and others interested in it.

At the end of the week-long workshop, we enjoyed a traditional Tongan feast and put out our finished (and our not-yet-finished) books for a bit of show and tell. (Some of us–me, cough– …

Historical Model of a wooden board binding This model was made to learn a few historical techniques: sewing on split alum tawed thongs, drawn on wooden boards with beveled spine edge, vellum spine lining and leather spine covering, etc. Modeled after sixteenth century bindings. Since this was a model, I covered only half the spine with leather so that I could still see the sewing on one end.

This entry is part 11 of 12 in the series Introduction to BookbindingSplit cover boards are used for heavy books with several signatures so that the construction remains solid and an adequate level of support can be provided. Figure 200 shows a split board that comprises of a mull and the endsheet placed in between a thick and thin piece of board. These board layers are used for stiffening purposes and conceal the mull and the endsheets between them. Cut four pieces of boards that are equal in size; two of them should be thin, and the other two should be thick. Apply some paste onto the mull; place tapes over it, and apply paste onto them as well as shown in figure 201. Fold the taped up mull onto the endsheet, and press it firmly as shown in figure 202. Figure 200 – An Example of a Split Cover Board Figure 201 -Pasting the Mull Figure 202 – Folding the Mull onto the Endsheet [support-website] Trim the top edge of the endsheet by one fourth of an inch, and put some paste onto it. Fold the endsheet over itself as illustrated in figure 203 such that its edge is at a distance of one fourth of an inch from the hinge. Rub the endsheet and remove all air bubbles. Turn this flap across the edge, and apply paste onto it as shown in figure 204. Place the thin cover board onto the signatures as shown in figure 205, and paste the turned over flap onto it as depicted in figure 206. Attach the thick board onto this as shown in figure 207, and ensure the edges are smooth and aligned. Leave your work for about twelve hours; when it dries up, rub sandpaper on the edges. Figure 203 – Flattening out the Endsheet using a Brush Figure 204 – Folding Back the First Flap Figure 205 – Aligning the Thin Cover Board and Pasting the Flap Figure 206 – Folding the Flap onto the Thin Cover Board Figure 207 – Pasting the Thick Cover Board onto the Thin Board Your book now will not be damaged easily because it is protected by a really strong binding form. Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

This detailed bookbinding tutorial will teach you everything you need to know about creating and enjoying your own handmade books!

42 Awesome Bookbinding Signature Designs and Stitching Ideas to get your creative juices flowing... Enjoy!

This entry is part 10 of 12 in the series Introduction to BookbindingGot an old book that has its pages coming apart and its stitches loosening up? Well, take out your supplies, and follow the rebinding process in this chapter. Figure 176 – Comparison Between a Traditional and Perfectly Bound Book, Bookbinding Diagram Inspect your book; whether it is a hardback or paperback, it can easily be rebounded if its signatures are folded and sewn. However, if the binding is perfect, implying that the signatures have been guillotine – trimmed on all four edges, it cannot be rebounded in the traditional way. This is because a perfect binding eliminates the folded edge of the signatures. Instead, an adhesive is applied on the back edges of the pages, which are unfolded sheets of paper, and these are forced into the spine of the book. Thus, all the pages are single leaves. Figure 176 shows an example of a perfectly bounded book. Though you cannot bind such a book with the general techniques that are available, you can still guard the individual pages and try to restore them as folded signatures. Study figure 177; it illustrates a book with square binding whereas figure 178 shows a book with a rounded backbone. The former is good choice if there are a few signatures, and the book is thin, and the later should be the preferred binding method if the book comprises of several signatures and is thick. Too many signatures increase swelling because numerous threads lie between them to secure them and keep them in their place; rounded spines can hold this swelling, and so are more suitable. When a book is given a rounded back, a sort of shoulder forms on each side of the hinge, in which the cover boards can be fitted. Figure 179 illustrates this shoulder. Figure 177 – Square Bound Book Example Figure 178 – Book with Rounded Spine Figure 179 – Formed Shoulder of the Spine Let’s get down to the real task of rebinding now. Detaching the Binding Components Remove all the binding components of the book, which include the mull, signatures and the cover. This process is more formally known as tearing apart. Place your book on a flat surface, and with a sharp knife, cut right through the endsheet, mull and the covering material as depicted in figure 180. While doing this, make sure that the blade does not reach the first signature. Now cut off the threads as shown in figure 181 and figure 182. Without exerting any pressure, carefully detach the lose threads form the signatures, and keep them aside. Figure 180 – Tearing a Book Apart, Cutting through Mull, Endsheet and Covering Material Figure 181 – Cutting the Old Sewn Threads Figure 182 – Cutting the Old Sewn Threads Figure 183 – Marking Back of Folded Signatures to Maintain Correct Order As you continue to unthread the signatures, collate them as well. At times, a sequence is printed or bars are printed on their folded edges as shown in figure 183 so that they can easily be arranged sequentially. A 24-minute video on how to repair the spine of a book by SUL Preservation (worth a watch either before or after reading this tutorial) Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! Flattening the Groove In order for the new binding to be strong, try to flatten the signatures as much as possible, particularly at the edges. Press along the grooves shown in figure 184, and unbend the edges until the signatures become smooth. Take individual signatures and tap them with a hammer along the edge as illustrated in figure 185. Then place every signature separately under a clean board and leave weights onto it. Figure 184 – Flattening Out Old Signatures at the Fold Figure 185 – Using a Hammer to Straighten Bent Signatures Repairing the Pages Inspect each signature and if the pages have been severally damaged, repair them with guard strips and paper patches as you did for the music binding project in the previous chapter. Sewing the Signatures Figure 186 – Piercing Holes in New Locations Place your signatures onto a piercing board, and form holes for sewing. Make sure to do this away from the previous holes, even if it means uneven spaces between the tapes and kettlestitches. Figure 186 shows an example. Tape up the signatures and sew them onto each other one by one. As you proceed, you would notice a swelling emerging at the folded edge, particularly if the signatures are greater in number. This swelling has been illustrated in figure 187. Rounded back spines can take care of this pretty well; but a better idea is to deal with the swelling at this stage. Align up the signatures, and place a cardboard on them. Now knock the swelling with a hammer as shown in figure 188. Repeat the same procedure onto the other side, and keep doing it after you sew every three or four signatures. After you have hammered the folded edges of the signature you will need to pull the signature tapes to ensure it doesn’t get caught in between the individual signatures and to help tighten the threads. See figure 189 for more info. Rounding and Hollowing the Back Stack up the signatures in a sequential order onto a cover board, and mold their folded edges into a rounded shape, using your hands or a rounded surface. Figure 190 shows examples of different rounded edges; the moderate one is the most appropriate. Without modifying the back shape, place another cover board onto the top of the signature as shown in figure 191. Fix your work in the press. Figure 190 – Examples of Different Rounded Edges Figure 191 – Attaching the Cover Boards ready for going in the Press Figure 192 – Using a Hammer to Form a Shoulder on the Spine of the Book Figure 193 – How to Correctly bend the Signatures Take a hammer and gently press the signatures so that a shoulder is formed along the hinge as shown in figure 192. Look at figure 193; the centre signature remains unbend whereas all other signatures have been slightly turned to allow a shoulder to form. Attach a board on the backbone, and paste the mull. [support-website] With this done, you can continue binding the book with the general techniques. However, a new method of hollowing out the back is being introduced here. A hollow construction prevents the cover material from damage because the book can easily be opened up and closed without bending. The spine is made hollow by fitting a paper tube into it, which is attached to both the mull and the covering material. Place your book in a press such that the spine faces you as shown in figure 194. Measure the thickness and cut out a paper strip that is three times wider than this value. The height of the paper strip should also be about an inch more than the book’s height. Fold the paper into a triangular shape such that each surface takes up one third of the total area. Mark the centre region as A, and the side regions as B and C. Apply paste onto the backbone, and place the A panel of the triangular paper onto it with the point facing upwards as demonstrated in figure 195. Rub the surface and place panel B onto panel A as shown in figure 196. Apply paste onto panel B, and attach panel C onto it as illustrated in figure 197. Figure 194 – Using Paper to Measure the Thickness of the Spine Figure 195 – Measuring and Pasting Paper to the Spine Figure 196 – Pasting the 2nd Part of the Paper for Attaching onto the Spine Figure 197 – Folding Flap C onto Flap B Figure 198 – Trimming the Waste from Paper Applied to Spine Trim down the hollowed back along both edges as shown in figure 198 until it aligns with the cover boards. Attach the covering material, turn it inside across the edges, and paste it down. This completes rebinding stage of your old book. In the next section we will look into attaching the cover boards. Additional Resources Colin Hazlehurst’s Tutorial on Restoring an Old Book Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

42 Awesome Bookbinding Signature Designs and Stitching Ideas to get your creative juices flowing... Enjoy!

This entry is part 7 of 12 in the series Introduction to BookbindingThe mull is a strip of cloth that is attached to the back of the sewn signatures and the tapes, and is also affixed to the cover boards with tapes. Cut a piece of cloth in a size that can conceal the top and bottom kettlestitches along with the tapes in between them; make sure that your chosen length is at least three inches wider than the back of the signatures so that it can be extended onto both sides. Figure 66 – Using a small set square to align signatures Place waxed paper on both sides of the signatures and keep them in the press such that their back edge is about half an inch above the equipment. Adjust the screws of the press so that it can hold the signatures in place. Ascertain that the alignment of your signature is proper. This can be done with the help of a square; use it to make sure that all the corners form a proper right angle as depicted in figure 66. Also inspect the back edge and ascertain that the surface is even. When satisfied, adjust the press again and tighten it up. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! Figure 67 – Applying Paste to Mull Place your mull on a fresh sheet of wastepaper and apply a thin coat of paste into it. Make sure that the paste reaches into the weaves because this would make the grip stronger. Put some paste onto the back of the signatures as well, and spread it out onto the surface. Use your fingers to apply more tapes onto the paste but the paste layer should still be thin. A thick layer just cracks up and weakens the grip of the mull. This is done so that the mull can easily hold onto the signatures. Now carefully lay the mull onto the signatures. If required, apply a little more paste onto the mull as shown in figure 67, and then press it down firmly onto the back of the signatures. Leave your work for drying for about 12 hours; you can let it remain in the press till then. Creating and Fixing the Boards Books can be protected and supported with three types of binding boards; the front, back and backbone strip cover. Rounded books can also be bounded with just the front and back cover boards; the backbone strip of these books is supported with heavy paper that is either attached to the inside of the cover material or affixed onto the signatures. Generally, your board thickness should be about an inch or so if your books are of a normal size. However, if your books have more weight, your chosen boards should also be heavier and thicker. Cutting the Boards Before you cut the front and back boards, make sure the edge of your knife is sharp enough. Now take the carpenter’s square and cut the cover boards according to the size of your book. The board should be about one eight of an inch more than the actual size of your book on the upper, bottom and side edges. At the hinges, the thickness should be more than two boards as depicted in figure 68. Figure 68 – Measuring the Thickness of Boards at the Hinge Figure 69 – Using folded paper to determine thickness of combined signatures Now you would have to cut a board for the backbone. Measure the width of the combined signatures, and add twice the thickness of the cover board to it. This value should be the width of the back strip board. A better way to calculate the width is to place your signatures between the front and back boards; wrap a clean sheet of paper onto this, sharpening the creases along the edges as illustrated in figure 69. Now the distance between the between the crease is the width of the back strip board, whereas the height would be equal to the length of the front and back boards. With these measurements, cut the board, once again ensuring that the knife is sharp. Use a sandpaper and round off the edges of all the three boards. This provides a better surface for the cover material; a sharp edge can rip the fabric if it is not strong enough. [support-website] Attaching the Boards Figure 70 – Pushing Tapes and Signatures against Mull to Secure Place your signatures onto the workbench. Take two sheets of waxed paper that are a size slightly larger than your book. Cover the top of the signatures with these sheets such that the surface is covered, and push them against the hinge of your book as shown in figure 70. You can skip this if you want to, but that might get some paste on your signatures when attaching the boards. This would be difficult to clean so use waxed paper sheets as a protection. If you remember, you left the mull extended on both sides of the backbone. Now pull this leftover piece of mull onto the waxed paper and apply paste on it as shown in figure 71. Remove the upper waxed sheet, and throw it off. Place your cover board onto the pasted mull, ensuring that you have left equal spaces on all three sides of the book. Refer to figure 72. Apply pressure onto the board until the mull affixes to it. Open the board and place it onto another clean board for support as shown in figure 73. Now you can also remove the second sheet of waxed paper. Figure 71 – Pasting Leftover Mull to Back of Bookbinding Board Figure 72 – Affixing Board onto Pasted Mull Figure 73 – Temporarily Supporting the Bookbinding Board after Pasting Figure 74 – Repasting Signature Tapes to Affix to Board Place a fresh rubbing sheet onto the mull; press and rub it well so that the mull attaches firmly onto the board. If required, you can strengthen the grip of the mull even more by using tapes. Put some tape onto the signature, and place a clean wastepaper below them as shown in figure 74. Now apply some paste onto the tape as well because it can absorb more glue than paper does, which provides a better grip. Attach the tapes onto the mull and remove the waste paper beneath them. Now lay a clean sheet of waxed paper and close the board over it while pressing it firmly along the side. Let the cover dry for about a minute or two, then pry it open slightly to ensure that the tapes are at the correct positions. If they are, shut the cover again, and press it with weights. Leave you work as it is for half an hour. Figure 75 – Trimming the Mull after Pasting When the paste has dried up well, open the cover again. Trim the mull and tape as shown in figure 75. In this same manner, attach the back cover board. After doing this, lay heavy weights onto you work, and leave it to dry for the entire night. After about twelve hours or so, make your book stand up straight onto the bottom edge. Now open the covers slightly and pry open the joint between the hinge and the cover only a little bit. In this space, cut open a slit that it about 5/8 inches wide along the length of the mull. Use a sharp knife for this so the silts are neat. In this manner, create two slots at the upper edge and two at the bottom. These slits will be used to slide down the cover material inside the boards for a stronger grip. Further details can be found in figure 76. Figure 76 – Cutting some Slits into the Mull Now attach the backboard onto the hinge of the book. Place the cut board onto a clean wastepaper sheet and apply paste on it. Pick up the board and careful lay it onto the backbone of the book. Ascertain that the board is placed properly, and then press it down. Do this step really carefully. If you do not attach this board properly, it can misalign the entire book, and spoil all your efforts. Leave your work for drying. Preparing the Board Cover You can either cover your board with a cloth or paper. In most cases, cloth is a better choice, but if you use paper, make sure that the thickness is adequate enough. Also ascertain that you measure and cut the materials in a precise manner. If the cuts are not straight or clean enough, it would become prominent when you fix the endsheets. Moreover, you would be using a lot of glue in this task which can stain both paper and cloth. As such, you should take great care when attaching the covering material. Figure 77 – Marking Corners of Board Select a cloth or paper of a size that is large enough to cover both the front and the back boards along with the back strip, in a single piece. Place your chosen material onto the work bench after ascertaining that the surface is absolutely clean. Now pick up a steel rule and a carpenter’s square, and mark the corners of all three boards with a sharp pencil as illustrated in figure 77. Make sure that the turnover of the cover material would be the same on both the front and back side. A rule of the thumb is to take the size of the turnover as four times the thickness of the board. After drawing an accurate layout, cut the cover material; use a carpenter’s square with the cutting tool when doing this so the edges are absolutely straight. If your cover material is paper, use a blade, and if it is cloth, use a pair of shears. Spread the cover material onto the bench after covering the surface with a fresh sheet of wastepaper. Apply some paste onto the area marked for the back strip board. Pick up your assembled book, and place it hinges on the designated area, properly between the marks. Press the book onto the cover material for a stronger hold. Lay the book back down on the surface, and rub the cover material with a clean rubbing sheet. Before proceeding onto the next step, let the paste dry. Now slightly turn the cover material above the edges of the back strip board as shown in figure 78. Pull open the inside of the cover material, and apply paste onto it. Spread the paste evenly over the surface in a direction from the centre to the outer edges. Also put a little amount of glue into the hinges for a stronger hold. Now lay the cover material onto the front board; ensure that corners of the board are aligned with the marks that you sketched out as shown in figure 79. Press down the paper and then place a rubbing sheet over it. Use a clean cloth, and keep rubbing your work so that no air bubbles remain between the board and the cover. Figure 78 – Using a Rubbing Sheet to Affix Cover Material Figure 79 – Aligning the Book Cover Boards and Cover Material Figure 80 – Applying Paste to Hinge and Backboard Figure 81 – Aligning Backboard and Hinge to Pasted Cover Material When the cover material onto the front board is attached firmly, you can start working on the backboard. Apply paste onto the inside of the cover material, and once again brush some paste into the hinges as well as depicted in figure 80. Now pry open the book, and move the back board onto the cover material slowly until it aligns up with the marked corners as illustrated in figure 81. Press the paper onto the edge of the board. Apply a slight force onto the edge until the board and the material stick well. Now cover the material with a new rubbing sheet, and press it until the paste dries up. Figure 82 – Using a Folding Stick to Secure Cover Material to Board and Hinge While you press the cover material, make a slight crease along the outer edges of the board, and glide the paper across the length of both hinges with a folding stick as shown in figure 82. Make sure your folding stick is covered with a clean cloth so no stains can appear. Lay your work between clean sheets of waxed paper and let it dry for half an hour. If there is a need, keep pressing the cover material from time to time to strengthen the grip, remove the air bubbles and avoid the material from wrinkling. You should be glad now, because the toughest part is over. Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

This entry is part 11 of 12 in the series Introduction to BookbindingSplit cover boards are used for heavy books with several signatures so that the construction remains solid and an adequate level of support can be provided. Figure 200 shows a split board that comprises of a mull and the endsheet placed in between a thick and thin piece of board. These board layers are used for stiffening purposes and conceal the mull and the endsheets between them. Cut four pieces of boards that are equal in size; two of them should be thin, and the other two should be thick. Apply some paste onto the mull; place tapes over it, and apply paste onto them as well as shown in figure 201. Fold the taped up mull onto the endsheet, and press it firmly as shown in figure 202. Figure 200 – An Example of a Split Cover Board Figure 201 -Pasting the Mull Figure 202 – Folding the Mull onto the Endsheet [support-website] Trim the top edge of the endsheet by one fourth of an inch, and put some paste onto it. Fold the endsheet over itself as illustrated in figure 203 such that its edge is at a distance of one fourth of an inch from the hinge. Rub the endsheet and remove all air bubbles. Turn this flap across the edge, and apply paste onto it as shown in figure 204. Place the thin cover board onto the signatures as shown in figure 205, and paste the turned over flap onto it as depicted in figure 206. Attach the thick board onto this as shown in figure 207, and ensure the edges are smooth and aligned. Leave your work for about twelve hours; when it dries up, rub sandpaper on the edges. Figure 203 – Flattening out the Endsheet using a Brush Figure 204 – Folding Back the First Flap Figure 205 – Aligning the Thin Cover Board and Pasting the Flap Figure 206 – Folding the Flap onto the Thin Cover Board Figure 207 – Pasting the Thick Cover Board onto the Thin Board Your book now will not be damaged easily because it is protected by a really strong binding form. Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

Look what I made from scratch: a book! Last summer I took a course in bookmaking with Chicago’s Spudnik Press and I’m using the cold and quiet months of winter to re-indulge in this craft during my free time. For Christmas my sister bought me a bookmaking kit from Hollander’s, which is a famous company […]

42 Awesome Bookbinding Signature Designs and Stitching Ideas to get your creative juices flowing... Enjoy!

To make this book you will need: A cover sturdy enough to sew through, ideally, thick leather. Decorative thread, sturdier is better. Text block, prepared to Longstitch method: four sewing stations, evenly spaced for an even pattern, or different if you're feeling adventurous. Pierce the leather with the same sewing stations. Embellishments could be added where the stitches cross, or anywhere you like, really. Instructions:

If you're a Club Scrap member, you received a handmade album project kit in your October kitYou'll be thrilled to discover how quick and easy it is to assemble!

This entry is part 12 of 12 in the series Introduction to BookbindingHeadbanding is the process of strengthening the head of a book. This is done by the sewing a cord onto the backbone behind the boards, which secures the signatures together more firmly. The result is a stronger binding construction, and even the backbone can be prevented from damage. A good video introduction into creating and sewing headbands can be found in this YouTube playlist. Well worth a watch before reading the rest of this tutorial. Enjoy! Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! Piercing the Holes For a headbanding, the holes should be pierced close to the centers of the folded signatures as shown in figure 208. Mark up the holes on the edge of the signatures; align a square card against the thickness on the folded edge and sketch a line that is about half an inch shorter than the book height. Leave this space at the heads of the signature as shown in figure 209. In case, the kettlestitches are at this same position, you can shift the line slightly towards the edge. Figura 208 – Furos nos festos dos cadernos para coser o requife. Figura 209 – Marcação do posicionamento para a costura do requife. Figure 210 – Using a Piercing Awl to Pierce through Book Signatures into Piercing Card Figure 211 – Using Folded Guide Slips (card) to Pierce Every Signature Take a cardboard that measures 2 inches in breadth and 4 inches in length, and place it inside the centre of the first signature. Push the card completely against the fold and pierce an awl through the signature right up to the edge of the cardboard as shown in figure 210. Using this same process, pierce every other signature. When you would be done, your signatures should resemble the image shown in figure 211. Threading the Headband Thread two needles with different color threads for a more attractive appearance. Tie their free ends together into a knot. Now start sewing the headband at signature numbered 1. Pry open the signature slightly by inserting a folding needle into its centre as shown in figure 212. Use the cardboard strips to locate the centre of the signature. Pass a thread through the pierced hole from the outside such that the needle is angled towards the top edge of the book as shown in figure 213. Pick up this thread from the center of the signature and tie the outside tail into a knot. This is illustrated in figure 214. Place a cord across the head of the book and pass the thread around it and out from the same hole through which you inserted it. Figure 215 depicts this step. Pull the thread tight so that the cord is flattened and secured in place over the signature as illustrated in figure 216. Tie the loose end with the first knot so that the stitch does not become loose. Now loop the thread two more times onto the cord and secure it by passing the thread beneath the cord, and into the loops as shown. This is shown in figure 217 and 218. Tie the end once more to the initial knot as shown in figure 219. Do not cut the tread and let it hang loose. Figure 212 – Prying Open the Book Signatures Before Starting to Sew Headbands to Signatures Figure 213 – Sewing Thread through the First Signature to Create Headband Figure 214 – Tying a Different Colour Thread to First Thread to Make the Headband Figure 215 – Wrapping Thread Around the Cord to Form the Book Head-Band Figure 216 – Tying off the First Headband Wrap around the Cord Figure 217 – Repeating the Wrapping Around the Headband Cord and Tying Off Now take the other thread, and wind it around the cord two times a shown in figure 220. The green loops should be completely lined up with the white loops so that no portion of the cord shows through them. Let this thread hang down. Pick up the loose end of the first thread and pass it into the second hole as shown in figure 221. This time wind it around the cord three times as illustrated in figure 222, and once again, secure the loops by passing the thread beneath the cord and into the loops. Tie this thread at the same position where you passed it into the second signature as shown in figure 223. Pick up the loose strands of the colored thread and tie it to the thread you just worked with. Proceed in the same manner; keep winding the threads around the cord until it is completely covered as shown in figure 224. Tie both the loose ends at the other end into the knot to secure your work, and cut off the tails. Now view your work; if you were neat and followed the technique exactly like given, no part of the cord would be visible and the ends of the headband would be aligned with the hinges. Just like with other binding techniques, headbanding requires sufficient practice. Until you do this, you would never be able to achieve a neat appearance. [support-website] Additional Resources A fantastic Step by Step Colour Tutorial on Making Headbands by Nat @ From Hell to Breakfast A good video and description of sewing a headband by Bookbinder’s Chronicle Another good headband tutorial on V for Books (tumblr blog) Edge Guilding and Sewing a Faux Headband – Bookbinding.com A little post with some good info on Endbands @ Badger and Chirp A collection of headband photos on Pinterest Monastic Endband Tutorial with some good photos Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

This entry is part 10 of 12 in the series Introduction to BookbindingGot an old book that has its pages coming apart and its stitches loosening up? Well, take out your supplies, and follow the rebinding process in this chapter. Figure 176 – Comparison Between a Traditional and Perfectly Bound Book, Bookbinding Diagram Inspect your book; whether it is a hardback or paperback, it can easily be rebounded if its signatures are folded and sewn. However, if the binding is perfect, implying that the signatures have been guillotine – trimmed on all four edges, it cannot be rebounded in the traditional way. This is because a perfect binding eliminates the folded edge of the signatures. Instead, an adhesive is applied on the back edges of the pages, which are unfolded sheets of paper, and these are forced into the spine of the book. Thus, all the pages are single leaves. Figure 176 shows an example of a perfectly bounded book. Though you cannot bind such a book with the general techniques that are available, you can still guard the individual pages and try to restore them as folded signatures. Study figure 177; it illustrates a book with square binding whereas figure 178 shows a book with a rounded backbone. The former is good choice if there are a few signatures, and the book is thin, and the later should be the preferred binding method if the book comprises of several signatures and is thick. Too many signatures increase swelling because numerous threads lie between them to secure them and keep them in their place; rounded spines can hold this swelling, and so are more suitable. When a book is given a rounded back, a sort of shoulder forms on each side of the hinge, in which the cover boards can be fitted. Figure 179 illustrates this shoulder. Figure 177 – Square Bound Book Example Figure 178 – Book with Rounded Spine Figure 179 – Formed Shoulder of the Spine Let’s get down to the real task of rebinding now. Detaching the Binding Components Remove all the binding components of the book, which include the mull, signatures and the cover. This process is more formally known as tearing apart. Place your book on a flat surface, and with a sharp knife, cut right through the endsheet, mull and the covering material as depicted in figure 180. While doing this, make sure that the blade does not reach the first signature. Now cut off the threads as shown in figure 181 and figure 182. Without exerting any pressure, carefully detach the lose threads form the signatures, and keep them aside. Figure 180 – Tearing a Book Apart, Cutting through Mull, Endsheet and Covering Material Figure 181 – Cutting the Old Sewn Threads Figure 182 – Cutting the Old Sewn Threads Figure 183 – Marking Back of Folded Signatures to Maintain Correct Order As you continue to unthread the signatures, collate them as well. At times, a sequence is printed or bars are printed on their folded edges as shown in figure 183 so that they can easily be arranged sequentially. A 24-minute video on how to repair the spine of a book by SUL Preservation (worth a watch either before or after reading this tutorial) Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! Flattening the Groove In order for the new binding to be strong, try to flatten the signatures as much as possible, particularly at the edges. Press along the grooves shown in figure 184, and unbend the edges until the signatures become smooth. Take individual signatures and tap them with a hammer along the edge as illustrated in figure 185. Then place every signature separately under a clean board and leave weights onto it. Figure 184 – Flattening Out Old Signatures at the Fold Figure 185 – Using a Hammer to Straighten Bent Signatures Repairing the Pages Inspect each signature and if the pages have been severally damaged, repair them with guard strips and paper patches as you did for the music binding project in the previous chapter. Sewing the Signatures Figure 186 – Piercing Holes in New Locations Place your signatures onto a piercing board, and form holes for sewing. Make sure to do this away from the previous holes, even if it means uneven spaces between the tapes and kettlestitches. Figure 186 shows an example. Tape up the signatures and sew them onto each other one by one. As you proceed, you would notice a swelling emerging at the folded edge, particularly if the signatures are greater in number. This swelling has been illustrated in figure 187. Rounded back spines can take care of this pretty well; but a better idea is to deal with the swelling at this stage. Align up the signatures, and place a cardboard on them. Now knock the swelling with a hammer as shown in figure 188. Repeat the same procedure onto the other side, and keep doing it after you sew every three or four signatures. After you have hammered the folded edges of the signature you will need to pull the signature tapes to ensure it doesn’t get caught in between the individual signatures and to help tighten the threads. See figure 189 for more info. Rounding and Hollowing the Back Stack up the signatures in a sequential order onto a cover board, and mold their folded edges into a rounded shape, using your hands or a rounded surface. Figure 190 shows examples of different rounded edges; the moderate one is the most appropriate. Without modifying the back shape, place another cover board onto the top of the signature as shown in figure 191. Fix your work in the press. Figure 190 – Examples of Different Rounded Edges Figure 191 – Attaching the Cover Boards ready for going in the Press Figure 192 – Using a Hammer to Form a Shoulder on the Spine of the Book Figure 193 – How to Correctly bend the Signatures Take a hammer and gently press the signatures so that a shoulder is formed along the hinge as shown in figure 192. Look at figure 193; the centre signature remains unbend whereas all other signatures have been slightly turned to allow a shoulder to form. Attach a board on the backbone, and paste the mull. [support-website] With this done, you can continue binding the book with the general techniques. However, a new method of hollowing out the back is being introduced here. A hollow construction prevents the cover material from damage because the book can easily be opened up and closed without bending. The spine is made hollow by fitting a paper tube into it, which is attached to both the mull and the covering material. Place your book in a press such that the spine faces you as shown in figure 194. Measure the thickness and cut out a paper strip that is three times wider than this value. The height of the paper strip should also be about an inch more than the book’s height. Fold the paper into a triangular shape such that each surface takes up one third of the total area. Mark the centre region as A, and the side regions as B and C. Apply paste onto the backbone, and place the A panel of the triangular paper onto it with the point facing upwards as demonstrated in figure 195. Rub the surface and place panel B onto panel A as shown in figure 196. Apply paste onto panel B, and attach panel C onto it as illustrated in figure 197. Figure 194 – Using Paper to Measure the Thickness of the Spine Figure 195 – Measuring and Pasting Paper to the Spine Figure 196 – Pasting the 2nd Part of the Paper for Attaching onto the Spine Figure 197 – Folding Flap C onto Flap B Figure 198 – Trimming the Waste from Paper Applied to Spine Trim down the hollowed back along both edges as shown in figure 198 until it aligns with the cover boards. Attach the covering material, turn it inside across the edges, and paste it down. This completes rebinding stage of your old book. In the next section we will look into attaching the cover boards. Additional Resources Colin Hazlehurst’s Tutorial on Restoring an Old Book Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

This entry is part 12 of 12 in the series Introduction to BookbindingHeadbanding is the process of strengthening the head of a book. This is done by the sewing a cord onto the backbone behind the boards, which secures the signatures together more firmly. The result is a stronger binding construction, and even the backbone can be prevented from damage. A good video introduction into creating and sewing headbands can be found in this YouTube playlist. Well worth a watch before reading the rest of this tutorial. Enjoy! Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! Piercing the Holes For a headbanding, the holes should be pierced close to the centers of the folded signatures as shown in figure 208. Mark up the holes on the edge of the signatures; align a square card against the thickness on the folded edge and sketch a line that is about half an inch shorter than the book height. Leave this space at the heads of the signature as shown in figure 209. In case, the kettlestitches are at this same position, you can shift the line slightly towards the edge. Figura 208 – Furos nos festos dos cadernos para coser o requife. Figura 209 – Marcação do posicionamento para a costura do requife. Figure 210 – Using a Piercing Awl to Pierce through Book Signatures into Piercing Card Figure 211 – Using Folded Guide Slips (card) to Pierce Every Signature Take a cardboard that measures 2 inches in breadth and 4 inches in length, and place it inside the centre of the first signature. Push the card completely against the fold and pierce an awl through the signature right up to the edge of the cardboard as shown in figure 210. Using this same process, pierce every other signature. When you would be done, your signatures should resemble the image shown in figure 211. Threading the Headband Thread two needles with different color threads for a more attractive appearance. Tie their free ends together into a knot. Now start sewing the headband at signature numbered 1. Pry open the signature slightly by inserting a folding needle into its centre as shown in figure 212. Use the cardboard strips to locate the centre of the signature. Pass a thread through the pierced hole from the outside such that the needle is angled towards the top edge of the book as shown in figure 213. Pick up this thread from the center of the signature and tie the outside tail into a knot. This is illustrated in figure 214. Place a cord across the head of the book and pass the thread around it and out from the same hole through which you inserted it. Figure 215 depicts this step. Pull the thread tight so that the cord is flattened and secured in place over the signature as illustrated in figure 216. Tie the loose end with the first knot so that the stitch does not become loose. Now loop the thread two more times onto the cord and secure it by passing the thread beneath the cord, and into the loops as shown. This is shown in figure 217 and 218. Tie the end once more to the initial knot as shown in figure 219. Do not cut the tread and let it hang loose. Figure 212 – Prying Open the Book Signatures Before Starting to Sew Headbands to Signatures Figure 213 – Sewing Thread through the First Signature to Create Headband Figure 214 – Tying a Different Colour Thread to First Thread to Make the Headband Figure 215 – Wrapping Thread Around the Cord to Form the Book Head-Band Figure 216 – Tying off the First Headband Wrap around the Cord Figure 217 – Repeating the Wrapping Around the Headband Cord and Tying Off Now take the other thread, and wind it around the cord two times a shown in figure 220. The green loops should be completely lined up with the white loops so that no portion of the cord shows through them. Let this thread hang down. Pick up the loose end of the first thread and pass it into the second hole as shown in figure 221. This time wind it around the cord three times as illustrated in figure 222, and once again, secure the loops by passing the thread beneath the cord and into the loops. Tie this thread at the same position where you passed it into the second signature as shown in figure 223. Pick up the loose strands of the colored thread and tie it to the thread you just worked with. Proceed in the same manner; keep winding the threads around the cord until it is completely covered as shown in figure 224. Tie both the loose ends at the other end into the knot to secure your work, and cut off the tails. Now view your work; if you were neat and followed the technique exactly like given, no part of the cord would be visible and the ends of the headband would be aligned with the hinges. Just like with other binding techniques, headbanding requires sufficient practice. Until you do this, you would never be able to achieve a neat appearance. [support-website] Additional Resources A fantastic Step by Step Colour Tutorial on Making Headbands by Nat @ From Hell to Breakfast A good video and description of sewing a headband by Bookbinder’s Chronicle Another good headband tutorial on V for Books (tumblr blog) Edge Guilding and Sewing a Faux Headband – Bookbinding.com A little post with some good info on Endbands @ Badger and Chirp A collection of headband photos on Pinterest Monastic Endband Tutorial with some good photos Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

photography by Trisha Zemp I’m attending 2 conferences this week and I needed some last minute notebooks for my note taking so my stellar intern, Trisha Zemp, came up with this genius notebook idea from a brown paper bag that will take you 5 minutes. You probably already have everything you need to do […]

Oi, Pessoal! Vou acabar fazendo um compêndio sobre Encadernação nesse blog ... rsrs ... Trouxe mais um tutorial sobre lombada fechada com costura Cruzada Básica. Este vídeo mostra um exemplo de encadernação com capa em papel e com 3 fólios grossinhos. Mas, podemos fazê-lo com mais fólios. Fonte: You Tube Materiais: * 30 folhas A4 - 90g/m², dobradas ao meio, divididas em 3 fólios com 10 folhas cada. * Papel com gramatura de 240g / m² de para uma capa medindo 46x22cm. Se optar pelo couro, as medidas serão 48x22cm. (Sendo couro, a marcação será em 10, 14, 29 e 33cm). * Linha encerada * Agulha nº 1 * Agulhão Capa do caderno em papel Capa do caderno em couro Gabarito 22x4cm com 3 fileiras, com 7 furos cada. Passo a Passo: Voilá! *** Ate o Próximo post! Kika.

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As promised, here is the Winter coptic book that I am currently giving away over on my instagram - @paigetaylorevans! This book is very similar to the Christmas coptic book I made a few days ago. It is 4x6" and the covers are made from painted wood. First I painted the boards white then I die cut the freebie snowflake cut file from Hip Kit Club and used it as a mask with light blue paint. It's definitely not perfect, but I tried to make it all look intentional with some sanding here and there. I used pink thread to sew the binding and once again drilled three sets of three holes. I tied buttons, sequins a couple of tassels, a pearl, jewels, shaped paper clips, tiny jingle bells, puffy stickers, and wood veneer pieces into the binding. Lots and lots of texture! The inside papers are a mix of mostly Snow & Cocoa by Crate Paper, Juniper Berry by BasicGrey, Tis the Season by Elle's Studio, Yuletide by Pink Paislee, and a few random papers from past Christmas collections. The book lies completely flat so it's great for journaling and scrapbooking! I'm loving all the bright colors and pastels! This one will be hard to part with, ahh! Detail shots. Again, if you're interested in learning how to make these kinds of books as well as bookbinding kits, check out my etsy shop! Head on over to my instagam (@paigetaylorevans) to enter to win!

This entry is part 11 of 12 in the series Introduction to BookbindingSplit cover boards are used for heavy books with several signatures so that the construction remains solid and an adequate level of support can be provided. Figure 200 shows a split board that comprises of a mull and the endsheet placed in between a thick and thin piece of board. These board layers are used for stiffening purposes and conceal the mull and the endsheets between them. Cut four pieces of boards that are equal in size; two of them should be thin, and the other two should be thick. Apply some paste onto the mull; place tapes over it, and apply paste onto them as well as shown in figure 201. Fold the taped up mull onto the endsheet, and press it firmly as shown in figure 202. Figure 200 – An Example of a Split Cover Board Figure 201 -Pasting the Mull Figure 202 – Folding the Mull onto the Endsheet [support-website] Trim the top edge of the endsheet by one fourth of an inch, and put some paste onto it. Fold the endsheet over itself as illustrated in figure 203 such that its edge is at a distance of one fourth of an inch from the hinge. Rub the endsheet and remove all air bubbles. Turn this flap across the edge, and apply paste onto it as shown in figure 204. Place the thin cover board onto the signatures as shown in figure 205, and paste the turned over flap onto it as depicted in figure 206. Attach the thick board onto this as shown in figure 207, and ensure the edges are smooth and aligned. Leave your work for about twelve hours; when it dries up, rub sandpaper on the edges. Figure 203 – Flattening out the Endsheet using a Brush Figure 204 – Folding Back the First Flap Figure 205 – Aligning the Thin Cover Board and Pasting the Flap Figure 206 – Folding the Flap onto the Thin Cover Board Figure 207 – Pasting the Thick Cover Board onto the Thin Board Your book now will not be damaged easily because it is protected by a really strong binding form. Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

Evelin Kasikov is a former advertising art director turned typographic artist and illustrator. Originally from Estonia, she moved to London in 2006 to study

42 Awesome Bookbinding Signature Designs and Stitching Ideas to get your creative juices flowing... Enjoy!