I recently attended a fun book binding workshop taught by
the talented Samantha Nardelli at Artworks in downtown Scranton which was sponsored by Artworks and GreenBeing.
The class was in the art studio at Artworks which is cozy and well-lit; a perfect spot for a small creative workshop. In
this class, we learned the basics of book binding and each created our own “long
stitch” bound book out of recycled materials, watercolor paper and fabric. Here is a sneak peak of what we did.
Long-stitch bookbinding is exactly like it sounds: a
book bound with long stitches that connect the book pages to the spine. We used watercolor paper with deckeled edges which are perfect for sketching and painting books, journaling or recipes.
The books we created had fabric covers and were made of four signatures, or sections, each individually stitched into the cover to create a loose spine. We used a deckeler (but a ruler will also work) to make a deckeled (feathered or rough) edge giving it a very handmade look.
The binding process involved hand-sewing each signature into the fabric cover after creating a set of stitch holes with an awl (bookbinding tool used for piercing the signatures- pictured above).
{All put together and ready to be bound!}
{All put together and ready to be bound!}
The hand sewing itself took about 30 minutes or so and soon we all had our own handmade book, ready to be used for whatever we like.
The happy class!
I'm using mine as a fall recipe book. I've already added my latest recipe for stuffed poblano peppers. Yum!
The happy class!
I'm using mine as a fall recipe book. I've already added my latest recipe for stuffed poblano peppers. Yum!
Stay tuned for a step-by-step tutorial!
Basic stitching techniques for book binding include the Kettle Stitch, which is the basic link stitch you can use to connect your pages. You should also become familiar with how to stitch in between and within the cords of the book cover or pages, as well as sewing split leather or double cords together. Tools that you'll need for book binding include a drill (depending on what material you want to use for the front and back covers of your book), tapestry needles, a utility knife, a pencil, and a clean, flat surface to work on.
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