For the cover, select
a suitable light cardboard or heavy paper. If what you choose is not
heavy
enough, laminate two different papers together to obtain the required
weight.
Materials
• sheet of heavy paper for
the cover measuring at least 370
x 560 mm (15 x 22 in)
• 4-6 sheets of plain paper — 110 gsm cartridge
would be suitable
• 1 sheet of contrasting or toning paper for the endpapers
• 400 mm (16 in) length of wooden dowel approximately 9 mm (%
in) in diameter
• acrylic ink, if staining wooden dowel
• wax polish
• 1 m (39 in) thick natural linen thread
1. Cut the paper for the cover so that it measures
365 x 520
mm (1 4~ x 20J4 in). Fold in half along the long side, carefully
matching
the edges. Its dimensions should now be 365 x 260 mm (14k x 10~4 in).
2. To form your single section, measure and cut the
sheets
of plain paper to the same height as the cover, but make the width
marginally
wider. Fold each sheet in half along the long side, matching the edges,
then insert the sheets one inside the other.
3. Cut and fold the endpapers as in step 2 and wrap
them around
the single section. Cut the edges to the same width as the cover with a
knife and straight-edge.
4. Using dividers, mark the seven stations down the
center
of the opened-out section of folded sheets by dividing the length of
the
spine into eight regular intervals, then prick though them with a
needle.
Mark the Cover in the same way using a punch to take out neat holes of
about 6 mm (% in) in diameter.
5. Cut a piece of dowel to the exact length of the
spine. Smooth
off each end squarely with fine sandpaper, sand the length of the wood
to obtain a really smooth finish, and polish it with wax polish to
bring
up the grain and protect the wood. Alternatively, you could stain the
wood
with acrylic ink, using a soft cloth to work the color in. When the ink
is dry polish as before.
6. The book is now ready to assemble. Cut a piece
of linen
thread about twice the length of the spine and pull it through a block
of beeswax . Thread the needle. Place the section of folded sheets and
endpapers inside the folded cover, lining up the sewing
holes, and
open out the whole. Starting from the bottom, push the needle through
the
first hole from inside to outside and through the hole in the cover,
leaving
a long enough thread end on the inside to tie off later. Place the
dowel
in position, against the spine, take the thread around it and go back
through
exactly the same hole to the inside. Take the needle up to the next
hole,
go through again and out of the cover, around the dowel and back
through
the same hole, pulling as firmly as you can. Continue this process,
sewing
up the book until you come to the last hole. Keep the tension the same
all the way.
7. Tie off the thread on the inside of the section
by looping
the needle under the last stitch and through the resulting ioop twice.
Pull tightly and cut off the end to within 15 mm (% in). Go back to the
beginning and tie off the other end in the same way.
In
an age when so much is mass produced, a handmade book -- like
home-grown
produce or hand-crafted furniture -- is something to be treasured.
This
book explains the basics of bookbinding, including materials, tools and
techniques; and it outlines 13 step-by-step projects that beginners can
tackle.
Although
basic, the projects are nevertheless creative, clever and useful. They
include a single-section book sewn on two wooden dowels, a
single-section
case binding, and a leather-bound pocket book.
Crafted
with care and attention to detail, the handmade books in this volume
will
make attractive gifts, personalized journals or handy notebooks.
Published
in a large format with color photo illustrations, The
Handmade Book includes a special showcase section of
contemporary bindings
by some of today's best bookbinders.
