Here was a Belgian Secret Stitch sketchbook I made for my spouse. I wanted to try making another one of these books because they were so much fun. I also experimented in using less sketch paper in each signature (bundle of paper) and it worked much better. I did the same on the smaller sketch book in the next post.
Here are two long-stitch books with different patterns. The first (the black one) is a long-stitch sketch book and the other is a criss-cross pattern. Both look awesome! The red threads on the second one at the top and bottom were actually to cover up the fact that I made the book too long for the paper and only realized after making the holes
“The real story isn't half as pretty as the one you've heard.”
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
I loved the folktale quality to this book and sought to reflect that in the design by using a lot of pattern. The story also has motifs of silver turning into gold and ice & fire.
We had our first quiet Saturday in a long time. This afternoon we made some time for art and creativity! @dohappybelove did the watercolor painting and @seanbala made a long-stitch book. The inside of Sean's book was made from an old calendar that we had lying around.
“I will serve you ’til the end of days.” ✨
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
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This started as a burst binding and I converted it to sewn on flat cords. I was reading this during my off time at a recent class at the American Academy of Bookbinding and decided I wanted to take a swing at breaking down this type of binding since so many of the books I enjoy are published this way. There are signatures after all...there's just also A LOT of glue...
Last two books for my Bookmaking Class at Lillstreet! First one is a French chain long stitch book. I LOVE the cover and the pattern on spine but had some trouble with the paper.
The second one is a Belgian Secret Stich. This was such a fun one to make - and it feels so professional, too!
When we visited Portland last summer, the only place we went many times was Powell's City of Books. It is the best bookstore in the world. I grabbed an extra bag because I knew I wanted to make a book out of it.
Craft Project! I have a beloved Kobo Libra H2O. It has a proprietary case covered in a blue fake leather that began to flake. I took it off and for a while went with the cloth underneath. But that was beginning to fray and so I decided to fix it with my ninja bookmaking skills. Probably should have used a thinner cloth for the magnet but it looks beautiful!
Bound in black goat leather with hand-painted edges,
hand-painted endpages, and a foil design on the cover.
I did a write-up on my blog about my design choices
and techniques for this bind. If you're ineterested head
on over to my website (blackoakbindery.com)!
Today it is a butterfly stitch book. It is a bit loose and rests open pretty easily. Similar to a Coptic stich but a bit easier on the hands...and I love the interwoven threads 🤗
Second week of class at Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago - next week is learning Longstitch Books!
I finished my first book-binding project! I'm so excited and proud!!! I know several things I'll do differently next time, but despite some wonkiness I think these books are beautiful.
It's a wonderful novella and I knew it had to be the first thing I bind. I made one folio edition and one quarto edition, because I wanted to try both sizes to see how they worked. I'm going to be sending one copy to the author and I will be keeping the other copy for myself.
Started a new #bookmaking class on Visibly Sewn Books at Lillstreet Art Center in #Chicago. I’ll definitely post new projects when they are completed!
Here are some old pamphlet stitch #books that are some late Christmas presents.
The left one has a bookmark from Powell’s in #Portland, the middle is from an old calendar, and the one on the right has a sticker from Death Wish #Coffee. Amazing how rounding corners makes things look better!
There was talk on discord about styling books based on corsetry and I immediately thought, "but what if it's not just aesthetic? what if it's functional?"
In this sketchbook, the sections are sewn individually, pamphlet style. The lacing is the only thing holding everything together. #HydeMakesBooks#bookbinding
Did you know there's no such thing as a home saddle-stitching machine? Tons of videos about how to hand saddle stitch a booklet you've made (ex https://youtu.be/aWHkY5jOoqM), but NO consumer machines, only $3,000+ ones.
There are lots of indie projects like small RPGs that could be distributed as a folded zine, BUT can't be (from home) because they're too thick for a stapler and hand sewing doesn't scale.
I'm getting back into bookbinding. Now that I have a spiffy hot foil imprint machine I can make impressive leather bindings. (Book making is an excuse I gave myself to justify the cost of the imprinting machine.) I'm starting with a blank journal that I'll probably title: I'm Not As Think As You Drunk I Am: A Memoir. #BookBinding#LeatherCraft#DIY
Spring learning events for the
London & South region of Society of Bookbinders are now open to members, non-members, UK based and international. Join us to learn about:
Secret Belgian Bookbinding (online)
Popups (online)
Decorated Papers (in person)
Hakochitsu, Japanese box cases (in person)
Contemporary bookbinding decoration techniques (in person)
#fanbinding#bookbinding#HydeMakesBooks For this winter's renegade bindery exchange, I bound the series "Joy in the Midst of These Things" in four stab bound volumes with a wraparound hard case.
#bookbinding geeks: what do you call a machine that makes saddle-stitch bindings? I'm finding lots of industrial machines that use staples but nothing that uses thread.
I wasn't sure at first how the navy blue dye would turn out on these books, but I absolutely love it! It's a perfect match for the gold and gives a night sky feel.
I used gold paint for the designs and metal studs for the starbursts in the corners.