BOOKBINDING

The techniques I use are traditional to this ancient craft, including hand tools and manual machines. Notebooks are either hand stitched or spiral bound.

HAND STITCHED NOTEBOOKS

These notebooks when finished are a traditional style notebook with a flat spine and open flat. Perfect for writing and sketching.

This technique requires folded pages, called signatures, to be sewn together to form a book block. To do this I use a wooden sewing frame. After trimming on the guillotine the book blocks need their spines lined. Mull and kraft paper form the spine linings and book hinge, this work happens in the finishing press. Endbands and bookmarks are also added at this stage. The covers are prepared and then the book block is cased in. After finishing in the nipping press you have your completed notebook.

SPIRAL BOUND NOTEBOOKS

Spiral binding enables me to create sketckbooks and journals that have the capacity for added material. You may want to keep memorabilia from a special event or travel ephemera together in a memory book and this type of binding is perfect.

The worn books are stripped of damaged spines and any parts that cannot be used. Cartridge paper is trimmed with any originals to fit back within the covers. The useful envelopes and bookmark are added next, then they are ready to bind.

I have a small manual binder that can punch through the hard covers of books and also close the spiral to hold the pages and covers together. It is quite a physical process but very satisfying.

My work is sustainable, nostalgic, full of fun and packed with personality.