CRAFT BINDING HAND MADE BOOKS

Craft binding: books simply produced using commonly available materials and without using specialized bookbinding tools and equipment.

Criteria:

Notes:

OUTLINE

* Bookbinding protocol requires page one be Recto (Right hand page) versus Verso (left hand page).
* Sewing on tapes is not really necessary for this kind of binding -- the model section is sewn onto Artist canvas instead of tapes.
* Section (also called Signature) is a gathering of folded pages that are sewn together as a unit.
* Case binding wherein the "case" is made up separately from the sewn-up section is considered to be inferior (to, say, Library style binding) by Bookbinding devotees. However it is an inexpensive way to bind books, is easily learned and appropriate for single section craft binding.
* Although any cloth or paper can be used to cover the boards, leather was used for the model.
* I used 8.5" x 11" standard American size paper for the model pages due to its wide availability.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

* Paper make and type is optional. Weight should be such that the sewn-up sections are not too thick and yet are thick enough to avoid excessive "see through".
* As mentioned previously, Artists canvas (acid free) can be substituted for traditional mull.
* Mull -- open mesh cloth used for backing sewn-up sections (folded around).
Standard 2ply artists mat board is ideal for this binding being acid free and light weight.
* #16 Carpet thread obtainable at fabric shops is plenty strong enough and wear resistant.
* Sewing thread should be run though a block of beeswax (obtainable at fabric/craft shops) for ease of sewing.
* 5" Dollmaker's needles (obtainable at fabric/craft shops) make sewing up sections easier for many people.
* PVA glues work very well although many craft binders prefer regular hand mixed wheat paste. Make sure glues and tapes are acid-free/archival quality.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT (cont)

* As mentioned earlier, specialized Bookbinding tools are not required for Craft binding single section hand written books.
* Several smoothly sanded pieces of plywood (approx. 9" x 12") make excellent pressing boards.
* Use protective wax paper sheets between pressing boards and glued material surfaces.
* Heavy books press almost as well as a Bookbinder's standing press for single section books.
* Bodkin -- sharp pointed awl for piercing sections at the fold preparatory to sewing.
* Use high quality Artist's paste brushes to avoid loose bristle contamination.

LAYOUT

* I think the "time honored" triangulation page margin layout method is unecessarily complicated for simple single section hand written book production. Several different text margin formulae have been advocated by teaching Calligraphers over the years. In general, all of them produce text margins that are horizontally co-equal and provide a generous bottom margin to accommodate holding the book for reading in the traditional manner. One common prescription (illustrated by Graily Hewitt in "Lettering") for page margin proportions was: 1 (inner fold): 2 (side): 1.5 (top) 2 (bottom). I prefer the proportions 1: 2: 1 3 which closely approximates the "time honored" triangulation proportions (see the Page margin layout pattern below).
* Square -- the protective allowance between the section page edges and the case edges.
* A generous hinge allowance is necessary to permit full opening of the finished book and to prevent strains in opening and closing.

BOOK WRITING HANDS

* In developing or adapting any writing hand it is important to concentrate on producing well formed letters. Individual style is incorporated after the basic letter forms have been well learned. The goal is to produce finely crafted letters and a unique, individual writing style at a practical writing speed. The letter forms may not be as pretty as when written slowly and deliberately, but they will still possess a basic loveliness and be eminently readable.
* Main body text writing is usually somewhat formal and even with letterforms that are mostly upright and of round construction, the minuscule letter bodies being typically 4 nib widths high and formed within an imaginary square. The angle of the nib to the line of writing is typically maintained at 30 deg. rather than the 45 deg. employed with Italic writing. In general, spacing between letters is kept uniform using somewhat extended lower serifs.

METHODOLOGY

Patterns and Templates (depicted below) should be made up and used throughout the book production.

Making the Section
* Writing base lines are laid out and drawn on the unfolded pages using a light pencil.
* The pages are numbered (a mock-up of folded pages aids in visualizing page numbering sequence) and the writing accomplished so that pages with errors can be easily replaced. Pages can be reproduced at this time if desired *
* The selected pages (including the end papers) are gathered together and sharply and exactly folded into a section.
* The mull is cut to pattern and glued on the section end paper.
* The sewing holes are pierced in the section fold and the section sewn up.
* The section foredge is trimmed using a metal ruler and sharp (X-acto) knife.

* You may wish to reproduce the pages for the subsequent making of additional books -- that is what I did in order to provide my students with models, one of which I feature on this web page. You can literally become your own Publisher -- a neat way to provide copies of personally hand-written and bound books to family members and friends as especially meaningful gifts.

METHODOLOGY (cont)

Making the case
* The Boards are cut to size and the sharp edges sanded.
* The boards are positioned to pattern on the cover material and glued down.
* After pressing and drying, the turnovers are mitred and glued down.
* The section is very carefully positioned in the case and the end papers glued to the back board first with the book open and then to the front board with the book closed. Great care should be exercised to prevent glue getting on to the board covering material.

Finishing
* After pressing and drying the book the label is made up and glued on the front board.
* The book is flexed and checked.

COLOPHON

* Colophon -- the author's statement at the end of a book that explains how and why the book was made together with important information relating to the content.
* The Colophon is always written on the last Recto page of the (final) section.
* There are numerous excellent books available that offer sound information relating to craft bookbinding. My personal favorite (that I have used as a student text on several occasions) is Basic Bookbinding by A. H. Lewis (Dover Publications) which is available new for about $8 -- cheaper yet from used book purveyors. Everyone interested in craft bookbinding should own and reference such a book in order to become familiar with book binding terms, selecting materials and mastering the basic techniques such as cutting, sewing, glueing, pressing, determining paper grain direction, checking pH, and so on ..........



Templates and layout Patterns


PAGE MARGIN LAYOUT PATTERN


FOLIO LAYOUT PATTERN


FOLIO SEWN ON CANVAS MULL AND POSITIONED IN CASE PATTERN



RECOMMENDED REFERENCES, RESOURCES & SOURCES
(In my opinion with particular relevance to craft binding single section hand written books)

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