Bookbinding 3 - Independent Stream

Bookbinding 3 introduces the advanced techniques used for traditional leather covered and fine binding structures such as leather paring, lacing-in of boards, and covering-in on the book. Participants will make two models, both with sewn headbands, attached boards, and one at least covered in half leather. The first model will be sewn on tapes or recessed cords with a hollow tube construction; the second model will be sewn on raised cords with a tight back construction.

Enrichment module: Introduction to Leather is designed as an adjunct to Bookbinding 3. The workshop is a comprehensive introduction to the different types of leather and explores a variety of paring techniques used in bookbinding.

The Independent Stream for Bookbinding 3 consists of approximately 8 hours of videos in MP4 format, a manual and includes the Introduction to Leather module which consists of 3 hours of video in MP4 format and a manual. The materials will be provided for download from the Thinkific platform.

Topics new to Bookbinding 3 include:

- Hollow back & tight shoulder 90-degree pivot construction
- Tight back & tight shoulder 90-degree pivot construction
- Spine preparation for a tight back
- Loop Stitch, raised cord sewing
- Review of rounding and backing
- Lacing in boards
- Leather paring for the joint, spine, and corners
- Covering in leather
- Forming headcaps
- More variations on primary sewn endbands including the Chris Clarkson/Italian Vellum endband
- Endpapers, including the German Zigzag

This workshop is based on an in-person workshop with limits on time for the participants, so the projects are worked on in tandem – parts of Book 1 can dry while Book 2 can be worked on, so the manual is presented in this manner to parallel the videos as much as possible.

WORKSHOP PROJECT OUTLINE

Book1

Book 1 has a hollow back, and hollow tube, but is tight shoulder. This is a tight-jointed version of Book 2 in Bookbinding 2. A variety of options are available on how the book is completed depending on the participant’s interest in exploring various techniques.

- Sewing: lap stitched, sewn on recessed cords, sewn on flattened cords or tape sewn
- Spine: can be smooth or have false raised bands
- Covering: half cloth and paper or half leather and cloth/paper
- Endpaper: cloth hinge, visible hooked
- Trimming the textblock: trim either the head only or all three sides
- Endbands: handsewn – one book to have the Chris Clarkson endband and one done in two colours – either a single core or double core
- Round and back to a 90-degree shoulder
- Boards are hung on the textblock
- Edge treatments: ivory edge or coloured edge

Book 2

Book 2 is the new construction - a tight back, tight joint and a tight shoulder and is the classic pre-1850 construction. It has the following specifications for how the book should be made.

- Sewing: loop stitched, sewn on raise cords
- Spine: tight back with raised bands
- Covering: half leather and paper/cloth
- Endpaper: leather hinge, German zigzag
- Round and back to a 90-degree shoulder
- Boards are laced in
- Trimming the textblock: trim either the head only or all three sides
- Endbands: handsewn – one book to have the Chris Clarkson endband and one done in two colours – either a single core or double core
- Edge treatments: ivory edge or coloured edge

TOOLS

Bookbinding 2 requires some specialized tools. Click here for a PDF with suggestions. A more comprehensive resource list can be found in the suppliers list.

NOTES

The Home Study Independent Stream workshops are not eligible as prerequisites for in-studio workshops nor towards a CBBAG Certificate of Completion.

CBBAG Home Study materials are copyrighted. In purchasing any Home Study workshop participants must agree to the CBBAG the Home Study Programme Policy and may not duplicate the manuals or videos except for their personal educational use.

Policy

Click here for the Home Study policy.