257. Gift Sketchbook for CM

Hardbound, handmade Sketchbook, 5.5" x 5.5"

We're going to Jamaica! My niece's best friend told me that when my niece has nothing to draw on she draws on her hand. I knew then what to take for her. This one is bound with Japanese silk, Gamma purple bookcloth and Japanese 'wove' decorative paper.

The greatest thing about being able to make a gift for someone is that not only is it unique but it's also from the heart.

245. Sketchbook Transformation

Re-cased shop-bought sketchbook, 7.5" x 7.5"

I asked my husband: "Why do you think I've never used this sketchbook even though I've had it over five years and like the size?"  His reply: "Because it's boring??"  I didn't need any further encouragement...

Case removed and lovely bright bookcloth added.

Japanese 'wove' paper added then re-bound and pressed for 12 hours.

That's better!

(Posted later.)

242. Gift Sketchbook for RM

Hardbound, hand-made Sketchbook bound with

various types of paper for drawing and painting, A5

Got this stitched, cased and pressed in the nick of time! I made the bookcloth as I'd seen and liked this fabric quite a few months ago.

(Posted later.)

228. Gift Sketchbook for MD

Hardbound Sketchbook, 5.5" x 5.5"

(for the process, please click 'Bookbinding' in the 'Labels' list to the right)

226. Throwback Thursday - Sketchbook

Quarter Bound Hardback Sketchbook, 5.5" x 5.5"

Felt I wanted to post something but wasn't sure what so I've dug out these photos of a sketchbook which was a gift for an artist whose birthday was on Valentine's Day. As in some of my other sketchbooks, I stitched in two types of paper so inserted identifying notes.

Bookcloth made for the 'Quarter'

 

225. Pleased as Punch!

Two 'Quarter Bound' Hardback A5 Sketchbooks:

A5 Chunky (laying flat) and...

… A5 Slim

Levitating in my office

You probably know me by now - when I bind a book, I want it to be bound traditionally, to last for decades and also to be fit the purposes of the recipient. For a while now, I have been researching how to achieve 'lay flat' binding in a chunky book with a rigid (not rounded) spine - a ton of stuff has been written about it on bookbinding forums, etc.

It has been suggested that the only way to achieve it is to use or buy one of three machines which seals it with an adhesive. Apparently, the only way to achieve a 'lay flat' effect by hand-stitching is to use coptic binding but, although the books are absolutely beautiful to look at, not everyone wants to work with all that stitching down the middle of some of the pages. I felt I had to try to perfect it by hand and have been scrutinising numerous case bound, stitched books to see the difference between those that lay flat and those that dip in the middle.

I was recently asked to make a book with a lot of pages which, again, would contain some drawing paper and some watercolour paper - the paper I used is the lovely Fabriano 5 watercolour paper so it's quite thick and thus weighty. She chose her fabrics from my little selection and I made up some bookcloth. (The spot is for someone else.)

Anyway, I am pleased to report that thanks to a lot of research and some experimentation (as well as prayer!), it has finally worked! Yippee!

I threw in the smaller book, as a gift, which contains Fabriano 4 fairly smooth watercolour paper that she can use on the train or at sketchcrawls, etc., where you often have to stand and sketch/paint and, instead of the ribbon close used for the chunky one (which would be fiddly in the field), I put ribbon along the edges of the 'quarter' so it would match it's sibling.

 Making book cloth

Bookcloth made!

Textblocks stitched and ready for the 'chunky' and

one ready for the spotted bookcloth

Handmade 'stamp' in back endpapers

Ooops! Forgot to rotate the photo.

A few more random pics of the chunky...

 

(two bookmarks for ease of reference)

… and of the slim one.

Thanks for reading this far; I do appreciate you all!

217. Gift Sketchbook and WIP Pics - LR

Hardbound Sketchbook Gift, 5.5" x 5.5"

(more photos of the finished result are at the bottom of this post)

(There is only one rule in bookbinding:

The grain in the paper, cloth and board must run from head to tail.

City & Guilds)

I'm actually working on five books at the same time and might do a sixth. This is a birthday present and I spent a lot of time wondering what colour to use for the ribbon tie, bookmark and endpapers as there are a few colours in the design that would do. I'm really happy with this green. Below, as usual, are work-in-progress images; to see some other books that I've made, click the 'bookbinding' label to the right.

What's going on here? Making templates for the stitching

One book must suffer so others might live!

The poor Yellow Pages has at least one use in our house -

it saves the furniture (and me) from being stabbed by the awl.

Three of the five text blocks, ready for the stitch holes to be punched.

My handmade Fabriano sketchbook in the background. I'm keeping that one.

Do you recognise the fabric?

You can see the templates for the 'square' and the A5 text blocks.

All the signatures in the text blocks have now been stabbed.

Stitching can commence. (I use waxed thread for added strength.)

Signatures stitched around two pieces of sewing tape and green endpapers added.

Spine glued with archival EVA and bulldogs hold it together for now.

(To see my stitching, see some of the other 'bookbinding' posts.)

When the glue is almost dry, the bookmark is added.

Headbanding added; I may sew my own one of these days!

Mull added for further reinforcement then a green lining strip added on top.

Making the 'case'. Greyboard for the front, back and spine is

measured out then adhered to the book covering with EVA.

Corners trimmed so they fold and tuck in neatly.

Folding before pasting.

Case made and spine creases added for a nice shape.

Slits made in the case, ribbon ties fed through then

the slits hammered closed to lock in the ties.

Archival glue added to ensure the ribbons cannot break free over time.

Magazine paper is as good as glassine paper to ensure 

the endpapers don't stick together in the pressing process.

Boards added on top to protect the book covering and

to keep it all flat during the 12-hour press.

My usual 'stamp' hand-drawn/written.

Close up.

All done - top view.

Finito! Off to bed!