Book-Making Workshop.

Today I went down to the Vernon Street campus in a small group for a workshop in book making which I found really rewarding: fun, useful, creative, and yet really quite simple- the perfect combination!

The first style we learnt to create (one I had used once before) was named a "pamplet stitch"- a simple bind in the left-hand spine of the book using a fine needle and thread to bind together.

Folding sheets of paper in half, we drew a small hole in the centre of the middle page spine crease, and then two either side. 

I used a needle to poke through the holes to the other side of the book, ensuring that the pages were neatly together, the hole passed the entire way through evenly.

We passed the needle through the centre hole from the outside of the book, and then through the bottom hole from the inside- then, on the outside of the book, looping it over a hole to the top- finally then feeding it through the middle hole again from the inside.

At this point, we tied the two ends of thread together, and cut off the excess.

This method was very simple, and could create a quick and easy jot-book which could also lay flat... 

The next style was named "japanese stab binding"- in which we drew a line half an inch down on the page, and marked and drilled 5 dots along the top, sewing together in a running stitch-esque style. Despite not being quite as practical as the pamphlet stitch book in that it would lay flat, I really liked the appearance of the flip-book like piece, and thought that the style of the stitch was a really simple, yet effective touch.

The Japanese Stab- Binding (Above)...

We then went on to develop a hardback concertina book, which though taking a little more time than the other two styles, I believe, was entirely worth it.

We folded several pieces of paper, and then placed them at alterate sides- so that the v-shaped opening alternated, left to right, left to right, etc.

We drew pencil crosses on the corners of the folded sides, and then glued appopriately- securing the glue fastening to dry in a vice for a short while. 

To make the hardcovers, we covered a piece of greyboard in coloured buckram and then stuck the two sides on the end pieces of the concertina to complete the book... 



I really loved the results from the book making workshop, and will definately both partake in further drop-in workshops that the college provide, and experimenting in making my own books for my current project, and future projects (i have already bought the greyboard ready!)!