Thursday, December 31, 2015

Book #292

Millimeter Binding

My binding today is the millimeter binding. I think this is the same as the German structure called edelpappband. There seem to be some variations of the millimeter / edelpappband all using the same name, and I think this is one of them. The tiny bit of leather trim at the head and tail of the spine are typical of these bindings and in this case, I also used a 1mm trim along the fore edges.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Book #291

Double-fan Adhesive

Today's book is an example of a double-fan adhesive binding, which I use for binding thesis like this one and similar documents where the textblock is a stack of loose sheets that cannot be sewn.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Book #290

Hardcover Stab Binding

My binding for today is a hardcover 3-hole stab binding with Kangxi corners, all dressed up for Christmas. Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it, and endless happy wishes to everyone whether you celebrate anything at all at this time of year!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Book #289

Double Rasied Cords with Kettle

This time I did an exposed binding with double raised cords, using a kettle stitch as the change-over. Not as pretty as the single packed cord, but quite functional.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Book #288

Double raised cords with packed cord change-over

This binding does not have a very concise name; the name is more like a short description. Sewing on double raised cords originated a long time ago, certainly as early as the 14th Century, I beleive, maybe earlier? It would have been a covered spine, though. Here I have tried to make it a bit more decorative and used it as an exposed spine binding using leather thongs. I incorporated single packed cords at the head and tail as change-over stations.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Book #287

Limp Vellum Binding

There are lots of bindings that could be described as limp vellum bindings, but this particular type of binding seems to have the distinction of owning the official "limp vellum binding" title. This style has its textblock sewn onto sewing supports (of parchment or other leather), including endbands, and then the supports are laced into a vellum wrapper. (Although I have to admit that my model shown here, has a cover of heavy handmade paper, rather than vellum.)

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Book #286

Celtic Weave and Chain

I decided that I should try the Celtic weave again. This time, I combined one weave with four rows of chain stitches. The weave part worked better this time. I also like the stability of the chain stitches, so I think this combination is a better structure than the weave by itself.

Monday, December 14, 2015

Book #285

Celtic Weave

This Celtic weave binding is one of the techniques in Keith Smith's book of exposed spine bindings. This little example here is my very first attempt... obviously. He mentions in the instructions that it is very important to consistently drop your threads to the same side each time and I accidentally switched sides halfway through my sewing on this book so it's a rather poor example of what this binding can be!

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Book #284

Tegumentum Violaceum

This is another limp binding model based on the books examined in Limp Bindings from Tallin. The original was a church's record of accounts in the late 15th Century. Certainly one of the trickier books I have made recently. The textblock is sewn on double raised cords and then attached to the cover with tackets and there is a small wooden support in between the layers of leather.

Monday, December 07, 2015

Book #283

Tegumentum Rubicundum

Today's binding is made in the manner of a 16th Century town register that Langwe examined. The primary binding is actually sewn onto double raised cords, after which the textblock is tacketed to the cover. Apparently the original had 54 signatures! I didn't use quite so many.

Sunday, December 06, 2015

Book #282

Tegumentum Fuscum

Another of the bindings examined in Limp Bindings from Tallinn.

Thursday, December 03, 2015

Book #281

Tegumentum Candidum

Tegumentum candidum is another binding examined by Monica Langwe Berg in her book Limp Bindings from Tallinn. The original was a merchant's book from the early 1400s, with direct tacketing. I used artificial sinew for the stitching rather than parchment strips.