Bookbinding Materials and Techniques 1700-1920

Bookbinding Materials and Techniques 1700-1920 by Margaret Locke is a book published by CBBAG and it can be purchased bound or in sheets (available through the CBBAG website if you're interested). I purchased an unbound copy ages ago. The sheets sat on my "shelf of unfinished projects" for a couple years, actually. I bound it, finally. Using a split board library binding, quarter leather, and my own original marbled papers. I even marbled the edges of the textblock to match. Now I can read it!

Book #240

Hollow Tube Rebinding

Today's book is another example of a rebound perfect-bound paperback, this time made with a hollow tube to create a rounded spine. False bands, split boards. Quarter leather and my own marbled paper.

Book #226

German Paper Binding 6

Yes, I realize that my books have been a tad redundant this week; but, each one differs in construction to some extent. Today's version of the German Paper Binding is made with unsupported link stitch sewing and tipped in endsheets. Still the same cloth spine, paper-covered boards (using my own marbling), and trimmed flush at head and tail.

Book #220

Beethoven's Fifth

This is one of Smith's 3-section bindings using uneven bars, which he calls Beethoven's Fifth.

This journal is available in my Etsy shop.

Book #213

Double-Leaved Album

Today's book is another Japanese accordion album structure. This format evolved in Japan because the Japanese papers have a "right side" and a "wrong side" - so the right side is on the front of the accordion and the wrong side is on the back of the accordion. With this double-leaved structure, the folded sheets are adhered "wrong side" to "wrong side" so that the finished accordion has the "right side" on both sides. I hope that made sense!

Book #203

Linked Xs

Back to the 2-section sewings for today. This is one with linked X stitches and I just repeated it to accommodate six sections.

This journal is available on Etsy.

Book #198

Tied Bow

Here it is again. A two-section binding from Smith's book, tripled for a six section journal.

Book #195

Alpha

Another two-section stitching technique, tripled for six sections. I did alter this stitching pattern a bit, if you are following along in Smith's book. I was not happy with the anchor stitch that he was using so I came up with another way to get it started.

This journal is available on Etsy.

Book #192

Slotted Longstitch 6

I did not expect to have six variations on the longstitch through a slotted cover bindings; but, here we are. This time, combined with a chain.

Book #188

Slotted Longstitch 3

This is another variation on the slotted longstitch that I was talking about yesterday. It looks more like Book #137, but this variation is designed so that the visible stitching is symmetrical with an odd number of signatures.

Book #176

Case Binding, paper spine

Yet another variation on the case binding. The most obvious differences being the paper spine and endsheet attachment.

Book #174

Crossed Structure Hidden

This is an example of the crossed structure binding which Arregui calls the "CSB hidden".

Book #115

Green Binding No. 5

Yet another book made from repurposed materials. I used a zipper coffee bag for the cover and the pages are cut from brown paper bags. I made a closure using an old button. For this book, I did use new linen thread... otherwise everything else was repurposed.

Thanks to Carley who told me about books she had made using these kinds of plastic zipper bags. I used a different binding than hers. For mine, I used one of Keith Smith's 3-section stitches called haxagonals. I really like how the cover has a pocket built in, since the zipper closure is still intact on the front so it could be used to hold a pencil or other small items.

Book #103

Dash & Bars

I have being trying a few more of the two-section stitches in Smith's book. He calls this one dash & bars.

Book #90

Islamic Binding 3

I have another Islamic binding to present today. It is similar in construction to the book I showed yesterday, but there are some differences thus changing its categorization. Most notably, this example features leather tabs at the head and tail and no fore-edge flap. I am unsure if there is a special name for this kind of Islamic book (if you know, please tell me).

Book #89

Islamic Binding 2

Today's book is a typical example of Islamic bookbinding, consisting of full leather over boards with a fore-edge flap that tucks under the front cover, and hand-sewn Islamic endbands of course.

Book #86

Diamond X

This is another 3-section sewing technique that I got from Keith Smith's book. He calls it Diamond X.

Book #74

Half cloth case binding, rounded spine

Another example of a case binding, half cloth with rounded spine.

Book #68

Flat Back case binding, quarter cloth

Another case binding, flat back with quarter cloth.

Book #50

Palm Leaf Book

I made this book using the structure of the traditional Indian palm leaf books. It contains the text of "The Ancient Sage" by Tennyson.