Wrenn's Crafting: Book Making!

[Wrenn_Rosencrantz]

I'm a crafting fiend.  I love finding new things I can make, and I just dive right in.  (Not the best for my wallet, hehe)

A couple of weeks back, I wandered into a video on YouTube as I did my craft-video-roving.  It was on book binding.  Now, as a kid, I made my own books all the time!  Stapler, paper, I was good to go.  I tried sewing one together once, but it didn't turn out so well.  So, when I found this video, I was hooked!

I bought the materials (not too bad), and I set about making coptic stitch books!  I've made two so far, one as a test, and the second as a more serious one.  I thought I would share my second attempt with you wonderful people. 

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The front cover.

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The back cover.  (Can you spot the oopsie?)

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A view of the side stitching and the front cover.

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The inside.

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The inside front cover.

What do you guys think?  I had so much fun making it, I think I'm addicted!  I want to make more, but I don't know what I would do with the extras!

[Rainsong]

Of course, I think it's freaking awesome, but who am I to judge

Yannow, just yer roomie an' all >.> That crazy lady you live with...

*fangirl squee*

[AnnaPommes]

wohoo, welcome to the great world oof book binding! it´s really addicting!
i tend to spend a lot of money on good handprinted italian paper and such, so i know what you mean.

what kind of paper did you use? and i am suprised the pages look so loose, how is this binding method called? (i am still new to bookbinding anyway). what type of yarn did you use?

[Wrenn_Rosencrantz]

what kind of paper did you use? and i am suprised the pages look so loose, how is this binding method called? (i am still new to bookbinding anyway). what type of yarn did you use?

I used just simple 32 pound white laser printer paper.  I like to use that paper for sketching; I find it picks up my mechanical pencil really well, and erases very clean.  I used colored cotton thread that I waxed myself.

Loose?  I'm not sure what you mean, all the pages are pretty secure in there.  *smiles*  This binding method is called "coptic stitch".  I learned from SeaLemon on YouTube.

Here's her tutorial on Coptic Stitch

I love this binding method because it lets the book lie open flat.  Four pages to a signature.

[AnnaPommes]

thank you for the tutorial, i need to do that soon too. ^^
yes, it seems muuch better than the japanese stitch for example. what does four pages to a signature mean?
oh, and with the loose i didn´t mean that they are not secure, wrong choice of words. ^^" in german loose also means something like " not squeezed together".but i meant that the pages seem to be "spaced" ? that theere is some space between them when you open it? what does that mean?
the tutors in our bookbinding workshop always pull it together quite strong and i see them like this the first time, is that better for the paper? ^^

[Eviecorn]

I love the paper you used.  I need to bind some books.

[Kiwi]

Wow that looks pretty easy and fun. I can definitely see why that would be addictive. I may have to give it a try someday

[kaoskat]

That looks really neat!

[melodys_angel]

How neat! Looks fun to do

[Wrenn_Rosencrantz]

thank you for the tutorial, i need to do that soon too. ^^
yes, it seems muuch better than the japanese stitch for example. what does four pages to a signature mean?
oh, and with the loose i didn´t mean that they are not secure, wrong choice of words. ^^" in german loose also means something like " not squeezed together".but i meant that the pages seem to be "spaced" ? that theere is some space between them when you open it? what does that mean?
the tutors in our bookbinding workshop always pull it together quite strong and i see them like this the first time, is that better for the paper? ^^

Four pages to a signature means, basically, you group four pages together and tuck them inside one another.  That's called a Signature.  And yes, in between each signature, there is a bit of space. 

I don't know if coptic stitch is better for the paper or not, I just find the spine looks pretty and the book lays flat.

I want to try perfect binding, where you have a bunch of paper that hasn't been folded, and you put it in a book press and glue the sides.  Good for journals I would imagine.

Does that help?

[zabe77]

Very cool! I'd also done staple books as a kid, but this is really lovely!

[Wrenn_Rosencrantz]

Thank you everyone!  I'm excited to be doing these!