I’ve had a lot of interest in my bookmaking hobby so I figured I’d share an easy guide on how to get started! Like most hobbies there’s a small upfront investment to gather all of your supplies and materials. Fortunately, bookmaking is a relatively affordable hobby so there’s not too much that you have to […]

For all my fellow book binders– Get an instant download with all 3 covers of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy! Upon downloading, you will receive 3 png files that you can instantly upload to your Cricut or Silhouette (front, back and spine). The image size is perfect for the paperback version of the books, and can be resized for different editions. Item Use Instructions: This is a DIGITAL FILE ONLY. I used these for my first book binding project, and found them easy to use. However, these designs are delicate as the lines are very thin, so please use your own discretion depending on your skill level. Customer Agreement: You are welcome to use these designs for your personal use only– please do not resell or reproduce this design, whether or online or on physical items.

You know me, pretty determined about finding and using the best practices for all sorts of things... This week I'm writing about a little detail regarding attaching covers to a Coptic bound book - the hidden diagonal stitch (for the lack of a better term). Have you noticed how the sewing thread in

A complete introduction to Perfect binding, a bookbinding technique used to produce books commercially. And, how you can make your own perfect bound book.

The Japanese Stab Binding method is perfect for binding single sheets and is easy to learn for beginner book makers because it embraces si...

Ok, so the title might be a little misleading… we’ve actually crammed in 18 of the best Coptic Stitch (also known as the Chain Stitch or Coptic Sewing) book binding instructions and tutorials we could find on the web, along with a collection of video tutorials and many coptic-stitch related resources (PDF’s, Stitching Patterns, Photo Galleries etc) for you to get stuck in to – it took us a while to put this together but we hope it serves as a good resource for some of you out there. If you’ve got any suggestions for additional sites/resources we can include on this page then please leave a comment at the bottom of this page. We have also prepared several other collections for you: Top 15 Japanese Stab Binding Tutorials Top 10 Long Stitch Bookbinding Tutorials Top 10 Secret Belgian Binding Tutorials Top 10 Endband Tutorials Top 10 Box Making Tutorials For those a little unsure about what a the Coptic Stitch style actually is, we’ll give you a little intro: Coptic Binding by Henry Hebert Originally the coptic binding process was used by early Christians in Egypt (the Copts) some 2000 years ago and hence its name. A coptic stitch style binding (also often referred to as a Chain Stitch binding) is one that doesn’t use any glues and where the signature stitchings are generally exposed or left completely open thus allowing flexibility without sacrificing strength. Coptic stitched books generally allow the book to be opened up flat without weakening the spine or signatures. Modern glue based binding techniques are often prone to damage when opened flat and weaken with use, much quicker than books that are sewn in a coptic style fashion. Because the signature designs are normally left exposed on a chain stitch binding, many book binders decide to inject their own personal flare into the spine designs which can result in some very attractive looking books. People will often follow this style of binding for use on their journals or art sketch books. So, if you’ve ever wondered how to make a coptic stitch book using traditional bookbinding techniques then continue reading… all of the tutorials below are different in some way or another and I would strongly advise going through at least a few of them to get the best understanding of the binding processes. Enjoy 😀 #1 – Coptic Stitch Bookbinding Tutorial In this coptic stitch bookbinding tutorial, Linda Tieu takes you through how to make your own hard back book journal using very clear and concise photographs. A perfect tutorial for beginners and people looking to do a quick project. View Tutorial on favecrafts.com Tutorial Contents Materials Covering the boards Punching holes in the board Punching holes in signatures Sewing Signatures onto board Chain Stitching Signatures Stitching the board Get the Equipment You Need to do the Job Properly! (Click image for more product details) Xacto Knife Set Silk Thread Curved Needles Leather Punch See More Related Materials & Equipment #2 – The Coptic Bound Book Tutorial A personal blog tutorial by Ashley @ No Big Dill. A very detailed tutorial with high quality photographs and good descriptions of each steps from selecting the paper and folding the signatures right up to chain stitching the bindings. View Tutorial on nobigdill.com #3 – Create a Stunning Combination Coptic Long-stitch Archival Book Perhaps one of the most comprehensive coptic long-stitch bookbinding tutorials we could find on the net. 80+ high quality photographs guide the user through the process of making a hard-backed coptic long-stitch book. View Tutorial on TutsPlus.com Tutorial Contents Supplies & Materials Paper Grain Identification Cutting and gluing the cover material Preparing your signatures Making a hole-punch guide Punching holes in your signatures Punching holes in your coverboard Sewing the Signatures to the Back Cover Sewing the Remaining Signatures using the Kettle Stitch Sewing on the Front Cover Tying Square Knots on the Long Stitches #4 – The Exposed Tape Binding in 140 (ish) easy steps As the name might suggest, this tutorial from Molly Brooks is a very comprehensive photo tutorial (+ descriptions) on how to make an exposed tape bound hardback book from scratch. Whilst not technically a coptic style bound book it does cover many of the same processes so I thought I would include it within this list. Similar in many ways to a French Link Stitch bound book. ~ Thank you Molly! View Tutorial on mollybrooks.com Tutorial Contents preface tools/materials prep cut covers to size mark tape stations on the inside of each cover cut graves into boards cut slot to feed tape through cut tapes to length rough-cut cover papers / trim end papers glue cover paper to board attach tapes to front cover glue end paper to front cover press the cover under weight punch holes through signatures sew bookblock glue cover paper to back cover board attach tapes to back cover glue end paper to back cover press book under weight #5 – How to Make a Sketchbook Using Coptic Stitch Binding Isabel Moseley posted this tutorial on the The Canada Arts Connect Magazine website on how to make a Coptic Stitch-bound sketchbook with bookbinding board covers – it’s very good and well worth reading. High quality photographs depict the entire book making process from creating a piercing guide (hole punching guide) to fixing the boards and stitching the bindings (it’s assumed you’ve already selected your paper and made them into signatures). View Tutorial on canadaartsconnect.com #6 – Coptic Binding Instructions 21 instructional photographs are used with accompanying descriptions in this tutorial by Making Mini Scrapbooks on how to bind your own mini scrapbook using the traditional coptic chain stitch style. A quick tutorial for a sunday afternoon. View this tutorial on making-mini-scrapbooks.com #7 – Single Needle Chain Stitch A very informative tutorial on the entire bookbinding process with details about selecting your paper type, identifying paper grain, types of cover material you can use, punching holes, waxing your thread, sewing the signatures, finishing the book etc… you get the picture, it’s very good. 😀 View tutorial on cat-sidh.net #8 – 4-part Coptic Book Binding Tutorial Put your old cereal cartons to good use and make your very own coptic bound journal. In this 4 part book binding tutorial you’ll learn everything from making your book covers to punching holes and stitching the signatures. A great tutorial. View tutorial on hydecodesigns.com #9 – Chain or Coptic Stitch Bookbinding Tutorial On her website ‘torta gaialla’, Linda Tieu takes you through the entire coptic stitch binding process. With high quality photographs and step-by-step instructions, assuming you have the correct tools and materials, you’ll have absolutely no problems following through her tutorial. Many people who have followed the tutorial have asked questions to Linda in the comments section at the bottom, so anything that hasn’t already been clarified on the process is likely to be there. Make sure to check her site out. Thanks Linda! View Tutorial on tortagialla.com #10 – Life Abloom Journal and Coptic Stitch Tutorial MiMi Dibble’s first attempt at making a coptic bound book out of paper scraps and cardboard. Her full tutorial can be found at Tsunami Rose Designs here. A very basis, quick and dirty approach to making a coptic stitch book – perfect for children. View Tutorial on thescrapinator5000.weebly.com (take a break) Watch Our Video Playlist Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! #11 – Coptic Binding // A Tutorial A short tutorial on making coptic bound books by Eleanor McComb. Eleanor hosts bookbinding workshops and sells her stuff on her store at Etsy.com, she is very talented and always there to answer any questions, so if you have one feel free to leave a comment on her post and she’ll offer some advice. Thanks for sharing Eleanor! View Tutorial on eleanormccomb.com (oringal post on her old blog here) #12 – Single Sheet Coptic Stitch Tutorial For those confused as to why you might need to use a single sheet coptic stitch on any of your projects: This sewing is suited to books with board pages or other materials where you cannot fold a section. It makes a good structure for making pages out of flat objects like Perspex, metal or wood. View tutorial on boundarypress.com.au #13 – Coptic Book Binding For The Persistently Crafty A simple tutorial on coptic book binding. It’s lacking some photographs on the more detailed parts of the binding process so instead Laura uploaded a video on the entire stitching process, it’s well worth a watch. View Tutorial on autostraddle.com #14 – Directions for making a soft-covered Coptic Book A detailed tutorial on how to make a soft, leather covered coptic book. Slightly different than most of the other tutorials you can find on this page also using slightly different techniques that you might want to learn or educate yourself on. View Tutorial on Katarina Meisterin blog #15 – Bookbinding tutorial: make a coptic bound notebook Shout outs to the PaperCrafter editor, Ella Johnston, for putting together this beautifully descriptive tutorial on how to make a coptic bound notebook. You might find that her instructions will help to clarify some of the processes depicted on photographs found throughout other tutorials on this page. This tutorial itself is lacking photographs of the process. View Tutorial on papercraftermagazine.co.uk Have another break! We’ve got some more videos… Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! #16 – DIY: How to Coptic Bind a Chapbook This tutorial was an unusual find and the only one of its kind I could find on the internet. The process talks you through how to coptic bind printed documents into a printed book. Clear and concise diagrams really help to visualise what you’re doing. There’s also a video of the process here. View Tutorial on pw.org #17 – Binding a Metal Book with a Coptic Stitch Something a little different than using binding board for the end-boards; in this slighted dated tutorial you will be shown how to use metal sheets for the book covers. It’s a short tutorial with limited (but enough) photos. View tutorial on volcanoarts.com #18 – Make an Altered Book with Coptic Binding A text-only tutorial on how to chain-stitch a book. There are better tutorials than this one but it might have some information you’ve not found on other sites. View Tutorial on altered-book.com Additional Resources Coptic Binding on Wikipedia Coptic Stitch Gallery Coptic Binding Examples, Tutorials and Stitching Patterns on Pinterest! Coptic Stitch Lesson Plan for Teachers & Students (with diagrams) – PDF Simple Coptic Binding Tutorial by Emma Jane Hogbin – PDF 10-Page Book Scan (with diagrams) of the Coptic Stitch Binding process by CMU – PDF Coptic Stitch Simple Tutorial with Diagrams – PDF French Link Stitch / Coptic Binding Gallery by Ruth Bleakley Learn how to Coptic Stitch with Paula Tew – Workshop (UK) Kettle Stitch vs Coptic Stitch by Little Syam 1-Needle Coptic vs 2-Needle Coptic Photo Comparison by Cai Lun A Little History of the Chain Stitch by the Bookbinding Team The History of Coptic Bookbinding by Erica Crane Calculating Thread Length for Coptic Stitch Bindings by Agate Further reading Coptic binding is one of many methods of non-adhesive binding. Keith A. Smith is an author well-known for his non-adhesive bindings tutorials. We would highly recommend that you have at least one of his books in your collection: Keith A. Smith, Non-Adhesive Binding, Vol. 1: Books without Paste or Glue Keith A. Smith, Non-Adhesive Binding, Vol. 2: 1- 2- & 3-Section Sewings Keith A. Smith, Non Adhesive Binding, Vol. 3: Exposed Spine Sewings Keith A. Smith, Non-Adhesive Binding, Vol. 4: Smith’s Sewing Single Sheets Keith A. Smith, Books without Paste or Glue Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

The coptic stitch bookbinding method is another way to bind your book with a spine that opens up completely, so you can lay your book flat. Sometimes it’s also called chain stitch in bookbinding, but more often it’s called coptic stitch binding. I think it’s a great method for when you have book covers that […]

Ok, so the title might be a little misleading… we’ve actually crammed in 18 of the best Coptic Stitch (also known as the Chain Stitch or Coptic Sewing) book binding instructions and tutorials we could find on the web, along with a collection of video tutorials and many coptic-stitch related resources (PDF’s, Stitching Patterns, Photo Galleries etc) for you to get stuck in to – it took us a while to put this together but we hope it serves as a good resource for some of you out there. If you’ve got any suggestions for additional sites/resources we can include on this page then please leave a comment at the bottom of this page. We have also prepared several other collections for you: Top 15 Japanese Stab Binding Tutorials Top 10 Long Stitch Bookbinding Tutorials Top 10 Secret Belgian Binding Tutorials Top 10 Endband Tutorials Top 10 Box Making Tutorials For those a little unsure about what a the Coptic Stitch style actually is, we’ll give you a little intro: Coptic Binding by Henry Hebert Originally the coptic binding process was used by early Christians in Egypt (the Copts) some 2000 years ago and hence its name. A coptic stitch style binding (also often referred to as a Chain Stitch binding) is one that doesn’t use any glues and where the signature stitchings are generally exposed or left completely open thus allowing flexibility without sacrificing strength. Coptic stitched books generally allow the book to be opened up flat without weakening the spine or signatures. Modern glue based binding techniques are often prone to damage when opened flat and weaken with use, much quicker than books that are sewn in a coptic style fashion. Because the signature designs are normally left exposed on a chain stitch binding, many book binders decide to inject their own personal flare into the spine designs which can result in some very attractive looking books. People will often follow this style of binding for use on their journals or art sketch books. So, if you’ve ever wondered how to make a coptic stitch book using traditional bookbinding techniques then continue reading… all of the tutorials below are different in some way or another and I would strongly advise going through at least a few of them to get the best understanding of the binding processes. Enjoy 😀 #1 – Coptic Stitch Bookbinding Tutorial In this coptic stitch bookbinding tutorial, Linda Tieu takes you through how to make your own hard back book journal using very clear and concise photographs. A perfect tutorial for beginners and people looking to do a quick project. View Tutorial on favecrafts.com Tutorial Contents Materials Covering the boards Punching holes in the board Punching holes in signatures Sewing Signatures onto board Chain Stitching Signatures Stitching the board Get the Equipment You Need to do the Job Properly! (Click image for more product details) Xacto Knife Set Silk Thread Curved Needles Leather Punch See More Related Materials & Equipment #2 – The Coptic Bound Book Tutorial A personal blog tutorial by Ashley @ No Big Dill. A very detailed tutorial with high quality photographs and good descriptions of each steps from selecting the paper and folding the signatures right up to chain stitching the bindings. View Tutorial on nobigdill.com #3 – Create a Stunning Combination Coptic Long-stitch Archival Book Perhaps one of the most comprehensive coptic long-stitch bookbinding tutorials we could find on the net. 80+ high quality photographs guide the user through the process of making a hard-backed coptic long-stitch book. View Tutorial on TutsPlus.com Tutorial Contents Supplies & Materials Paper Grain Identification Cutting and gluing the cover material Preparing your signatures Making a hole-punch guide Punching holes in your signatures Punching holes in your coverboard Sewing the Signatures to the Back Cover Sewing the Remaining Signatures using the Kettle Stitch Sewing on the Front Cover Tying Square Knots on the Long Stitches #4 – The Exposed Tape Binding in 140 (ish) easy steps As the name might suggest, this tutorial from Molly Brooks is a very comprehensive photo tutorial (+ descriptions) on how to make an exposed tape bound hardback book from scratch. Whilst not technically a coptic style bound book it does cover many of the same processes so I thought I would include it within this list. Similar in many ways to a French Link Stitch bound book. ~ Thank you Molly! View Tutorial on mollybrooks.com Tutorial Contents preface tools/materials prep cut covers to size mark tape stations on the inside of each cover cut graves into boards cut slot to feed tape through cut tapes to length rough-cut cover papers / trim end papers glue cover paper to board attach tapes to front cover glue end paper to front cover press the cover under weight punch holes through signatures sew bookblock glue cover paper to back cover board attach tapes to back cover glue end paper to back cover press book under weight #5 – How to Make a Sketchbook Using Coptic Stitch Binding Isabel Moseley posted this tutorial on the The Canada Arts Connect Magazine website on how to make a Coptic Stitch-bound sketchbook with bookbinding board covers – it’s very good and well worth reading. High quality photographs depict the entire book making process from creating a piercing guide (hole punching guide) to fixing the boards and stitching the bindings (it’s assumed you’ve already selected your paper and made them into signatures). View Tutorial on canadaartsconnect.com #6 – Coptic Binding Instructions 21 instructional photographs are used with accompanying descriptions in this tutorial by Making Mini Scrapbooks on how to bind your own mini scrapbook using the traditional coptic chain stitch style. A quick tutorial for a sunday afternoon. View this tutorial on making-mini-scrapbooks.com #7 – Single Needle Chain Stitch A very informative tutorial on the entire bookbinding process with details about selecting your paper type, identifying paper grain, types of cover material you can use, punching holes, waxing your thread, sewing the signatures, finishing the book etc… you get the picture, it’s very good. 😀 View tutorial on cat-sidh.net #8 – 4-part Coptic Book Binding Tutorial Put your old cereal cartons to good use and make your very own coptic bound journal. In this 4 part book binding tutorial you’ll learn everything from making your book covers to punching holes and stitching the signatures. A great tutorial. View tutorial on hydecodesigns.com #9 – Chain or Coptic Stitch Bookbinding Tutorial On her website ‘torta gaialla’, Linda Tieu takes you through the entire coptic stitch binding process. With high quality photographs and step-by-step instructions, assuming you have the correct tools and materials, you’ll have absolutely no problems following through her tutorial. Many people who have followed the tutorial have asked questions to Linda in the comments section at the bottom, so anything that hasn’t already been clarified on the process is likely to be there. Make sure to check her site out. Thanks Linda! View Tutorial on tortagialla.com #10 – Life Abloom Journal and Coptic Stitch Tutorial MiMi Dibble’s first attempt at making a coptic bound book out of paper scraps and cardboard. Her full tutorial can be found at Tsunami Rose Designs here. A very basis, quick and dirty approach to making a coptic stitch book – perfect for children. View Tutorial on thescrapinator5000.weebly.com (take a break) Watch Our Video Playlist Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! #11 – Coptic Binding // A Tutorial A short tutorial on making coptic bound books by Eleanor McComb. Eleanor hosts bookbinding workshops and sells her stuff on her store at Etsy.com, she is very talented and always there to answer any questions, so if you have one feel free to leave a comment on her post and she’ll offer some advice. Thanks for sharing Eleanor! View Tutorial on eleanormccomb.com (oringal post on her old blog here) #12 – Single Sheet Coptic Stitch Tutorial For those confused as to why you might need to use a single sheet coptic stitch on any of your projects: This sewing is suited to books with board pages or other materials where you cannot fold a section. It makes a good structure for making pages out of flat objects like Perspex, metal or wood. View tutorial on boundarypress.com.au #13 – Coptic Book Binding For The Persistently Crafty A simple tutorial on coptic book binding. It’s lacking some photographs on the more detailed parts of the binding process so instead Laura uploaded a video on the entire stitching process, it’s well worth a watch. View Tutorial on autostraddle.com #14 – Directions for making a soft-covered Coptic Book A detailed tutorial on how to make a soft, leather covered coptic book. Slightly different than most of the other tutorials you can find on this page also using slightly different techniques that you might want to learn or educate yourself on. View Tutorial on Katarina Meisterin blog #15 – Bookbinding tutorial: make a coptic bound notebook Shout outs to the PaperCrafter editor, Ella Johnston, for putting together this beautifully descriptive tutorial on how to make a coptic bound notebook. You might find that her instructions will help to clarify some of the processes depicted on photographs found throughout other tutorials on this page. This tutorial itself is lacking photographs of the process. View Tutorial on papercraftermagazine.co.uk Have another break! We’ve got some more videos… Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to HD videos of hundreds of Book Binding tutorials and reviews! #16 – DIY: How to Coptic Bind a Chapbook This tutorial was an unusual find and the only one of its kind I could find on the internet. The process talks you through how to coptic bind printed documents into a printed book. Clear and concise diagrams really help to visualise what you’re doing. There’s also a video of the process here. View Tutorial on pw.org #17 – Binding a Metal Book with a Coptic Stitch Something a little different than using binding board for the end-boards; in this slighted dated tutorial you will be shown how to use metal sheets for the book covers. It’s a short tutorial with limited (but enough) photos. View tutorial on volcanoarts.com #18 – Make an Altered Book with Coptic Binding A text-only tutorial on how to chain-stitch a book. There are better tutorials than this one but it might have some information you’ve not found on other sites. View Tutorial on altered-book.com Additional Resources Coptic Binding on Wikipedia Coptic Stitch Gallery Coptic Binding Examples, Tutorials and Stitching Patterns on Pinterest! Coptic Stitch Lesson Plan for Teachers & Students (with diagrams) – PDF Simple Coptic Binding Tutorial by Emma Jane Hogbin – PDF 10-Page Book Scan (with diagrams) of the Coptic Stitch Binding process by CMU – PDF Coptic Stitch Simple Tutorial with Diagrams – PDF French Link Stitch / Coptic Binding Gallery by Ruth Bleakley Learn how to Coptic Stitch with Paula Tew – Workshop (UK) Kettle Stitch vs Coptic Stitch by Little Syam 1-Needle Coptic vs 2-Needle Coptic Photo Comparison by Cai Lun A Little History of the Chain Stitch by the Bookbinding Team The History of Coptic Bookbinding by Erica Crane Calculating Thread Length for Coptic Stitch Bindings by Agate Further reading Coptic binding is one of many methods of non-adhesive binding. Keith A. Smith is an author well-known for his non-adhesive bindings tutorials. We would highly recommend that you have at least one of his books in your collection: Keith A. Smith, Non-Adhesive Binding, Vol. 1: Books without Paste or Glue Keith A. Smith, Non-Adhesive Binding, Vol. 2: 1- 2- & 3-Section Sewings Keith A. Smith, Non Adhesive Binding, Vol. 3: Exposed Spine Sewings Keith A. Smith, Non-Adhesive Binding, Vol. 4: Smith’s Sewing Single Sheets Keith A. Smith, Books without Paste or Glue Please Support us on Patreon! The minimum level of contribution is only $1 per month. Pledges received from our patrons cover the editing services for our bookish podcast! Moreover, starting with the pledge level of $3, you will get a digitized vintage book about bookbinding, book history, or book arts each month from us! These pledges help iBookBinding to continue its work and bring more information about bookbinding and book arts to you! Share this page:

Is a Step by step instruction guide of how to repair a Bible or other Book you want to keep with broken spines or torn loose bindings.

Coptic Book Binding: How to begin your coptic binding on a mini-book.

I'm learning a new binding in a workshop at BookWorks: Secret Belgian binding. Book artist Hedi Kyle is credited with rediscoveing this historic binding, attributed to the Belgians. It uses an exposed sewing to bind the text block to cover boards and a separate spine, with the spine held in place only by the threads passing over and under it. In addition to its beauty, it's considered a very sturdy binding. Laurie Corral, who's teaching the class (she's also BookWorks' founder and director) has paced the class well -- three evenings over three weeks -- so that the students are not rushed and can both learn and enjoy the experience. (In my photo of Laurie, she's cutting paper on BookWorks' massive guillotine, about which I lust, wishing that I could build a room simply to house such a lovely and functional object.) This week we sewed our text block using tapes (see photo). It was the first time I'd worked with tapes, and I can see the value. It's a lovely, simple stitch, and relaxing to sew, especially in a group. We were joined by Andy Farkas (writer, printmaker and book artist), who was working in the studio, in talking a bit about the definition of an "artist's book." The $64,000 question. (Here's Wikipedia's attempt). For me, it's a book wherein the content and the form are so closely intertwined that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Naturally that begs the question of how you define the "book" part of the equation, since an artist's book need not have a traditional book form, so mine is at best a partial description. Andy's definition focused on the work being created in its entirety by the artist. He agreed that content needs to be referenced in a definition, if only to suggest the artist's choice of no content. This started me thinking about whether, in fact, an artist's book can have no content. Or, can a viewer ever look at an artist's book without ascribing content to it? Or to take it further, isn't an artist's intent to omit content itself the content? Better minds than mine are no doubt wrestling -- or ignoring -- questions such as these, so BookGirl will sit it out for now. The rest of the pix are of a book Laurie made with the SB binding, of the first signature after being sewn onto the tapes (Tyvek strips affixed to the side of the work table with adhesive tape), and of a sewing card with alternate views of the outside and the inside of the binding. I can't wait to hold my finished book in my hands.

Creating hardcovers for books is harder than creating soft paperback covers. This article provides instructions for binding hardcover books!

I love embroidering into paper. It is simple, yet it transforms a plain piece of paperboard into something strikingly lovely. Apparently, I got bitten by...

You know me, pretty determined about finding and using the best practices for all sorts of things... This week I'm writing about a little detail regarding attaching covers to a Coptic bound book - the hidden diagonal stitch (for the lack of a better term). Have you noticed how the sewing thread in

Hi folks! So, if you were paying attention during our Mr. Moose post last month, you might remember that a few weeks ago I shared that my family had got me a day long book binding course for my bir…

Perfect Binding formaxprinting.com Perfect Binding is a widely used soft cover book binding method. With this binding method, the pages and cover are glued together at the spine with a strong yet flexible thermal glue. The other three sides of the book are then trimmed as needed to give them clean “perfect” edges. The many soft cover books that you see on the shelves at bookstores are good examples of perfect bound books. They have a square, printed spine and the cover is usually made from paper or cardstock that is heavier than the interior pages. Plus, the cover is often clear coated to provide durability and improve appearance. In addition to authors, businesses and organizations use the perfect binding method on a variety of printing projects because of its professional appearance and relatively low cost. Perfect binding is commonly used for annual and corporate reports, manuals, catalogs and thicker product brochures. Benefits of Perfect Binding The primary benefits of perfect bound books are that they look professional and offer visual appeal, are less expensive to produce than hardcover books, and they stack well. Also, the square spinal edge formed by the perfect binding method allows for the book’s title or other information to be printed on the spine…something the saddle stitch and spiral binding methods do not offer. In addition, perfect bound books can be printed in Short Runs and are a great candidate for On Demand Printing. This provides tremendous benefits to book authors as well as cost-conscious businesses and organizations. PUR Binding wood-mitchell.co.uk The fundamental difference between the two types of binding is the adhesive used in the process. Perfect binding uses ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) adhesives whereas PUR uses polyurethane reactive (PUR) adhesives. Put simply, the binding really only differs by way of the type of glue used. It is the properties of each type of adhesive, however, which is important in determining which is suitable. A key reason PUR adhesive is often the preferred choice is due to its excellent flexibility and ‘lay-flat’ qualities. The benefits here are two fold. Firstly, due to PUR requiring a smaller layer of adhesive when compared to perfect binding, it allows even the thinnest of books (a minimum of 3mm is still recommended) to maintain a square and rigid spine. Secondly, when applied to standard thickness, PUR glue affords considerably more flexibility and pliability than EVA, which allows books to demonstrate lie flat characteristics. This in turn minimises any spine cracking when the finished product is ‘flattened’ out for reading. Source source Wire Binding Wire binding is one of the most popular commercial book binding methods used in North America and is known by a number of different names including twin loop wire, Wire-o, double loop wire, double-o, ring wire and wirebind. With this binding method, users insert their punched pages onto a "C" shaped spine and then use a wire closer to squeeze the spine until it is round. Documents that are bound with wire binding will open completely flat on a desk and allow for 360 degree rotation of bound pages. Wire-O Binding Semi-exposed Wire-o binding Reversed/concealed wire-o Source 9/16" Black Spiral-O 19 Loop Wire Binding Combs - 102pk. Spiral-O 19 Loop Wire Spines are designed to work with any 19-ring plastic binding system that will accept Wire Bindings. These wires are designed specifically for use with older Ibico Ibimaster binding systems that included a comb binding punch along with a wire closer. - link Wire binding machine Saddle Stitching en.wikibooks.org A saddle stitch is appropriate for small booklets and, in general, for volumes with only a few pages. Most magazines that are not glued are saddle stitched: that is, they are held together by staples that run through the gutter. Once the pages are aligned and in the right order, this type of binding is quite straightforward. Staplers with extremely long jaws, designed specifically for saddle stitching, are available in office supply stores. Some photocopiers produce saddle-stitched volumes automatically. If neither of these options is readily available, an improvised saddle stitch can be accomplished by using an ordinary stapler in "tacking" mode. This usually requires swinging the anvil away from the bottom, or detaching the lower jaw of the stapler. The working surface should be reasonably soft and durable, such as carpeting or a cork board. Staples can be driven through the centerline of the pages to be bound, and then bent down individually using the cap of a pen. Saddle stitching can also be done to the individual codex, using a needle and thread, as part of the process of binding them together into a larger book. Source Plastic Comb Binding desktoppub.about.com similar to wire spiral binding, comb binding is a method of securing loose printed pages using a piece of plastic with "teeth" (the comb) that fit into rectangular holes in the paper. The combs come in different colors and widths to accommodate small and large numbers of pages. Documents can be bound with or without covers. The binding allows books to lay flat when opened. Spiral Binding Spiral binding, also known as coil binding, is a commonly used book binding style for creating documents, reports, presentations and proposals. This binding style is known by a number of names including spiral coil, color coil, colorcoil, ez-coil, plastic coil, spiral binding, plastikoil and coilbind. Documents bound with helical coil (usually called spiral coil) can open flat on a desk or table and offer 360 degree rotation for easy note taking. This binding style is durable and is often used for documents that need to be mailed. Spiral coil binding spines are also available in more colors and sizes than other binding styles. Rhythm flipbooks to make a variety of different rhythm patterns quickly without lots of flash cards. Bind your own Above: Fully bound so only the covers are accessible, Lay Flat Perfect binding mediascopeinc.wordpress.com A variation of traditional perfect binding is called Lay Flat binding The cover is glued only to the sides of the spine so that a perfect bound book can lay flat when open. A strip of gauze is glued to the spine edge of the book block to hold the signatures or pages together. This allows the book block to “float” over the spine and lay flat when opened. In traditional perfect binding, the cover is actually glued to the spine of the book which means the book will not open as far as a lay flat book. Japanese Stab Binding This technique is ideal for binding single sheets of paper in soft covers and can be used for diaries, class notes, phone messages, recipes, and school or business reports. Most types of papers-handmade, commercial or tracing papers, even acetate can be used for Japanese stab binding. If the book will contain writing, the paper must be smooth. Inexpensive photocopy paper is also fine for text pages, and has the added benefit of being readily available and cut to a standard size. Cutting is not required for this technique, which makes it suitable for both young and beginner bookbinders. 'Cuts' (2010) Handmade Japanese stab bind book. eleanorhullock.blogspot.co.uk Coptic Binding Perspex book cover, hand bound Einar Guðmundsson - 0.01% source 'Master Conclusion Book Design' Useful Links: www.printhouse.co.uk