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Book binding!



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Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:27 pm
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Rook says...



Hello!

Recently in art class, we learned how to bind books! I was like, "heck yeah! books!" I figured people on a writing site might want to know how to do it too! So I'm here to teach you all the not-so-secret art of book binding.

First, some vocabulary:
-Text block: This is the guts of your book. It's the paper that's all sewn together that gets stuck in your cover.
-Signature: this is one piece of your text block. It has 10 pieces of paper. A standard text block has 4 signatures, but it can have more.

You'll need:
-At least 40 sheets of paper. Standard computer paper works. All the papers need to be the same size.
-An awl (or something to poke holes in your paper with. I don't have an awl, so I used a pin. Awl is recommended though.)
-Binding needle, which is like, just a really thick normal needle. I didn't have any binding needles, so I used the biggest needle I could find. It's harder if you don't have a thick needle, so you'll need to be more careful if you're using a smaller one.
-Linen thread. Again, I didn't have this, so I used some embroidery floss. Perhaps dental floss would work too? If you're really scrapped for supplies.
-scissors, tape, glue etc. etc. I'm sure you can find this stuff around when you need it.

Let's get started, ja?
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:28 pm
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Rook says...



Signature preparation:

Step 1: decide how big you want your book to be. The standard size is 4 signatures, but you can make yours larger than that. For now, I will assume that everyone who reads this decides to have 4 signatures. You can use any type of paper, as long as it's the same size. Perhaps think about colored computer paper, construction paper, watercolor paper... I've only ever used computer paper though

Step 2:Count out (carefully!) 10 pieces of paper for each of your signatures (so if you decide to do the standard 4 signatures, that's 40 pieces of paper total). Divide them up into stacks of ten.
Spoiler! :
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Step 3: Fold each stack in half (hamburger style! Or, you know, like you're making a book.), making sure that your corners are evenly matched up.
Spoiler! :
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Step 4: Reinforce the fold by using a bone folder (or a pen or something hard, because who has bone folders?). Start at the center of your fold, and move out toward the sides, making a crisp fold. If it looks like the inside of your signature isn't folded very crisply, divide it in half, reinforce the inner fold, and put it back together.
Spoiler! :
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Step 5: Mark 4 evenly-spaced marks ON the folds of one of your signatures. You can use a ruler to help make sure they're evenly spaced. Or you can eyeball it. It won't really matter in the long run how evenly spaced they are.
Spoiler! :
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Step 6: Stack the signatures together, and extend those marks you just made down the spines of all of them. The marks all have to align.
Spoiler! :
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Step 7: Using the awl (or your other hole-making device), puncture holes where you made the marks along the fold. Do this on a magazine or something so you don't scratch up whatever surface you're working on. USE CAUTION AND SENSE! This is probably the step that you're gonna hurt yourself on. Don't push sharp things toward your body or your fingers. Use adult supervision or something. Don't be stupid.
Spoiler! :
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(make sure that if you're using a pin like me, that it's one that you don't mind breaking, because it /will/ break.
Spoiler! :
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Step 8: Reinforce the holes you made on the inside too, to make sure that your needle can get through it in both directions.
Spoiler! :
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Step 9: Label your signatures. Mark the holes 1, 2, 3, and 4, and mark each signature with letters (A, B, C, and D, if you have four). I recommend doing this in pencil.
Spoiler! :
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Step 10: Measure your thread (be it linen thread, embroidery floss, or dental floss) by wrapping it lengthwise around your signatures for one more than signatures you have. Basically, if you have 4 signatures, you need 5 signature-lengths of thread. So, (again, examples are fun, aren't they?) if you're using standard (American) computer (8 inches tall!) paper and 4 signatures, you'll need 8x5= 40 inches of thread.
Spoiler! :
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Step 11:Thread your needle, (I'm assuming that most people have had enough experience with sewing normal things that they know how to do this) Leave a tail, and tie several knots at the end of your string (not the tail) so that it doesn't go through the first hole.
Spoiler! :
Image
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:46 pm
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Rook says...



Sewing!
You need to make sure you've labeled just like I have, otherwise these directions won't make sense. This will probably be the hardest-to-understand step, so have patience with yourself, and let me know if I'm not being clear.

"Entering" is going from the "outside" (the spine) to the "inside" (of the signature).
"Exiting" is going from the "inside" to the "outside".

The rule of thumb is that you're going horizontally along the outside, and vertically along the inside.

I apologize in advance for the potato-quality images. My phone was not made for closeups.

Step 1: Start outside hole 4 in signature D, and enter, letting the knot be caught outside on the spine.
Spoiler! :
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Step 2: Exit hole 1 in signature D, pulling tight. (ALWAYS pull tight, even if I don't specifically say to.) This is the only time in this entire process that you will be jumping from one end hole to another end hole.
Spoiler! :
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I used scratch paper for this, okay? D;


Step 3: Lay signature C on top of signature D, and enter through hole 1 in signature C.
Spoiler! :
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Step 4: Exit through hole 2 in signature C.
Spoiler! :
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I'm sorry for how turned around everything gets in these photos. That's just how I work.


Step 5: Enter hole 2 in signature D. Don't forget to pull tight.
Spoiler! :
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Step 6: You're back to a long thread that went from 4 to 1. What you're going to do now, is reinforce the inside. Take your needle, and go UNDER this long thread twice, from left to right. This looped your thread around this previous thread, and anchored it so that this next step will work.
Spoiler! :
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Step 7: Exit hole 2 in signature D (the same hole you entered in step 5).
Spoiler! :
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Step 8: You should be out by the spine now. See that thread connecting both hole 2's? Loop under that hole once or twice to reinforce it.
Spoiler! :
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Step 9: Enter hole 2 in signature C.
Spoiler! :
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Step 10:Repeat steps 4-9, proceeding to the next holes. You should end up by reinforcing the outside connection between the hole 4's.
Spoiler! :
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etc., etc.


Step 11: Stack signature B on top of Signature C. Enter hole 4 in signature B, and exit hole 3. You are now going to do the same thing you just did, but signature C is now acting like signature D, and B is acting like C. The only differences are that you're going to be going in the upwards direction, and unlike the string in D, when you go for your inside reinforcements, the thread will be attached to other holes. This does not change anything that you do.
Spoiler! :
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Step 12: Repeat, again, with signature A.

Step 13:When you've finished, reinforce the outside, like always, and then tie several knots to make sure it doesn't come undone. Cut the left over thread, and you have your textblock! yay!
Spoiler! :
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Steps on how to do the cover coming at a later date.
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:00 am
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Masquerade says...



I've never done it this way. I usually either do it coptic stitch style with the spine exposed or I sew up all the signatures individually and use bookbinding glue to put them together and attach a cover. I also used waxed thread for book binding if that helps anyone. Fun stuff. It gets really addicting. Nice tutorial!
"Many people hear voices when no-one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing."
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Thu Feb 05, 2015 1:16 pm
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Rook says...



Cover preparation: (no pictures, sorry)
Supplies:
-2 cover boards, or cardboard (preferably non-corrugated) rectangles the size of your pages
-1 Spine support, which can be made out of the scraps of cardboard you have left after cutting.
-Duct tape
-Pretty paper for decorating
-Glue stick
-Scissors
-Rubber cement

Step 1: You need to find a way to get or make some cover boards. I assume most people don’t have these lying around at home. What I did is I found a box made out of the right kind of cardboard (about 1/8th of an inch thick, uncorrugated), and cut out covers. My covers were much smaller than my pages, so I had to cut the pages down to size. Luckily, I could do this without interfering with the binding. This step is probably going to take the most innovation, so good luck! Basically, just get thick cardboard. Think about the thickness of board game boxes. That's the thickness you'll want.
(Edit: I recently found that my art teacher uses scraps left over from the mat boards she uses to frame our art, so even she uses scraps.)

Step 2: When you have your cover boards, and they’re the right size and all, find some paper. You can use scrapbook paper, or you can print off something nice (on regular computer paper, if you want) and use that. I personally decided to print off a picture of the Marauder’s map from Harry Potter on regular paper, and I’m pleased with how it turned out.

Step 3: Glue stick the cover board to your chosen paper, making sure that the design you want to be showing is not what your cover board is being glued to. Be sure not to
leave any bubbles.

Step 4: Cut around your cover board, leaving half an inch to three fourths of an inch of paper around it. If you’re using thick paper, you’ll probably want to err on the side of leaving too much paper around.

Step 5: Cut the corners off your paper, down to the corners of your coverboard, so you make flaps you can easily bend down.

Step 6: Glue stick the flaps and/or the places where the flaps will fold down to, and fold them down. You will want to make sure that these actually stick.

Step 7: do this process for the other cover board too. You can mix and match papers if you want. Or not. It’s up to you and how much paper of one type you have.

Step 8: Locate a spine support that is the same length as your spine, and is as wide as your text block, but wider. It needs to be the right size or your book won’t close right.

Step 9: Find a duct tape that matches your cover design. Or don’t care about matching it. This is your book after all. Cut a length of the duct tape that is longer than the spine of your book by about two inches.

Step 10: Place spine support in the exact middle of the duct tape. The middle from all sides.

Step 11: Place your covers on either side of the spine support, leaving enough room for the book to close comfortably, but not to flap around like a pigeon with a broken wing. This should be about one eighth of an inch, but test to make sure before you really seal on the ducktape. Make sure everything is evenly aligned too. No one likes a skoodgy book.

Step 12: Apply a coat of rubber cement on the spine support and on the spine of your book itself. Wait until you can’t see the shine of the glue, then press the spine onto the spine support, making sure everything is lined up correctly. Apply pressure to make sure it sticks, pressing it from various angles until you’re sure it will stick. If you don’t have rubber cement, probably other heavy-duty glues will work? I’m uncertain.

Step 13: When the rubber cement has definitely set, and your book isn’t going to fall apart on you, glue stick the first and the last page in your text block to the inside of their respective covers. Cut some more patterned paper, and glue stick that over it, to make your book look finished.

And your book is done! Feel free to post pictures of your finished book here :]

Stay tuned for extra tips and tricks-- especially if you don't have the materials you need handy. Let me know if you have any questions, or something wasn't clear!
Last edited by Rook on Sun May 10, 2015 2:51 am, edited 2 times in total.
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Thu Feb 05, 2015 1:24 pm
Rook says...



Tips and tricks:

-No rubber cement, and worried that your glue won't be enough? Tape or glue the first and last pages down, then wrap some of your left over binding thread around your book, between the pages, tying it tight along the spine, so that even if your first pages rip off, you still have something holding your text block in. And your spine looks interesting.

-Pushpins could work for an awl too.

-Old binders or notebooks could have the right thickness to make a book board.

-Mod Podge can make your cover look glossy, and you can make it more interesting by adding extra stuff to it. The Mod Podge makes sure it won't come off.

-You can make pockets out of extra paper! Fold the paper around whatever you want to make a pocket for, and glue. Or, just make a folder in the front of your book for extra tidbits of things.

-With enough forethought about what will go where, you could probably print out papers for your text block-- enabling you to bind your own novel, perhaps. I know I'm going to try this :D
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Wed Feb 11, 2015 9:30 pm
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rhiasofia says...



Hey Widders! This forum has inspired me to make my girlfriend a chapbook of my poetry written about her, quotes we both like, and doodles inspired by both of the above plus inside jokes for her valentines day present. I saw this technique
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and wondered if you had any experience with it or general tips you might have before I journey into this process?
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Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:38 pm
Rook says...



I have not seen that technique before. I know there are many ways to bind books, but I've only learned the one. Let me know how it goes!
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Sun May 10, 2015 2:52 am
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Rook says...



Here's an image of the cover of the sketchbook I made in art class!
Image
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Sun May 10, 2015 3:15 am
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crossroads says...



I'm gonna make one (or a few) of these, probably experimenting with the format and binding styles once I get the gist of it! Will post here when I'm done.
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Sun May 17, 2015 5:37 am
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crossroads says...



OKAY!
So, here I am having ditched sleep ('cause who needs that anyway, right?) for what might very easily become my new obsession.
Since I started it really randomly, I had no materials prepared (including this thread - I couldn't even access the internet) and had to improvise all the way. I went by memory most of the way for as far as sewing went, and then winged it with what I could find in my room to put together a cover.

Somewhere along the way I figured I might make it and give it to my mum as a farewell present (I'm leaving for a year in a week), but I'm not sure if I like it enough now to do that <.<

The photos are in the spoiler.
Also, the whole thing is about 11*8,5 cm, so around the half of A5 paper size (quarter of A4, regular printing paper). The covers are just put together from pieces of an old box and recycled paper from an old notebook. Plus the artificial leaves and really crappily made flower 'cause my scalpel's tip broke off, lol.

*edit* - the images might be huge? I'm sorry if they are; I might get to resizing them tomor---er, later today-- but I do need to catch a nap now.

Spoiler! :
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The lighters are there purely for artistic purposes, mind you. I needed to burn the ends of some of the threads - definitely NOT something you should be playing with, especially if there's also tons of paper (and wood) involved.

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There's the binder. I'm afraid the actual sewing work on the inside isn't visible, and I haven't thought to take a pic of it before the covers were done, but on the inside it's much like in @Widdershins' tutorial, except with thin thread, like for actual sewing, and enforced a bit more than suggested in the tutorial (because it was so thin, and I wanted it to REALLY hold well).
The binder is basically a branch (which isn't quite as golden as it seems, but yeah..), with some macrame around it. That thread was the one I needed to burn the ends of, btw.

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This was supposed to be the pic of the fancy bow on the side, but it kinda untied by the time I took it xD Ah well, anyway, it can be tied on the side *nods*
Also, I guess you can see here the difference between the recycled paper (that feels almost like cloth) and the regular printing paper used inside.

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For some reason, perhaps the light, this last one looks kinda...wobbly? All the sides are fairly straight, though, and it's all glued very well with each other, especially considering that I just used the regular stick glue that wasn't even expected to work on anything but paperxpaper.


That would be it! I'm fairly satisfied with it, seeing as it was my first attempt at such a thing and I had to make do with random materials and cross a lot of bridges as I reached them. It took me about 4 hours altogether, and required a lot of patience, but I really loved making it!
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Sat Oct 24, 2015 10:31 pm
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Rook says...



I tried binding a book with floss. It worked really well! However, I just read this comment on another site:
Linen bookbinding thread is best, although I know people who use waxed embroidery floss. Dental floss stretches - don't use it! Not only is it frustrating to work with, but over time it will stretch and your book will start falling apart.

But I actually really liked working with dental floss. It didn't separate like my (un-waxed) embroidery floss did, and that was a pain.

Another great thing to use for a book board? Old board game boxes! I just made a Clue book and it looks awesome! There was enough cardboard in the box to make 2 books, and there was some strong cardboard inside that I could use to make like half a book. I might get pictures soon.

I'm using clear packing tape instead of duct tape. That way if you have any cool thing to put on the spine you can. It's probaby not as strong as duct tape though.

I got some rubber cement, and it was really worth it to get it because what I was trying before ended up feeling like not the best quality of binding, even if I liked the string. I just was always afraid it would fall out.

I gave one of these books as a gift to a man who went to my old church (I was friends with his daughter, and I assumed he had wanted one to give to her or one of his other daughters. He had tried to buy the one I offered for sale at a charity auction thingy.). I then got a letter from him saying that the book was one of his most prized possessions. It really made me feel warm inside, and I was glad I could bring him joy ^^
What I'm trying to say is that these things make fantastic gifts.
They don't cost a ton, you can make them in a couple hours if you've got your materials all gathered and you've done it a lot before, and you put a lot of effort into it, it's homemade, it's not something people get all the time, and they're pretty high quality if you make them right!
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:00 am
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Rook says...



I've made 13 of these books in total, 7 of that 13 being within the last few weeks because I go on weird creation binges.
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3 of those 13 I've given to other people, but here are the other ten. The six smallest and the one biggest are the ones that I made recently. You can tell that I've been experimenting with size. I have determined that any size paper does work. The biggest one is made of paper that's like, three and a half inches longer than regular american printer paper. The two smallest that look like notepads are made out of scraps that came from cutting that long paper down to regular sized paper. The next four smallest are from regular printer paper cut in half. I really like that size. It doesn't use as much paper and it feels like just the right size in your hand. I highly recommend trying that out, but only if you have one of those paper cutters that can cut really straight, because scissors would be a pain to use to cut all that paper in half.
Another picture of them all stacked and stuff.

Image

I'm planning on giving the small notepad with the peach on it to my director for James and the Giant Peach as a director's gift or whatever, and then the one with the rabbit, the one with Starry night, and the one with flying elephants are all going to friends of mine.

The biggest one with the colorful leonid afremov painting on the cover I made using cereal boxes instead of really tough cardboard. That turned out terrible. Do not do that. Though I did find out that using corrugated cardboard is okay, though I only recommend it for the front cover while the back cover should still be the sturdier cardboard. My newest source of thick cardboard came from the back of a picture frame thing that we didn't need. It's hard to cut but really really sturdy. c:
Instead, he said, Brother! I know your hunger.
To this, the Wolf answered, Lo!

-Elena Passarello, Animals Strike Curious Poses
  





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Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:35 am
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Que says...



I'm going through this in two art classes at once right now. Honestly, it's a really comforting process (strange as that seems) and I just want to make a ton of them! <3
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FeatherPen says...



Thank you for your tutorial. I made it with homemade paper, stained with coffee and a cover made from the back of a water colour book and card making paper, which I then burnt around the edges. I’d been meaning to do it for ages but reading your instructions prompted me to get around to it. With homemade paper you can only really have up to four sheets per signature because it is so thick, but the old look is great.
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