my first book: belgian bookbinding.

Being relatively new to the art of bookmaking and wholly unaware of the technical applications of bookmaking- the class I took yesterday served as a perfect introduction to a skill that requires patience and a brilliant teacher. Luckily- I was able to muster patience (that week of patiently reading and patiently watching the sun rise and set must have appropriated my gears for this week) and my teacher was knowledgable and patient with us.

An entirely new vocabulary is now rushing through my fingertips after learning how to do kettle knots and herringbone stitches and worrying about thread tension. Some vocab is pretty obvious: folio, heads, tails, codex, signature, and on. Some of the vocabulary I’ve already encountered from writing about the Center for Book Arts archive collection. I loved having an actual hands-on way of learning as we handled components.

 

Here are the results:

one of the awesome features is the “floating” and flexible spine. no glue involved!

not tied off or clipped yet.

(design by my instructor- binding by me)