2005: january 07
Collaborative Coptic Colour
A red and orange variation of the original Collaborative Coptic books. They are sewn in the Coptic style using black linen thread on two needles. These books are 6.5" tall by 5" wide. The covers are 1/8" birch plywood painted and turned by wood artist Stephen Hogbin (my father). They are filled with heavy weight (200gsm) drawing paper (Tiziano by Fabriano) and a coloured accent paper. These two books have stubs in them and would be suitable as a photo album, artist's journal or a scrapbook (in addition to a regular journal, or sketchbook, or just about whatever you need a blank book for).
2004: december 31
Back Tyed Album
This was a gift to my (future) mother-in-law. The cover is hand dyed Japanese paper (a kozo/wood blend) with a super long ribbon tie that reminds me of amethyst. She lives in Thunder Bay, one of two places in Canada where amethyst is mined.
Alex's Slap and Tickle
This Slap and Tickle has a custom guitar print on the front as well as Alex's name in white gouache. The guitar print was made from a photocopy of an image that was transferred to Japanese paper with eucalyptus essential oil.
2004: september 21
Summerfolk Tabbies
Here are a selection of the Tabbies that I made for the Summerfolk sale.
For Sale
Sold
2004: september 13
Two Faced
Calm and collected on one side, and a little crazy on the other, this neat little book will open from either direction to suit your current mood (although there are more pages on the crazy side).
The calm and collected side is decorated with a hand dyed Japanese paper. The crazy side is one of my paste papers. The accordion fold that holds it all together is an Italian card stock by Fabriano.
These books sell for $18.
Available
All sold out! Please send me an email if you are interested in these books.
Already Sold
Five by Five Watercolour
A simple binding for those who aren't afraid to be creative. This binding has five signatures which are attached to the spine in a five-hole pamphlet sewing. There is lots of room to add movie tickets, love letters, classified ads and just about anything else you may collect along your way.
The cover is a coloured watercolour paper from Montreal (by St. Armand) and is just begging to be held. You may choose to decorate your cover, or leave it plain.
Instructions
This structure is based on the long stitch bindings that were originally created in the14th century as account and ledger books. In this binding the sections of pages areattached directly to the spine, instead of to each other. There are endless sewingvariations--allowing the binder to develop a series of unique spine decorations.
Historical Notes on the Binding
[I need to confirm all of this information with a book historian, but I don't think anyof it is wildly inaccurate.]
While most of us hate paying our credit card bills, it was a change in accounting duringthe Italian Renaissance that is partly to blame. During the 14th century (around the sametime that paper was introduced in Europe) accountants started to using "double entry"bookkeeping. Instead of having actual money change hands, the accountant would record adebit in one ledger and a credit in the other.
The account books of the day were made by stationers and used a binding technique knownas "long stitch." (Although there were a few other techniques used, this is a fun one tomake today.) Because the signatures are attached directly to the spine, instead of toeach other, it is possible to create a pattern along the spine of the book using thecolumns of stitches from each signature. Assistants in the accounting houses memorizedthe unique spine sewing on each of the account books. The more books there were in theaccount house, the more detailed the spines became.
Advantages of this structure
It's very easy way to make this album/scrapbook which can be jammed full of stuff withouthaving to worry about the pages splaying open. It's a non-adhesive binding and can bemade with no (or very little) glue. It's also very fast to make. A person who's nevermade a book before, but is comfortable threading a needle, should be able to make thisstructure in less than half a day. This book will open perfectly flat without stressingthe binding spine. Watch for the stair-like splay when the book is opened.
Disadvantages of this structure: the sewing is always visible on the spine. Weaker hingefrom the spine to the front/back covers therefore more likely to rip on a hardcoverbinding.
Variations with alternate sewing patterns:
Tools
- needle
- awl
- scissors
- glue (for the spine liner if you are making one)
Materials
- pages (suggested: five groups of eight sheets each)
- cover paper (3-4 times the width of the page should be enough)
- spine liner (optional). Adds a bit more stability to the structure.
- thread (linen or upholstery weight polyester is fine)
- ribbon for tying up the outside
Instructions
1. The first step is to decide what size your pages will be. All other decisions are made based on the size of the folded page. For this book we will be using sheets of 8.5x11" paper cut in half and then folded in half.
2. Based on the size of your pages, cut a cover sheet. This paper should be a heavy card stock (at least 200gsm or 110lb). I like St. Armand Watercolour paper. It's made in Montreal and comes in a range of pastel colours. (I buy mine from the Japanese Paper Place although I've noticed it in many different art supply stores in Toronto.) Your cover should be about 1/2" taller than your sheet (1/4" top and bottom) and about three-four times as long. It will wrap around the entire book and have a flap on the inside front and back. This flap is sometimes called a French flap in the publishing industry.
3. If you would like, you can add a spine liner to the cover. This helps add stability to the structure of the book, although it is completely optional. To add your spine liner simply fold a piece of card stock (either the same colour, or complementary) and glue it to the middle of the inside of the cover. Make sure it is even along the edges of the cover. Otherwise your covers won't be straight when folded. Most of the spine liner won't show, so you can choose to use either the same colour of paper, or a complementary colour.
4. While the glue is drying on your spine liner (assuming you're adding one), fold your sheets together into signatures. I group eight sheets into each signature, but this will depend on the thickness of your sheets.
5. Stack all of your signatures into a single pile. Draw a guide across the back of all signatures. It will have five bars in total. The first and last should each be about 1/2" from the top and bottom of the pages. The third should be exactly in the middle, and the fourth and fifth should be centered in the remaining space. [diagram is coming]. Once you've drawn these guide lines, you can continue by punching holes into each of the signatures.
6. Using a ruler and a pencil, draw five sets of parallel lines along the inside of your spine liner. Choose the outer most points along the spine, the inner point and then fill in the two gaps. Punch these holes into your spine liner and cover and make sure that your needle will thread through each of the holes. You must use an odd number of rows for this sample binding. Feel free to experiment once you understand how the structure works.
7. Sew each signature with the linen thread into the spine. You should use the pamphlet stitch (very boring, I know) for the first few models that you make you will always have time to explore later on.
8. Once you've added all of your signatures you can fold in the cover flaps.
9. Finally your icing on the cake is to add the ribbon to the book. There are a number of different ways you can add ribbon so that it is both functional and decorative.
10. Finally your icing on the cake is to add the ribbon to the book. There are a number ofdifferent ways you can add ribbon so that it is both functional and decorative.
References
http://www.muprivate.edu.au/index.php?id=163
http://acct.tamu.edu/giroux/history.html
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/arthist/matren/outline.shtml
Tickling the Ivories
This book reminds me of the keys on a piano. It is sewn onto packed hemp cords with linen thread. The heavy weight pages make it an ideal book for small sketches and creative note taking. It will also hold a number of pasted treasures without the pages splaying open at the front.
There are two available for sale: one green and one in black. Shown here is the green book. They are $35 each.
Medieval Account Books
These medieval bindings were originally used as account books. They were identified by the design on their spine, not by a written title--as such no two spines should ever be the same.
These books combine two types of Italian Fabriano paper--the covers use Tiziano (heavier weight), and the pages are Ingres (lighter weight). The wood is one of spalted beech (warm brown sometimes patches of white), or spalted birch (warm yellow with stripes). The two books shown here are both spalted beech.
These books were incredibly popular at the Cabbagetown Art and Craft Sale. My favorite went home with a friend of mine from high school. (After picking up and putting down the same book no less than three times I finally said, "Oh just buy the book already!" He laughed and agreed that maybe he did need to take it home.) I think we can all agree that it's a great little book!
The medieval books with button closures were quick to sell out. I was not expecting these little books to be as popular as they were!
2004: august 24
Too Shy To Say
Most books that I make tell me their name. This one has been too shy so far. I'm not sure what kind of wood the covers are, but I do know that it is beautiful. The book is filled with 108 pages of Tiziano by Fabriano. It is a heavy weight paper that would be suitable for sketching or a photo album. It is sewn with linen thread using four needles. The book is 6.75" square.
Collaborative Coptic
This book is a collaboration between my father, Stephen Hogbin, and myself. Stephen offered me the covers with a package of wood that I had requested for my medieval and Coptic bindings. I knew instantly how the book needed to be made.
The wood is birch plywood and was decorated by Stephen in a classic Hogbin design. It is bound in the Coptic style with linen thread by me using four separate needles. The pages are Tiziano, a heavy weight Italian paper by Fabriano.
This book measures 6.5" tall and is 5" wide. It sells for $65. Each cover is a little different, please email me for pictures of the covers that I have in stock.
2004: august 10
Holly and William's wedding album
This wedding album contains advice from the guests to the bride and groom on how to stay happily married. It is influenced by the medieval traditional of binding with a wood spine, however, the patterns are inspired by Keith Smith's 1, 2, 3 Section Bindings. There are eight sections in the book with a total of four different patterns being used. One of the patterns (the cross-hatching) is repeated on the first three and last three sections in the book.
The monogram on the cover is my own design. It incorporates both the H and the W from Holly and William. The cover paper is St. Armand Watercolour (lime) and was hand made in Montreal, Canada.
Spine detail: the spine is oak with a teak oil finish. It is sewn onto linen thread through 1/16" drill bit holes.
2004: july 25
Sunnybrook Art Auction 2004
This was my donation to the New Leaders of Sunnybrook and Women's Foundation Art for Life auction. A total of $29,000 was raised at the event.
The signatures alternate between a Japanese chocolate paper and a French cream paper. The cover is made from oak boards.
This book went through two different versions. The first version was somehow missing something. It had a wax finish on the covers and was sewn with maroon linen thread.
The second version I much preferred. I stained the covers with an American walnut stain and used cream linen thread for the sewing.
Apple wood Coptic
Many lessons were learned on this gem. Sanding end grain fruit wood is much, much harder than it looks. But that lesson can only be learned after you find out how hard it is to attach blocks of wood as they expand and contract with the changing of the seasons. This book was a gift to my friend Laura.
As much as I hated all of the disasters of making this book, I love the final result. I plan on making more at some point.
Medieval book with wooden spine
This little gem has a wooden spine and paper cover. It was made with Reg Beatty through a JPP workshop. The cover is tomato St. Armand water colour paper--made in Montreal, Canada.
Coptic binding with wooden covers
This was my first wooden book. It was made with Louise Granahan through a CBBAG workshop.
2004: june 27
The France Travel Sig
July 1st - July 14th I will be in Bordeaux, France at the Libre Software Meeting. I was running out of room in my bookbinding notebook but wanted to take something I'd made instead of my cruddy store-bought notebooks (I bought a pile of them back in the pre-bookbinding days and I'm trying to use them up). I wanted to have a book that would be specifically for this trip. But I have no idea how many pages I'll need. Instead of making a complete book that gets only half filled, I decided to work by signature. (The idea is definitely not my own, but I'm not entirely sure who gets the full credit for the idea as I've seen it in so many different places).
The Case
The case can hold up to six sigs, or five sigs and a full wrapper. It is covered in a black linen bookcloth and Japanese chiyogami (printed paper). The colour scheme was inspired by the chiyogami.
The inside of the case is also lined with the patterned paper.
The Parts
Each Sig is 32 (4x6inches) pages of scribbling goodness. The signatures are wrapped in a vibrant Fabriano paper which is light enough to hold a summary of contents on the outside page. They are bound with a thick linen thread (18/3) which gives enough bulk to the spine that I can add a photo or two on the inside without the booklet splaying open. The signatures are bound using "parallel bars" although the effect turns into dots under this method of binding. The space between the dots is approximately two (paper) bars high.
The wrapper is a gorgeous lime green water colour paper from La Papetrie St-Armand in Montreal. The same paper is used on my first wrapper prototype.
Sigs
Although this is the first finished "Sig" -- it was not the first one that I started. The idea for this binding comes from a number of different problems all piled into one solution. First and foremost is my upcoming trip to France. I wanted a small notebook that I could tuck into just about anything. Most of my notebooks require me to carry some kind of bag. And the second that I have a bag I tend to fill it with more junk and more junk. The reality of writing a few notes is this: you rarely write more than a few pages of notes at any given time. Which means that most of the time you're lugging around a book that is mostly useless.
In come the Sigs. A single, or double, signature binding designed to be part of a set. Maybe you only need one sig, or maybe you need five. Either way you can have just enough paper without the additional cost of a full book (and the extra paper that you may never get around to using). It's also a lot less scary to start writing in a softcover signature than it is a full bound leather tome. Less pressure means more writing. More writing means ... well who knows?!
The Sig
Thirty two pages of note taking heaven. This is a two-signature "Sig" and is covered with a paste paper cover (made by the Strange Little Girl herself) and stitched shut with a "lightening" binding. The signature is approximately 6 inches tall by 4 inches wide.
The Wrapper
Although the Sigs can be purchased on their own, they are not designed to be put into the bottom of your napsack without a little extra protection. The protection comes from a portfolio-style wrapper. This one is made from lovely lime handmade paper by La Papeterie St-Armand in Montreal. It has an elastic closure and the cutest little button. The Wrapper is designed to hold a Sig, however, it's also the perfect size for a 4x6" photographs...
Peach Berserk Tabbies
These books were a commission for Tabatha Marshall, my co-Review Coordinator at The Linux Documentation Project. The size of the text block has been officially dubbed a "Tabbie." The format of the binding and cover decoration is completely open. The first set of three were named after a store in Toronto named "Peach Berserk." The books have no affiliation to the store other than the fact that I love the store and love these little books. :)
All volumes are hand sewn using linen thread (18/3). The pages are an acid-free 20lb paper (approximate brilliance 88)--perfect for keeping notes or brief sketches. The books were assembled using a combination of corn starch paste and acid-free PVA. They can withstand a small amount of moisture, but should not be exposed to water.
Volume One: Case bound "batik" cover
There's nothing truly "batik" about the cover, other than the final effect. The cover of this book is Japanese paper that has been hand dyed with onion skins (peach/orange). The paper was then dipped in a thick paste solution tinted with fabric dye for the purple/blue effect. The book is case bound using hooked (or "zigzag") end papers.
Volume Two: Watermarked Seikaiha Sewn on tapes
This book is sewn onto cotton tapes which are hinged onto the covers. The cover boards are decorated using two Japanese papers: a peach background and a white Seikaiha watermarked paper. The cotton tapes have been recessed into the cover to give a smooth writing surface.
Volume Three: Scarlet Cords
A true spring delight after a hard winter--this book sports three scarlet runner bean flowers on the front cover from the artist's garden. The book is sewn onto four cords which are laced into the front and back covers. Otherwise unadorned, this Japanese paper is the peachiest of the bunch.
2004: june 13
Crimson and Clover
This is a travelling book for my friend. Evert wanted something for his cross-Canada adventure. The book needed to be strong enough to withstand the proper beating of backpack travel, and yet it had to open flat. I made a wooden book to ensure Evert would always have a hard surface to write on. Then to protect the book, and perhaps act as an additional folder for things collected along the way, I created a portfolio-style case for the book.
The case is covered in 100% silk--an elegant finish and rock solid in its strength. The inside fabric is one that Evert chose and features the kokopelli (a mythical creature from the Hopi Indians who represents fertility, music, dance and mischief). Although the kokopelli fabric was the inspiration for the binding, I know nothing about its composition and did not trust it for anything other than a lining. Both the silk and the kokopelli fabric are lined with a Japanese kozo to add stability to the fabric.
The ribbon used to hold the case shut is also 100% silk. It is hand dyed and was purchased from the Japanese Paper Place. The ties are not attached to the book in any way--they are simply woven through the front and back covers. Were the ribbon to fray or otherwise break a new ribbon could be easily woven through the case.
The case was the only part of the binding that used an adhesive. For this project I used flour paste--including the making of the silk and kokopelli book cloth.
The book itself is a wooden book (poplar) bound in the Coptic style using a maroon and white linen thread. It is approximately the size of an American Letter sized paper folded in half (although it's not made from 8.5x11 sheets due to grain considerations).
2004: may 15
Accordion Books: A Japanese Paper Place demo
The orihon structure was developed by the Buddhists during the Heisan period (794-1185). It is perfect for housing photos as it will expand as new items are added. It is also an elegant, and simple way to bind the single sheets that an ink jet printer spits out.
Paper Grain
When paper is made the plant fibers line up in a specific direction. This is known as the paper grain. All books should be made with the grain parallel to the spine. This page is grain-long. Pinch the edges of the page along the bottom and then along the side. You can see the page flops further when you are pinching along the bottom (long side).
Using Ink Jet Printers
Unlike the fussy laser printer, ink jet printers will print onto nearly any flat, porous surface. Ink jet printers deposit the colour into the page. Laser printers, however, leave a plastic film on top of the paper that is prone to releasing over time. Ink jet ink is water soluble. You can use this property to create a lovely brushed effect when you apply a watery glue or paste to the surface.
Paste and "Glue"
Always look for the words acid-free, pH neutral or archival quality when buying any kind of adhesive. You may also want to consider making a starch paste. In a double boiler add 1/3 corn starch to 2/3 water. Heat over medium high while stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken after a few short minutes. Cool and strain before using.
The Hinges
Here are five ways to hinge an accordion fold book.
Pinched (album or nori-ire gajo)
The hinge should be at the front (fore-edge) of your book.
Single Hook
The extra bulk from the hook allows some space to add pasted items.
Double Hook
No real advantage book-wise, but it is easier to print pages with an even margin.
Full Sheet (nobiru gajo)
Instead of only a lip being used to hook the pages together, the full sheet is used. Useful if you want to hand write text with a pen that bleeds. Also helps the book to stand up as the pages are stiffer.
Added Hinge
Instead of the sheet being used to hinge a page, an additional piece of paper makes a bridge between two sheets.
The Covers
Here are four ways to cover your book.
Integrated Cover
The cover is the same sheet of paper that makes up the rest of the accordion fold.
External sheets
An extra sheet of paper is wrapped around the book.
External Boards
Card stock, or a book board is first covered in paper and then pasted onto the ends of the accordion.
Folded Cover
No glue required! This method allows you to add a different paper to your cover without worrying about adhesives. (See The Essential Guide to Making Handmade Books by Gabrielle Fox)
Resources
Accordion-Style Books
Cover to Cover by Shereen LaPlantz (2000) Lark Books
Concertina Book Instructions
Creative Bookbinding by Pauline Johnson (1963) Dover Publications
The Essential Guide to Making Handmade Books by Gabrielle Fox (2002) North Light Books
Japanese Bookbinding: Instructions from a Master Craftsman by Kojiro Ikegami (1986/2003) Weatherhill
The New Photo Crafts by Suzanne Tourtillott (2001) Lark Books
Pocket Accordions (PDF) and also in this style Gyromancy
2004: march 29
Morning Glory
A packed cord binding. This beauty is covered on the outside with Japanese paper and on the inside with Italian paper. The pages are Italian as well. The cover features a morning glory from my garden. These flowers are delicate when they're alive and even more so when they've been pressed. The pressed flower repels water, making it difficult to add a protective coating to the surface (although it adheres well to the paper).
Rounded Cork
This book is covered with a canvas spine and Japanese cork paper. The cork is thinly sliced and placed onto a sheet of paper--in this case blue. The resulting paper is absolutely stunning.
2004: march 20
Forked
The cover of this hand bound volume was decorated using corn starch paste and Speedball inks. The horizontal lines were created with a brush while the vertical lines are from the tines of a fork. The inside front and back covers are decorated with paper that was made by the bookbinder using old recycled course notes. The book is handsewn using red linen thread.
Urban Birds
The book was bound in the Coptic style using two sewing stations (two pieces of linen thread are used--the middle of each piece of thread is hooked into the first signature). The end of each piece of thread uses its own needle meaning that this book was sewn with four needles.
The image from this book was taken at dusk on the shore of Lake Ontario at the west end of Toronto. That day there were Canada geese, buffleheads, mallards, ring-billed gulls, black-backed gulls, and two trumpeter swans.
Red Linen
A red linen cover to match the red linen thread. This book was bound in the Coptic style with two sewing stations (two pieces of linen thread are used--the middle of each piece of thread is hooked into the first signature). The end of each piece of thread uses its own needle meaning that this book was sewn with four needles.
The inside front and back covers are decorated with paper that was hand marbled by my mom, Maryann Thomas, some 30 or so years ago.
Fissure
This book reminds me of the Niagara Escarpment's cracks and fissures. A large crevasse starts when a tiny root manages to pry a little hole for itself. The crack grows over time to eventually give a large crevasse. The green splinter on the front cover is wedging itself between the two colors, just the way a root would squeeze its way into the rocks. The edges of the pages have been painted with a dark green paste and then rubbed with beeswax to seal in the color.
2004: march 07
Electrophoresis
The first in a series of paste paper books. I'm completely enamoured by this book. Each of the signatures are decorated with "paste paper." The book is then bound in the Coptic style using three sewing stations (three pieces of thread are used--the middle of each piece of thread is hooked into the first signature). The end of each piece of thread uses its own needle meaning that this book was sewn with six needles.
The title for the book, Electrophoresis, is a technique used by labs to compare strands of DNA. In very simple terms (and probably not entirely correct): DNA is put onto a gel medium and an electric current is run through the gel. The lightest pieces of DNA move the furthest across the plate while the heaviest pieces stay close to where they were dropped. Bands that are at the same location indicate a genetic match, while bands at different locations are not a match. Two identical lanes (i.e. two identical strips from top to bottom) are from a single individual, two similar lanes that have many bands matching, but not all, suggest a genetic relationship between two individuals, and few or no bands matching suggests there is no relationship between the two individuals.
For pictures showing The Real Thing, check out Gel electrophoresis. Feel free to ignore their lab instructions and just look at the pictures. The lab is looking at the impacts of time and gel media on results. They're not actually doing a comparison of different DNA samples.
2004: march 06
Leather on Cords
These three bindings are all leather sewn onto cords. I tried three different kinds of bindings for this set. All use "tipped in" end papers which are lined with mull to improve the strength of the book.
Sparkle Purple
Skiver Spine
Cards
2004: february 12
Inlay Squared
My first full bound leather book. The holes are all "naturally occuring" cuts in the original (goat) hide.
