LOOPY BOOK BINDINGS WORKSHOP

Our Loopy Books workshop was fun and gave us three alternatives to the simple pamphlet stitch. As stated in the NORBAG Newsletter, this method came to us by a rather circuitous route. Inspired by Keith Smith and Susan Longerot, Kris Nevius wrote her own instructions and gave a workshop to the Sonoma County Book Arts Guild. She very generously shared them with NORBAG and Donna Gephart volunteered to give us the workshop.

Just as the pamphlet stitch can hold signatures in covers, these little sewn bindings are simple and quick and add texture to books as an alternative. Starting with a jig, we spaced the holes along the folded spine. In the first two examples, the stitching had either an odd or even number of holes about every half-inch. We used either waxed linen thread or waxed or unwaxed Perle Cotton into one hole and out of the next making a simple running stitch. When we got to the bottom, we returned by wrapping the thread around the exposed running stitch back to the top for tie-off. In the third book, we completed a double stitch between two holes and wrapped with thread for each stitch as we worked to the bottom to tie-off. On the fourth book, we made a chain stitch all the way down the spine and then moved back to the top of the spine, wrapping each stitch on the way back up with a tie-off at the top. Each stitch pattern had a slightly different effect depending on tension and thread.

As usual, it was all about creativity and imagination. These can be simple little signature books with lovely surface designs or perhaps a double row of stitches resulting in two signatures. A Dos-a-Dos structure would lend itself to this binding. And, because there is thread, you could put a bead on it.

These are some of the samples that Donna brought.

Donna widened the spine and sewed three signatures
 using two different threads for contrast.

This is the close-up of the first book with a running stitch down
 and wraps on the way back up.

This is book three and has a lovely profile.

This is book four and was made with unwaxed Perle cotton
 and looks like a fuzzy caterpillar.

We had a wonderful set of instructions that made the stitching very easy.

On to the stitching and surface design

This is book three. Stitches are complete before going to the next series of holes. 

This is book four before the final wraps.

Now you get to see the finished products. Complete with surface design.

We have a show and tell table each month

Edge G is experimenting with "leather" looks using paper and paste shoe polish.

Michele K is also experimenting. She is using various solutions to deposit iron onto paper.

Dianne B displayed some of the future project page structures.

BUTTONHOLE STITCH BINDING

For the September workshop, Lara Cox will be teaching a book binding technique that is a variation of the binding taught in Keith Smith's book Non-Adhesive Binding Volume 1. Having seen this binding on various Pinterest and Bookbinding sites, Lara was inspired to research and make several different versions. She used book cloth over book board covers as well as simpler versions utilizing cover weight paper for the covers. This binding can be glued or not depending on your style choices, and offers endless possibilities for variation. Note: For this workshop she will be using the cover weight paper version.

Materials to bring:

• One cover paper: Mi-Teintes, card stock or a similar weight paper, cut 5 1/2" tall x 15 1/2" wide. Cut grain short (grain running parallel to the 5 1/2" side). Feel free to bring decorative paper, colored pencils, etc., with which to embellish your cover.
• Paper for the signatures: Text weight 8 1/2" wide x 11" tall, cut in half to size 8 1/2" wide x 5 1/2" tall. We will be working with 10 signatures which are comprised of 4 pieces of paper each. Don't fold the signatures until class!! Keep in mind that a portion of the folded sides of your signatures will be visible and you may wish to include colored or patterned papers as the "outside pages" of your signatures. If you choose to do this, you will need a maximum of 10 pages cut the same as your signature pages.
• Colored thread for binding: Waxed linen or embroidery thread. Note that this thread will show on the outside of your binding and will be a decorative element.

Tools to bring:

• Ruler
• X-acto knife or similar tool
• Bone folder
• Pencil
• Cutting mat
• Sewing needle appropriate size for your thread
• Beeswax for waxing thread
• Piercing awl
• Piercing cradle or foam board for making holes in your signatures
• Optional: glue, glue stick or double-sided tape

When:   Saturday, September 8, noon
Where:  Eureka Methodist Church, Del Norte & F Streets
Bring:    See above list
RSVP:    Yes, by September 3 to Lara Cox (contact information in the newsletter)
Cost:     $1.00 for instructions

BINDING OVER RIBBON WORKSHOP

On Saturday, August 11, 2018, Donna Gephart led a workshop on this binding from Keith Smith's book 1,2 & 3 Section Sewings. This is volume 3 of 4 in his series of non-adhesive bindings. If you aren't familiar with Keith Smith books, don't think that Donna opened the book, copied a materials list with measurements and started the workshop. Keith Smith books have tons of information about sewing patterns and some info about materials but the rest is up to the reader to put it all together to complete a book. 

Donna did the math and made it easy for us.  The book has three sections (signatures) and the signatures are sewn onto the cover with a ribbon banding that is placed under the stitching. The cover is cut so that it can be folded back upon itself to cover the ribbons on the inside and to give a folded fore edge for strength and durability.

These are the samples that were in the August newsletter.

We had a full house for the workshop.

 Marking and folding of the cover

We started with the folding of the cover. We set a spine in the middle
 of the cover and scored the end flaps for folding inward.

Preparing the spine and jigs

Donna instructed us to mark the spine for the sewing of the signatures (sections) and then temporarily applying the ribbons to the inside so that we could mark the spine.

This is a closeup of the inside of the cover. We have three lines drawn vertically for each of the signatures. With the ribbons placed on the page, we marked the piercing holes. In this picture, you can see that there are two holes at the top of the ribbon and only one in the middle of the bottom of the first ribbon. Each of the next ribbons will only have holes on the outside lines of each ribbon. This means that the two outside signatures have a different piercing pattern than the middle one. So we made 2 different jigs.  Note: the ribbons are on the inside of the cover only during the set up for the jig. Ultimately, they will be on the outside of the spine with the stitching over them.                                                                       

We moved the ribbons away from the lines and made a slit where the ribbons
 would eventually re-enter the cover.

After marking all of the piercings, we moved the ribbons to the outside of the cover and slid the ends through the slits. (Note: we don't always use waxed linen. This member uses Perle Cotton generally used in crewel work, waxed it and used it as linen.)

 

Using folded cardstock and the cover, we made two jigs for each of the piercing patterns.

Sewing of the Signatures

The left and right signatures used a different jig than the center signature. Some of us used piercing cradles while others used the edge of a box or simply on a pad.

The stitching starts with the middle signature and then moves to the first signature. It is fun watching what each member does to control the signatures. Some used paper clips, others clamps and others simply work with the paper.

Throughout the process, Donna moved through the room helping where needed.

 See our results. At the end, take a look at our "Show and Tell" table.

As usual, someone had an interesting variation.

Last, but not least, the "show and tell" table. The books in the upper left are samples of what we will be doing next month. The three papers in the middle are batik on rice paper. The pictures on the right are some collages using Picasso prints to fit into our cat theme.

KEITH SMITH BINDING OVER RIBBON WORKSHOP

The August workshop will be taught by Donna Gephart. This binding is from Keith Smith's book 1, 2, & 3 Section Sewings, but will use ribbons rather than the leather or vellum he suggested. Donna said it is a striking binding when the ribbons and thread are carefully chosen. This workshop will provide an easy introduction into learning how to read Keith Smith's stitching instructions!

MATERIALS TO BRING:

• Cover Paper: 18 1/4" long by 5 5/8" high, cut grain short (grain running parallel to the 5 5/8" side), Mi Teintes or similar weight paper.
• Three Signatures: papers 8 1/2" long by 5 1/2" tall, folded in half to create signatures 4 1/4" wide by 5 1/2" tall. Use enough paper to fill a 3/4" wide spine.
• Ribbon: Five pieces of ribbon 5/8" wide, cut to 4" lengths. Grosgrain ribbon is best. Don't use anything too slippery, so stay away from satin. Also, a solid color ribbon is suggested so that the stitching will be showcased.

TOOLS TO BRING:

• Metal measures/spacers if you have them
• Ruler
• Bone folder
• Piercing awl
• Piece of foam core, cardboard or phone book for flat piercing
• Exacto knife or similar tool
• Cutting mat
• Piercing cradle or phone book for section piercing (cradles will be available to borrow)
• Pencil
• Glue stick and double sided tape
• Plastic covered large sized paper clip, or binder clip for holding sections
• Waxed linen or similar thread such as Perle Cotton #5, for sewing in contrast to the ribbon
• Sewing needle appropriate size for your thread

When:   Saturday August 11 at noon
Where:  Eureka Methodist Church at Del Norte & F Streets
Bring:    See above list
Cost:     $1.00
RSVP:    YES, by August 6 to Donna (contact information in the newsletter)

February Workshop Variations

Many guild members participated in Becky Luening's all day workshop. Becky has been a long time member and it was good of her to come down from Portland to visit and provide us with an opportunity to explore this fascinating and challenging structure. After a morning of folding the origami pages for the structure we took a break for the annual Valentine exchange and lunch. In the afternoon the origami pages were sewn to the straps and covers created. The structure was inspired by Keith Smith's Non-adhesive Binding: Books Without Paste or Glue, Volume 1. Becky explained that she was a big fan of Keith Smith's intricate, clever structures mainly because he encourages book artists to vary aspects of the structure to come up with something uniquely their own. You can see some of Keith's books and read his interview on the TJ Book Arts website. 

Becky's exchange and exhibition books are always an inspiration and so is her teaching. Thanks for a great job, Becky. 

Straps stitched to the covers with endpapers as extensions of the accordion spine.

These straps are woven into slits in the covers.

Woven straps with added embellishment.