In which I bind (and write) a book
So!
I cannot remember at all why now, but about a week and a half ago I got interested in hand bookbinding. I went to Powell's and got a great book on how to do it. Then I finished a story I'd been writing (a fanfic that's a cross between Pride & Prejudice and The Sheik...NERD) and figured out how to bind it. Here are the results.
First I made my Word file into a PDF, then used a little program I downloaded to "impose" the pages...or put them in the right order when they're folded. Then I bought some nice ivory paper and printed off the book. My little story came out to 221 pages!
Next I sewed the folded sections, which are called "signatures," together, including some hem tape to hold them together:
After that I glued a strip of cloth down the spine and glued that to two pieces of cardboard cannibalized from the back of a sketchbook:
Next I reinforced the head and foot with some fancy sewing in embroidery thread called a "headband." Headbands used to have a functional purpose, but now they're not sewn in, just glued on. Humbug! This one is hand sewn, in the traditional way:
Finally I covered the book with book cloth from Art Media and used a hot foil pen, also from Art Media, to letter the cover and spine:
The interior has an endsheet made of fancy paper from guess where, glued into the inside cover:
Lastly, here is what the print looks like:
There you have it...a homemade book! Ta-da!
I cannot remember at all why now, but about a week and a half ago I got interested in hand bookbinding. I went to Powell's and got a great book on how to do it. Then I finished a story I'd been writing (a fanfic that's a cross between Pride & Prejudice and The Sheik...NERD) and figured out how to bind it. Here are the results.
First I made my Word file into a PDF, then used a little program I downloaded to "impose" the pages...or put them in the right order when they're folded. Then I bought some nice ivory paper and printed off the book. My little story came out to 221 pages!
Next I sewed the folded sections, which are called "signatures," together, including some hem tape to hold them together:
After that I glued a strip of cloth down the spine and glued that to two pieces of cardboard cannibalized from the back of a sketchbook:
Next I reinforced the head and foot with some fancy sewing in embroidery thread called a "headband." Headbands used to have a functional purpose, but now they're not sewn in, just glued on. Humbug! This one is hand sewn, in the traditional way:
Finally I covered the book with book cloth from Art Media and used a hot foil pen, also from Art Media, to letter the cover and spine:
The interior has an endsheet made of fancy paper from guess where, glued into the inside cover:
Lastly, here is what the print looks like:
There you have it...a homemade book! Ta-da!