Try your hand at hardcover bookbinding with this beginner's level workshop. In this single-session class led by bookbinder, Daniel Ehn, each participant will produce their own sewn blank book with a cased-in hardcover and cloth-covered spine.
Starting with materials prepped in advance, Daniel will guide the group through all stages necessary to fully create a small notebook made up of four folded sections (“signatures”), a cloth-covered spine, and binder’s board covered with our own Risographed decorative paper. Students will be guided through:
- Proper paper folding and collation for signature creation
- Hand sewing a multi-signature volume
- Preparing and attaching endsheets
- Gluing and assembling their outer case and spine
- Properly covering their boards with decorative paper
- “Casing in” their page block (assembling the final book)
Each student will complete their 5"x6.5" book during the class, but it will need to dry under pressure overnight. Participants will be instructed on how to accomplish this at home.
This is a course for beginners but does involve intermediate concepts and fine motor skills in a relatively fast-paced class environment: it is recommended for adult learners. Some background in book arts will be helpful but not necessary. (Sound too daunting? No problem, info on super-simple zine and chapbook classes will be announced shortly.)
All materials used for this class are professional-grade and included in the cost of admission.
**Masks are expected to be required at this workshop regardless of vaccination status. We will update participants on COVID policies if necessary, prior to the class.