book materials

i love to create books out of upcycled and natural materials using exciting binding methods. most of my book covers come to me as consumer waste - boxes and cartons from my own home and the homes of friends, where they'd normally be recycled or thrown away. i like to reclaim these materials for their aesthetic value and usefulness. even if a particular box isn't too appealing, it can still be used as the basis for a beautiful book, cut to size and wrapped up in beautiful papers or fabrics to become something truly special.

when considering how to adorn the cover of a book, i look to what i have. i often gather fabric scraps from relatives or friends, and use hand-carved stamps for decoration. one day soon i hope to create my own inks for stamping. when binding books i use salvaged ribbons and cotton threads. though a number of my currently-for-sale books use synthetic ribbon, i am in the process of transitioning to all-natural binding materials. books with blank pages use sfi (sustainable forestry initiative) certified paper, and some books feature recycled & reused one-sided paper. when some type of adhesive is required, i use a water-based pva glue that is acid free. i welcome your suggestions as to what a more sustainable adhesive might be.

binding methods

i use two well-known binding techniques: coptic binding and japanese stab binding.

coptic binding was developed in europe in the middle ages, and utilizes pages folded in half (called signatures) to create a fold along the spine that is then pierced and sewn through, connected to the other signatures, both covers and then tied off to create a securely bound book. coptic binding, or the coptic stitch, is great in that it allows each page to lie completely flat, which makes for much easier writing and drawing (especially for left-handed folks).

japanese stab binding is a method that produces beautiful, tight books. to use this method, all the pages and covers are stacked and carefully aligned, then held tightly with clasps while holes are drilled or punched through (i use an awl to make the holes). the ability to choose the size of your holes allows for an exciting freedom when choosing a binding material - you can use anything from raffia to thread to ribbon or jute. A large-eyed needle is then used to sew through the holes in a particular order so that each section of the spine is throughly secured, creating a beautiful pattern along the bound-edge of the book.

if you have questions about book binding or would like to learn, let me know! i would be happy to answer your questions via e-mail or phone, and even to demonstrate binding methods via webcam. happy bookmaking!