In the process of a series of 12 books. 4 more sewn last night, I’m very excited! Six of these books will be 100% cotton laid paper. From personal experience and speaking with other bookbinders, the sewing of text blocks and attaching of headbands are the most labor intensive (IE the least fun) part […]
Paste Paper
I’ve been tackling one of the last skills I’ve yet to learn in the book making process: paste. Wheat paste is easily made from… well- wheat, and water… and sometimes a little salt. You can apply the same staying power that creates that rock hard wet flour crust on your baking dishes when they’re left […]
New Tools, New Skills…
Part of the fun of this hobby truly is all the toys. When one learns about antiquarian material culture, one begins to learn the history of how so many things were made, so many lessons learned, so many hours spent working so other can work… SOME OF THE TOOLS… I have a French cobbler’s hammer […]
Starting a business…
In the vain of so many makers and crafts-people, I’ve been working hard to start my business. Bookbinding is not one trade, it is many. It is paper art, sewing, leather working, wood working, painting, gilding and exercising lots of patience in between. I’ve been building… building presses, building sewing frames, building tables, and making […]
Significant Influences…
James Moore- 18th Century Bibles Paul McClintock- From Common Hands Richard Norman- Eden Workshops The Colonial Williamsburg Printer and Bookbinder’s Shop (special thanks to Don) Jeff Peachy- Bookbinder, toolmaker, artist and author Allen Barton- Priest, Bookbinder, Art Historian, Liturgiologist Laurent Coulet Michael Pyron- Restoration Book Binder About 1,000 rare book traders on social media and discovered […]