Friday, June 11, 2010

The Thread That Binds

A while back, I sent away to Oak Knoll Books for an unbound copy of The Thread That Binds: Interviews with Private Practice Bookbinders. Here you can see the pages:



For the last couple of weeks, I've been pondering what sort of binding I want to create for it.

The bookbinders interviewed talk about their lives in the book arts -- how they got to be bookbinders, and the ups and downs of a bookbinding life. Jim Croft, who taught me many things about bookbinding, is one of the interviewees, and so I want to make a binding that honours his passion for gothic books with wooden covers, but also reflects my own bookbinding interests, too.

This part of designing a cover is always the most fun--thinking, making little drawings, thinking some more, messing about with papers and leather and wood and things, drinking tea, rejecting what I just thought about, thinking some more.....

6 comments:

DangAndBlast! said...

I love that so many books about bookbinding are sold in sheets. (My cousin's response: why would you trust them to tell you how to bind books if they can't even do it themselves?) I'm afraid I lack in imagination, so I always just do a standard cased-in on tapes bound in this garish blue bookcloth I have oodles of.

Durkin said...

You have some wonderful examples of book binding on here. Keep up the great work. You are a credit to the few book binders left!

http://kirkbysbookbinding.co.uk

Blue Roof Designs said...

I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with those pages. I need to get a copy of that book too - not sure if I want to bind it myself though.

Sabrina Vourvoulias said...

My daughter and I have just started our first (basic and self-taught) attempts at binding books (very slim one-signature books). I chanced upon your blog - and just love it and the books you create. So much so that I've put you on my blogroll.

Keep creating those beautiful books.

moonandhare said...

That's very kind of you, Sabrina--thanks! :)

Philler @ Leather Book Cover said...

I just love the book that you create, small universe. The wood covers and distressed nature of it with the stich you used for the binding looks so great together. Great job!