Enter a world of unusual folded book forms to inspire and express your creativity. Places are limited & early booking is recommended.
I had an exciting time with my bookbinding groups this year. They learned to make several Japanese stab bindings, several ways to bind journals and notebooks and fascinating folded book forms. The names of bindings are often intriguing and invite exploration on that basis alone: Noble binding, Hemp Leaf; Turkish Map Fold; Quarter Cloth…
I'm happy to announce a follow-on bookbinding course for anyone that's previously studied with me at Artisan studio, starting 15 September 2016. Further your skills, enrich your knowledge and boost your creativity as you learn to make even more books in this 6 week evening class...
Weeks 4 & 5 were given over to the Longstitch with Linkstitch, the binding I most frequently use thanks to it's versatility, flexibility, strength and the opportunity it provides to make the most of exquisite leather. It's a 15th century limp leather German binding and is a delight to make. Here's an example:
Seems like everyone REALLY enjoyed learning this binding and lots have chosen to make it again next week in the Personal Project session to end the course. Here are some of the lovely books participants made:
I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this binding with you all and it was a joy to see all the fabulous colour combinations you chose. Well done, everyone - it's not the easiest of bindings and you all did really well!
See you next week - don't forget to bring all the books you've made so far on this course for a mass photo session, also your relevant worksheets & materials if you're bringing your own.
Susan
In week 3 of my bookbinding evening class we made paperback notebooks and sketchbooks using the pamphlet stitch with both one signature, and two. Here's some I made earlier:
And here are the books participants made during the workshop:
We covered some new terminology, including sheets, folios and signatures, and we we also looked at how the Pamphlet Stitch can be combined with bindings from Week 1, Folded Forms.
Stitching through the fold of each signature will hopefully prepare us for the next two weeks' work on the Longstitch binding, where participants can choose leather or vegan synthetic PU to make a Medieval journal or sketchbook. Exciting!
If these blog posts have inspired you to want to make books, you can join me on my Autumn evening class which starts in September at Artisan Community Art Studio in Moordown, Dorset and costs £80 for 6 weeks, or email me if you'd like to be notified when I start offering PDF tutorials for sale - my summer project is to turn my class worksheets in to downloadable instructions so you can learn at your own pace, in your own home, wherever you are.
Happy binding,
Susan
This week we looked at single sheet bindings, in particular Yotsume-Toji, more commonly known as the Japanese Stab Stitch. Single sheet binding are great for binding your own artwork or prints, as flip books or diaries. Don't forget that 15mm of the page is lost along the spine edge, so bear this in mind when planning your designs.
A sturdy awl is a must! The Japanese make the most amazing bookbinding tools. The slender one below is an example. For comfort, I often use the English awl which has a wooden handle that's a lot easier on the palm of the hand!
This is a book I made as an example to show the class, recycling a page from a magazine to cover the back board:
Our session at Artisan Community Art Studio went well, with everyone making a beautiful book to take home! It was really fun seeing the results of 8 different people's decisions on materials; from traditional bookcloth and marbled papers, to wrapping paper featuring a map of Paris and recycled art journal pages. The designs and colour combinations were very impressive and here are some pictures:
Thank you to everyone who came and for letting me share pictures of your work. See you next week!
Susan
Just one week until my bookbinding evening class starts! Are you coming? Bring yourself, a few pieces of silver for the tea and biscuit tin, and any interesting papers you might want to use.
We'll be looking at folded book forms in week 1, including the Turkish Map Fold, the Double Gatefold, The Accordion and the Hot Dog. We'll discuss developing their basic forms, incorporating them into other bindings and adding content to make Artist's Books.
If you need a reminder of timings, how to get there, etc please look here. And in the meantime, check out my Pinterest to see some examples of how book artists are using these folded forms.
See you there! We start at 7 so arrive a few minutes early to get settled in.
Susan
P.S If you missed out on the Spring course, I'm running it again in September.
UPDATE: The Spring course is fully booked, but I will be running it again in the Autumn, on Thursday evenings starting 10th September, all the details are as below. Please book early to avoid disappointment!
I'll be teaching a 6 week Bookbinding evening class on Thursdays 7-9 pm starting 30th April at Artisan Community Art Studio, Moordown in Dorset. There is space for just 8 participants, so please book early. Booking details are below.
Is it for me? The course is suitable for beginners or those with a little experience. If you enjoy making and working with your hands, want to make your own notebooks, or are curious about how to bind your own writing or artwork, this course is for you. You are welcome to come if you've previously attended the one-day bookbinding course run by myself and Laura Joy. I will be revisiting some of the bindings you made then as well as introducing you to new book forms, so it's a great opportunity to finesse your skills and expand your creative practice.
What will I be doing? you’ll make folded and sewn book forms including softcover and hardcover bindings you can use as a journal, sketchbook, portfolio or display album. You'll be working in a friendly atmosphere with others who want to learn, to share knowledge and skills and enjoy.
What shall I bring? I provide all tools, although you are welcome to bring your own favourites. Materials will be provided, but please also bring your own interesting papers to cover your books, such as quality wrapping paper, your own artwork, plant fibre paper, pages from old magazines, maps & books (the larger the better, but bring what you have and we can discuss what you might like to use during the course).
Where? Artisan Community Art Studio, 1005 Wimborne Road, Moordown, Bournemouth BH9 2BS. Known as 'First Point Plus', the venue is opposite the Holly Tree Pub - please come down the slope, entrance on the right.
Date: Thursdays, commencing April 30th
Time: 7-9 pm (please arrive 5-10 minutes early for a prompt start).
Cost: £60 for six 2 hour sessions. Please note the Autumn course is £80 as it will run an extra half hour per week, from 6:30 - 9 pm.
Getting there by car: limited parking is available to the rear of the venue, drive down the slope, past the entrance on the right and continue around the back. Blue Badge holders can park next to the venue's entrance on the right. Further on-street parking is available.
Getting there by bus: routes 4 and 2, alternatively route number 5 bus stops are 10 minutes walk away.
Facilities: Toilets are available in the venue and tea / coffee making facilities within the workshop. The venue is wheelchair-accessible.
To book: download the booking form (workshop title is Bookbinding Evening Class) and return it to Pauline Stanley who runs the venue. Alternatively call Pauline on 07729 829 209 or email paulinelstanley@icloud.com
I look forward to seeing you there!
Susan
Artist-educator Laura Joy and I ran a second one-day workshop at Artisan Community Art Studio at the end of September. We had a full house of 10 participants and made a simple but pleasing Single Pamphlet notebook, then moved on to the main event, the Medieval Journal.
The Longstitch with Linkstitch binding is the one I specialise in because it's so simple yet effective in design and function. It was a real pleasure to pass on some knowledge and hopefully some useful techniques to our wonderful, enthusiastic and creative workshop participants. A 15th century German style originally used for council documents and accounts, the Longstitch with Linkstitch makes a great journal or sketchbook as it lies flat on a desk, takes some inclusions and although very beautiful, is practical and sturdy.
Thank you to everyone who came and generously allowed us to photograph you hard at work. It was particularly wonderful to be able to include some of your work in Stitch & Bind: an exhibition of handmade books and textiles at Bournemouth Library as part of the Arts by the Sea festival in October.
I'll be running further 1-day workshops as well as a 6 week short course, please email info@boundbyhand.co.uk to be notified of future dates and venues.
Susan
At Artisan Studio:
Folding and tearing paper down to size:
Choosing a colour scheme and selecting a variety of decorative papers to use as endpapers and section dividers:
A bright colour scheme, all the signatures assembled:
A muted and atmospheric colour scheme:
Sewing the final signatures:
The room was very quiet at this point:
Some of the finished Longstitch with Linkstitch journals, some bound in leather, others in synthetic PU, a vegan alternative. Some 'icebreaker' activity prompts which we used to select colour schemes are also seen with their corresponding books.
A happy bookbinder:
STITCH & BIND: exhibition at Bournemouth Central Library Gallery for Arts By The Sea Festival.
Bookbinder Susan Green and artist-educator Laura Joy recently ran 1-day book making workshops at Artisan Community Art Studio in Moordown, Dorset. The result is this exhibition of a variety of interesting book forms made by workshop participants, accompanied by examples made by both Laura and Susan.
Several kinds of bindings are on display in the glass cabinets, ranging from the 15th century Longstitch with Linkstitch in both leather and vegan alternatives, the Japanese Stab Stitch, to the more unusual Concertina & Double Concertina forms, the Single & Double Pamphlet notebooks.
Most participants were new to bookbinding, some came to the workshops from a background in fine art, craft or design, and many others simply enjoy crafting or creating in their free time.
Some brought their own artwork, such as cyanotype prints, to incorporate into their books, others used a variety of handmade plant fibre papers. We also recycled pages from withdrawn library stock otherwise destined for landfill, and culled fashion and lifestyle magazines for inspiration and decorative book covers.
Stitch & Bind runs at the Gallery on Level 2 of Bournemouth Central Library until 24 October. Also on display are contemporary textiles made by workshop participants and tutor Leah Watts, including examples of patchwork and quilting, as well as sketchbooks filled with textile and stitching examples.
Tutors Laura Joy and Susan Green continue to run their 1-day workshops and are also developing a 6-week bookbinding short course to run in the Spring term at Artisan Community Art Studio.
To find out more about these book making workshops & register your interest in the short course, contact Susan Green: 07748 759 371, email susan@boundbyhand.co.uk or sign up to her newsletter.
Some images from Stitch & Bind:
Here you can see examples of Accordion fold books, also known as the Concertina fold. Some have been left blank, others digitally printed, one has been filled with mementoes from a holiday, the covers feature a map of the start and end points of the trip.Also on display are two examples of the Japanese Stab Stitch, with cyanotype prints incorporated into the front covers.
Case 2 includes some examples of the Longstitch with Linkstitch binding - these were made with synthetic PU, a vegan alternative to leather. 
The Gallery area on Level 2 of the library, with textiles by workshop participants and tutor Leah Watts:
