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 A Bradel Hardcover Book


















German version of a classic cloth-covered book is called the Bradel binding. It is characterized by the ease of measuring both the spine and the joint between the spine and the cover boards, giving the cover a precise fit; great for edition binding, and for beginners. We will fold and sew printed signatures, round and line the spine, add endbands, make the cover (case) and attach the book to the cover (case-in).




The text is a 1922 dialogue between a bibliophile and a bookbinder on the trade and art of bookbinding.














A Caterpillar Stitch Book


















The exposed sewing travels across the spine of this book and looks like a caterpillar. The book is sewn with multiple needles, allowing for caterpillars of different sizes and colors on a single book. We will sew a book with 2 or 3 caterpillars and explore some of the stitching variations. This stitch was researched by Betsey Palmer Eldridge as the 'single station, double holes, step down' stitch and nicknamed the caterpillar stitch at Paper Book Intensive.
























A Classic Hardcover Book



















This is a classic cloth-covered flatback case book. We will sew signatures, line the spine, add endbands, make the cover (case) and attach the book to the cover (case-in). We will bind a book printed in signatures - potentially print and bind your own digital photos, text or, of course, blank paper. Find out more about the text here.




















A Laced and Limp Paper Case
 
















This book is sewn on raised leather thongs using a sewing frame. The two endbands are hand-sewn with linen thread, and the thongs are laced and locked into a cover formed from a single sheet of heavy handmade paper. Based on historical limp vellum bindings and much influenced by book conservation in the 70's and 80's (especially the work of Christopher Clarkson) this detailed and sophisticated book is at heart utilitarian and comfortable. The class will be a full day! As always at Full Tilt, there is no prequisite - anyone willing to work hard is welcome.














A Modern Drum-style Hardcover Book





The drum binding is best for heavier papers and is noted for full page spreads without visible sewing. The pages have the look of prints on both sides but are actually printed on only one. The cover is a modified Gary-Frost-Drop-Spine case that opens absolutely flat.








Accordion





The accordion is one of the earliest book structures and one of the most versatile. It can be viewed page by page or in its entirety. It works well in any size and with almost any paper. It can expand to accommodate inclusions such as photos. As the accordion is hinged rather than sewn, it avoids visible threads in the center fold of a 2 page spread. We will make several versions of this book.







Accordions and Concertinas


The accordion or concertina is one of the earliest book structures and one of the most versatile. It can be viewed page by page or in its entirety. It works well in any size and with almost any paper. It can expand to accommodate inclusions such as photos. As the accordion is hinged rather than sewn, it avoids visible threads in the center fold of a 2 page spread. The concertina guard is used in conservation binding.
























Adjustable/Collapsible Book Cradle
















A book cradle supports open books to prevent damage while reading and is a handsome way to display artists' books or prints in your home. This cloth-covered cradle adjusts using Velcro to perfectly fit books of different thicknesses; and it collapses to be stored on a bookshelf.

































Album with Posts






















This cloth covered album with decorative endpapers can be used as a photo album, scrapbook, or portfolio. The pages are attached to the cover with metal posts that come apart, allowing pages to be added or removed at will. This book works well in any size and with many materials. Very easy to construct, this is one of the most popular of modern hand bound books.
























Bookbinding Weights



The leather weight is small, heavy and non-abrasive. It will form to shaped surfaces without leaving a mark. This weight was designed by New York book conservators Jayne Hillam and Judith Ivry. The cloth-covered box weight is small and heavy and almost as useful as a bonefolder when making books. Both weights are filled with non-toxic steel shot. Construct 4 weights of different sizes.






Bookcloth for Bookbinding





Prepare (and re-purpose) muslin flour sacks from Montreal to be bookcloth, using both a traditional starch method and an archival heat method. Known as cloth 'backing', these two methods will allow you to bind with almost any fabric. Test the properties of your bookcloth by binding a cloth covered notebook.






Caterpillar Stitch Book




There are an amazing variety of book sewing techniques from different binding traditions. This one, named for the caterpillar, is suited to multi-section books. It is sewn across the spine and through the center fold of each section. It has many variations. Your book will be sewn on straps that attach to the cover, and yes, the sewing looks like a caterpillar.






Chinese Thread Binding





Sewn bindings of this type were developed in China. The techniques spread to Japan and then to much of Asia. In part, what makes the Chinese versions unique is the paper. China is credited with the invention of paper. Chinese paper is distinct both technically and decoratively, and until very recently, little of it was exported. It is a pleasure to work with these interesting and beautiful 'new' papers. In class, you will bind a sewn butterfly book, a stab book and a 4-hole book.






Coptic-Style with Wooden Boards, a Concertina and Endbands




This Coptic-style binding is a historical binding that looks surprisingly modern. It is characterized by the chains of sewing stitches linking across the spine. The books are flat when open, constructed without glue and are very sturdy. This variation has wooden covers that are shaped and waxed, a concertina (aka accordion) spine lining that wraps around each signature and fills in the ‘gap’ between signatures, and sewn endbands.








Cross Structure Book Variation

This non-adhesive binding has many design possibilities. The pages are sewn directly onto paper straps that continue and fold to form the cover. This is a contemporary binding developed by Carmencho Arrequi and is based on her study of historical limp bindings.











































Drum Binding with a Storage Case
































The drum binding is best for medium/heavy weight papers and is noted for full page spreads without visible sewing. It opens completely flat. Useful as a notebook; for printed books, the pages have the look of prints on both sides but are actually printed on only one. The cloth-covered case, with a hidden magnetic closure, protects the book and offers a special presentation.






Early Coptic Codex





This book is sewn with a link stitch and has sewn endbands. The spine is covered with leather that laces into the wooden covers. Two long wrapping bands with bone closures are attached to the head and foredge. A large leather and vellum bookmark is attached to the back cover. This dramatic binding is based on the 4th century Glazier Codex in the collection of the Morgan Library in New York. You have the option of making an accurate model of the book or a less specific binding that incorporates your own designs with the structure. The cover boards for the book are from locally grown juniper. I wish to acknowledge Michigan-based book conservator Julia Miller's excellent research on this book structure and on many other Coptic bindings.






French Groove
















The French groove is the visible space or joint at the spine of a hardcover book. This book is sewn with signatures on a sewing frame and has a round spine. It opens completely flat, making it useful for artist's books and notebooks, as well as for books to be read. Material choice can make for a book that is utilitarian or coffee table deluxe. This class is a great introduction to (or review of) the materials, tools and techniques of hand binding.



























Full Cloth Portfolio



This cloth-covered portfolio is sized for 8.5 x 11 prints. It is lined with archival paper, closes with a ribbon and has an interior cloth pocket to hold the contents in place. It could potentially be made any size. The class will focus on measuring and cutting all the parts by hand.


  







Hard Copy



Bind your printouts into books. Books are easy to read, to access, to sell and they look great. Bring 2 stacks of 8 1/2" x 11" paper with you to class. Each stack should measure 1/2" to 1" in thickness, and can be printed on one side, both sides or left blank. With practice you could quickly produce your own books-on-demand.






Historical Single Quire Coptic Book




A single quire – or signature or pamphlet or gathering – is sewn through the fold and the cover with a tacket (a kind of ‘staple’). The oldest known surviving books – the Nag Hamadi Coptic codices, dating from the third/fourth centuries AD – were bound in this way. Bind a full-leather historical model, with papyrus linings, a foredge flap, a wrapping band, ties and tackets. This binding works well at any size and with many materials and feels soft in the hand.








Holiday Bound at Minsky's Circa 1990
40th Anniversary Alumni Instructor Series @ the Center for Book Arts



Full Tilt instructor Susan Mills apprenticed with CBA founder Richard Minsky. One of her early projects was binding an edition of 50 small leather books as holiday gifts for Minsky's clients. The books involved ploughing, paring, rounding, back-cornering, headcapping, tooling and variegated metal edge gilding over Armenian bole. WHEW! In the true spirit of continuing education, Susan will teach the workshop from her original student notes.






I Sing the Book Electric 



This workshop investigates what the body of the book might be – the internal body and the external body and all the places in between. We will work with pencil and bonefolder, with writing and folding, with drawing and sewing, with cutting and page-turning, and with painting, gluing; altering, inking and placing. We will hands-on consider historical and modern book structures, visual poetry, artist’s books, collaborations between poets and artists, and visual art with text. Most of all – we will make books - chapbooks, artist’s books, one-of-a-kind books, editions, scrolls, collaborations, booklets, accordions, concertinas.....






Japanese Book Box





Japanese books are traditionally stored in hinged cases that fold around one or more volumes. The book box is a variation of this case. It can be made small (jewelry) or large (quilt) and can be made of many materials such as corrugated cardboard or heavyweight book board. Construct a prototype box as a basis for future boxes and cases. Materials include Japanese bookcloth to cover the box, Japanese paper to line the box and bone clasps for closures. The size is about 10 x 4 x 2.5 inches.






Japanese Box
 


Japanese books are traditionally stored in hinged cases that fold around one or more volumes. This box is a variation of the book case. It can be made small (jewelry) or large (quilt) and can be made of many materials. Construct a prototype box as a basis for future boxes and cases. Materials include Japanese bookcloth to cover the box and a bone clasp for closure.













Japanese Pouch Binding (Fukuro Toji)


















Developed in the fourteenth century, pouch binding remains popular today. Single sheets of paper are printed on one side only, folded in half and stacked between covers. When sewn, the double-leaved pages form an envelope or pouch that is open at the top and bottom. The pages have the appearance of print on both sides. We will work with Japanese papers and look at four traditional sewing patterns.






Link Stitch through a Wooden Spine






Link stitch binding is a historical style that looks surprisingly contemporary. It is named for the visible chains of sewing stitches linking across the spine. Link stitched books are constructed without glue and are very sturdy. This particular version is sewn through a wooden spine and the links form a circle.
















Link Stitch with a Wool Felt Cover





Link stitch binding is a historical binding that looks suprisingly modern. It is known for the visible chains of sewing stitches linking across the spine. The books are flat when open, constructed without glue and very sturdy. Bind your two books of graph paper (knitters/engineers/gardeners?), plain paper or a combination. The covers are thick and flexible wool felt.






Link Stitch Book with Lamontage Fabric Covers
 

















The link stitch binding is a historical binding that looks suprisingly modern. It is named for the chains of sewing stitches linking across the spine. The books are flat when open, constructed without glue and are very sturdy. Lamontage fabric makes a wonderful book cover - it is made from acrylic/polyester fibers intricately cut, blended and layered by hand, then mechanically interlocked by needle punching.
















Yasuko Okumura, senior designer at Liora Manné, will discuss the fabric making process before we sew the covers






Long and Link Together



Two historical sewing stitches - the long stitch and the link stitch - together in one book. The linking stitches at the top and bottom anchor the thread for easier sewing. Hand bind a three-piece cloth hardcover book, with visible sewing on the outer spine and many stitching variations.










Long Stitch Variation




Long stitch bindings date back to medieval times. This variation is sewn over visible leather thongs. The thongs lace into the cover at the spine and emboss the front and back covers like 'ribs'. This binding is adaptive to many different weights of text paper. We will work with locally tanned leather from Pergamena and handmade cover paper from Cave.






Make Your Own Bookcloth





Prepare fabric to be used as bookcloth using a traditional starch method and an archival heat method. Known as cloth 'backing', these two methods will allow you to bind books with almost any fabric. To test the properties of the bookcloth, bind a single section hardcover book.






Notebook with an Elastic Band




























Bind a classic hardcover notebook. It opens flat for writing or drawing and stays closed with an elastic band. This stitched, multi-section book is covered with durable linen. Optionally, round the corners, add a ribbon bookmark and/or a srorage pocket.







Of Gravity and Grace Pamphlet


MacArthur Fellow Clair Van Vliet is the proprietor of Janus Press, founded in 1955. Her Of Gravity and Grace structure, named for her publication of the same name, is a clever way to make a pamphlet more like a book. It has a square, cloth-covered spine that could be titled and a board-like quality to the cover, made without board. This class will focus on measuring and cutting all the parts for this structure by hand.








Papyrus Pocket Scroll


Papyrus is a unique writing material made from the papyrus reed; the scroll is the perfect reading and writing structure for it. Adhere sheets of papyrus to form a scroll, add an attached wrapper and a roller - and perhaps a line of text - and then roll it up to store in your pocket! Several historical models will be available.
























Phase boxes

Phase boxes were developed to temporarily protect books and library materials while they waited conservation treatment. They provide structural support and protection from dust, dirt, light and mechanical damage for books and almost anything else. They can be easily measured and cut by hand, and the structures offer many design possibilities to artists. We will construct 5 different boxes.






Phase Box with Mylar Spine
 
















In book conservation, the phase box is a simple low cost enclosure for books. This version of the phase box has a see-through spine so that the contents will be visible on the bookshelf; aka "the peek-a-boo button and string box".






















Quarter Leather Book




This class focuses on the principles of working with leather in constructing a case and in casing-in. We will work with a double fan-glued book block. However, the same principles apply to a sewn book block. The archival leather for the class is vegetable tanned locally, at Pergamena, a small family-owned tannery in 






Sewing on a Sewing Frame
 

















Bookbinding sewing frames were in use in Northern Europe by the 12th century and probably as early as the 11th. The frames remain more or less unchanged today and sewing on a frame is also unchanged. In this class we will set up and sew a multi-section book, on tapes, on a frame. The addition of a sturdy paper cover offers many design possibilities.





















Small Flexible Paring Knife w/ Peter Schell




In this tightly structured class you will grind and sharpen a high quality steel hacksaw blade into a small flexible paring knife for working with leather. This is a real finished tool - not a toy - and along with your new tool you will take with you the confidence to use it - or any other paring knife - fearlessly, as you will be able to sharpen and maintain it yourself. (Guest instructor Peter Schell studied steel tool making and sharpening with bookbinder Jim Croft in Idaho, and at the Tracker School in New Jersey.)






Small Quarter Leather Flat Back Book




This class focuses on the principles of working with leather in constructing a case and in casing-in. Everyone will complete a small, quarter leather book - that is - a book with a leather covered spine. Options for those with more experience include leather endbands and a spine label.






Small Half Leather Flat Back Book



The focus remains on working with leather, constructing the case and casing-in. Everyone will complete a small, half leather book - a book with a leather covered spine and leather covered corners. Options for those with more experience include faux raised bands, leather inlays and hot foil tooling.






Small Full Leather Flat or Rounded Back Book



Still focusing on leather, the case and casing-in - everyone will complete a fully leather covered book. Those with more experience have the option of a rounded spine and leather onlays.






Steel-Shot Studio Weights



New York book conservators Jayne Hillam and Judith Ivry designed the prototype for these weights based on those found in traditional leather workshops in Utah. The leather-covered weights are small, heavy and non-abrasive. They form to shaped surfaces and leave no mark. Great as the hard-to-find third hand. Hand stitch two leather-covered weights.






Stitches in Time



MacArthur Fellow Clair Van Vliet is the proprietor of Janus Press, founded in 1955. Betsey Palmer Eldridge is a book conservator renowned for researching book sewing structures. In this class you will bind a copy of her pamphlet Stitches and Sewings for Bookbinding Structures using the Of Gravity and Grace structure developed by Clair Van Vliet. This is a clever way to give any pamphlet or chapbook a cloth-covered square spine that can be titled. Your new reference book diagrams 60 stitches and sewings!






Stitches in Time


www.getty.edu

This class will briefly look at book art of the Russian avant-garde from 1910 until 1917, and at the recent exhibition Tango with Cows at the Getty Museum. It will then consider the pamphlet - a single gathering of pages sewn into a book form and sometimes called a chapbook. In the spirit of the poets and the artists who collaborated in Russia, 2 or 3 model pamphlets will be bound.






Stitches in Time: A Sewn Paperback



The sewn paperback book is super sturdy and super fast to bind with just a couple of hand tools and a length of linen thread. Text and image printouts quickly become books - almost any page size, paper weight or cover material is possible. We will bind three blank books in three variations:  hidden sewing, visible sewing and for-edge folds. We will also bind At the Turn of the Centuries:















The Influence of Early 20th Century Book Arts on Contemporary Artists' Books with an introduction by Jae Jennifer Rossman and essays by Stephan Bury, Marcia Reed and Angela Lorenz. This book was published by the jenny-press in both book form and as a free download at lulu.com.






Stitches in Time 101: A Flatback Papercase

Start at the beginning - fold printed sheets into gatherings; form a book block by sewing the gatherings onto tapes; line the spine; construct the cover and attach book block to book cover. This version of the papercase has a rigid board spine and a non-adhesive rigid cover constructed of text weight paper. This paper weight is easy to work with and very suited to digital printing. We will bind a copy of Margaret Lock's Bookbinding Materials and Techniques 1700 - 1920 published by the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild. This book is an excellent concise history of fine and utilitarian binding.






Sturdy and Durable Books

Most books today are machine-made. We will build small handbound versions of the wire stitched and perfect bound books featured in this video. These books can be made at home without many tools and have a professional looking finish. (Note: to learn to bind a book with sewn signatures, sign up for the French Groove class listed below.)






































STRESS FREE Summertime Portfolio Box





Build a classic “clamshell” box in 1 day.  This storage box completely encloses the protected item and can be custom fitted to any size.  Consisting of 3 basic parts
 – the lower tray, the upper tray and the outer case – it requires precise measuring and cutting. You can expect to complete a box and have another in progress, for future reference.  The stress free summertime part? The boards will be pre-cut allowing for a positive box experience.










The Girdle Book
a special 2 day workshop


From the 13th to 15th century, small portable girdle books were produced and used in Europe. Readers carried the book attached to their belt. Today there are only twenty three known historical girdle books documented in museums, libraries and private collections; three in the United States and twenty in Europe. Proof of their frequent use is found in hundreds of paintings, sculptures and other illustrations of the times.




In this special 2 day workshop, bind a girdle book that is characteristic of the 1454 girdle binding in the NYPL Spencer Collection.  Our book features a hooded and saddle-stitched headcap, tongue corners, a brass foredge clasp and an optional Turk's Head Knot, AND it is covered in lush velvet. 








The Hedi Kyle Blizzard Book 

Internationally recognized book conservator Hedi Kyle designed this book while working at home during a blizzard. The Blizzard Book is folded from one sheet of paper - no glue, no sewing and no measuring. The book changes depending on the weight and proportions of the paper. The book can have envelope-style pages, or small moveable tabs to clasp add-on pages. The spine has the look of folded paper signatures; the cover can be paper or board.


































The Secret Belgium Binding



















Developed by Ann Goy in Belgium, this hardcover book has something of the look of a Japanese pouch binding but opens fully in the European style. The book is first sewn on tapes (inner binding) forming a book block. Then the cover is sewn to the book block (outer binding) with visible linen thread.






Three piece Bradel binding



The German version of a classic cloth-covered book is called the Bradel binding. It is characterized by the ease of measuring both the spine and the joint between the spine and the cover boards, giving the cover a precise fit; great for edition binding, and for beginners. We will fold and sew signatures, line the spine, add endbands, make the cover (case) and attach the book to the cover (case-in).








 
UnCommon Pages at Freshkills Park Tour and Workshop



The Freshkills Park site is in a continual phase change from landfill to park, a conceptual and physical reclamation. For her project UnCommon Pages, Susan harvested the invasive plant species Phragmites (also known as the common reed) on site at the park, then undertook the labor-intensive process of transforming this raw material into paper sheets. Over a series of workshops led by Susan, these sheets are being bound as the covers for 2,000 passport-sized Field Notebooks. Co-sponsored by Freshkills Park and The Center for Book Arts






UnCommon Pages Field Notebook - Coming to Manhattan

 



Freshkills Park (the former NYC landfill on Staten Island) is the largest park to be developed in New York City in the past 100 years. As a continual phase change from landfill to park, it is a conceptual and physical reclamation. For the project UnCommon Pages, Susan Mills  harvested the invasive plant species Phragmites (also known as the common reed) on site at the park. The harvested plants were then made into paper. Through a series of on-going workshops, this paper is being bound into 2,000 passport-sized Field Notebooks. Come and find out about Freshkills Park and bind a few notebooks to keep. Co-sponsored by Freshkills Park Alliance and Full Tilt Bookbinding.






Vellum Ledger with Tackets




































As in historical 16th Century ledger binding, this limp book cover is attached to the book block with vellum tackets and optional lacing through overbands on the outside covers. Vellum - or parchment - was a common covering material of that time. The vellum for this workshop is tanned and dyed locally in upstate New York by Jesse Meyer of Pergamena.
























Wraparound Leather Long Stitch Book




 Long stitch bindings date back to medieval times. This variation was developed by the book conservation lab at the University of Iowa. It is a quick non-adhesive binding adaptive to many different weights of text paper and to many different cover materials.
 


The visible sewing has many variations. This version has a wraparound leather cover with a tie.