- Creator: Helena Hanzal Childress, International Business Major
- Sponsor: Binnan Gao, Chinese Language Faculty
- Contact: hhanzalchildress@elon.edu
I wanted to try book binding because, as someone who loves to create art, I’m always interested in exploring new mediums. I liked the idea of working with something hands-on and learning a skill that blends creativity with craftsmanship. I also really wanted to figure out how to print and make books out of my friends’ writing, to give their work a physical form that feels personal and lasting. This project felt like the perfect way to bring art and storytelling together.
So what is book binding?
Book binding is the process of physically assembling a book from individual pages. It involves attaching the pages together, usually by sewing or gluing, and then adding a cover to protect and hold the pages in place. Some vocabulary to know:
- Signature: A group of pages folded together
- Folio: A single sheet of paper folded once to make two leaves (four pages).
- Spine: The edge of the book where the pages are bound together.
- Cover: The outer protective layer of the book (can be soft or hard).
- Endpapers: Sheets of paper that attach the inside of the cover to the first and last pages of the book.
- Headband: A decorative band at the top (and sometimes bottom) of the spine.
- Bone file: A tool used to crease paper and make sharp folds.
Book binding takes many forms so for my first prototype I started simple. One of the easiest ways to bind something is with a saddle stich, where you fold the paper and then sew along the fold. I used five A4 sheets of paper to create a single folio for my very first test, along with waxed linen thread and an awl to create the holes. While my first stiches were messy I managed to create a finished signature that did not fall apart.
For my second prototype I moved onto learning how to sew together multiple signatures into a bound spineless book using a French link stich. This first involved cutting and measuring paper pieces to create three signatures I folded using a bone file for smooth creases. Next I punched through the middle of each signature using an awl at spots I had measured. Then it was time to assemble them together using the stich.
To complete this book, I used PH neutral adhesive glue to paste the cover on the sheets before pressing them in a book press and finally using acrylic paint markers for decoration.
For my next project I wanted to try something different where I used a very long strip of paper folded and glued at each end onto book board. This required no stitching and was the easiest to make but I still found the process rewarding. I attached a ribbon with glue as well.
Typography
I used a simple satin stich for this next project but the real challenge was learning the typography skills need to format and prepare my friend's writing for printing. I used Microsoft Word and a draft of my friend's novel to create a booklet. It took a lot of trial and error to get the printing right.
If you want to try making your own book here are some resources, I found useful
- Sealemon has excellent youtube videos with book binding tutorials https://www.youtube.com/@SeaLemonDIY
- Local shop: John Neal Books Greensboro NC https://www.johnnealbooks.com/prod_detail_list/bookbinding/
- Bookbinder JS for pdf folding: https://momijizukamori.github.io/bookbinder-js/?customSigLength=0&paperSizeUnit=in&pageLayout=quarto&cutMarks=true&flyleafs=0&sigLength=2
I plan to keep trying new method of book binding as there are many more methods to try. For my next project I want to create a hardcover book and learn adobe in design to improve my typography skills.
Thank You!