I’ve noticed here on my blog that bookbinding posts have been the most popular by far. Granted, some bookbinding affiliated sites have linked over to certain posts, so it might not really represent my regular blog readers. However, I love creating my own books and journals, yet fail to share the process as much as I would like to.
At times all the ideas and thoughts get jumbled up and I find it difficult to express and organize. One big hang up is just fear, because I’m a beginner in many respects. I’m also very much self-taught and have no claim to the proper ways or professional ways of bookbinding. I don’t have a standing press. I don’t really care about the grain of my paper. I skip steps and mess around, because it make the process more fun for me.
In my effort to stop over analyzing and simply create, I’ve decided to share regardless. I’ve thought about creating a series of posts about all the different types of binding methods I use…but I kept getting hung up on the order of presentation, how NOT complete my list was, and if I was using the right names. I realize that it doesn’t matter in the end, I’ll just take it post by post…no one is expecting a course in bookbinding here! So yes, lots of book projects will be coming to the blog in no particular order or sense. It’s just what I happen to be creating.
In the past, I have already shared various bookbinding tutorials… so check them out in the meantime.
- let’s make a journal
- make a journal with sewing (machine)
- chain or coptic stitch bookbinding
- accordion bookbinding
- longstitch bookbinding
14 Comments
I would love to read about your bookbinding projects! Looking forward to it.
Thanks Helen! Planning to share along the way!
Linda, I’d love this too! Just like you I’m selftaught and I don’t always do it “the proper way”. But I just love to make books and that’s all that counts! Take a look at my blog to see some of the ones that I’ve made.
best, Annie
Fabulous – thanks for stopping by and will definitely check out your books. Great point, it’s all about making what you like
i love process posts! keep ‘em coming!
thanks, aimee! will do!
I think *any* way you put it together is the exact right way, quite honestly. One of my husband’s hobbies is bookbinding (he hasn’t done it in years, but had quite a bit of equipment) and he used to get *so* caught up in the details that it would often remove all the fun of the process for him. So as long as it’s a happy experience for you, go for it!
Great point, Chel! I’ve always been plagued by the thought of the “right way”…fear of making mistakes and such. Got to get through it!
Who needs “proper”? If your books look great and don’t fall apart (so far mine has met both criteria), who cares if it’s “right”? Enjoy the playing and stop worrying, my friend!
words of wisdom, as always… thank you!
i like it
thanks for stopping by!
I loved it when you said that “you don’t worry about the grain”……….because that is finally what I have decided too!! I am very “anal” and have struggled to STOP doing everything by the book/follow all the rules. In the long run, though, reading volumes of book binding info and stressing out/worrying whether or not I am doing it right, has finally brought me to the place where I am comfortable trying something out and realizing it might not be a success in the book purists mind. I am now trying to convince myself to start journaling because I love the book binding/making process so much, that I am going to end up with a lot of books………oh well, I sometimes think it is the “process” of an art/craft that is what I most love, not whether I end up with a product I will use. I’m excited to read more of your blog and very much appreciate the fact that you are so willing to share your book making experiences.
very welcome and thanks for stopping by! i think we should all just do it whatever way works for us – no need to always be “by the book” – no pun intended! LOL!