Bookbinding

My book binding is self taught, beginning from the simple steps in the wonderful book Bound by Rachel Hazell which I was gifted.

I’ve found that it’s the perfect way to calm my mind when things get a bit much; the ritual of folding, tearing and sewing pages is meditative.

The simple materials have an honest quality that I appreciate and I try to be as sustainable as I can in my choices: most of my books have pages made from a 140gsm cartridge paper which is in turn made from recycled disposable coffee cups. The board covers are also recycled.

Each book is hand stitched with strong waxed Irish linen thread and I prefer to keep the spines exposed to highlight the decorative nature of the stitches.

Finishing the covers gives me a chance to use my marbled papers, as well as other materials; my collection of ephemera (such as antique music papers), out of date maps, discarded wallpaper off-cuts or other papers I’ve encountered that I like.