Last chance to sign up!

Today is the last day to register for the ten book workshop in Logan, UT.

View more info or register here!

Teaching the ten book workshop

At work making beautiful books. This photo is from the
Bountiful Davis Art Center which is one of my favorite
places to teach. I loved this class and students went
away with amazing books.

Bookbinding Now: Have you been listening to these podcasts?

I have. And I think they are absolutely wonderful. We live in the middle of the rural Western United States and I must say, there are not many bookbinders in our area. For me to be able to connect to other bookbinders through the internet is such a blessing!

My newest love has been Bookbinding Now which is a series of interviews with people who are involved in anything book art related. I find myself connecting with certain book artists and saying out loud, "Me too!" or "That's exactly how I view my own approach to books."

Visit Bookbinding Now to listen to past interviews and upcoming ones. They come out every other Wednesday. I look forward to each of them!

A big thanks to Susan Mills for her wonderful contribution to the book arts world with Bookbinding Now. You can also make a donation to Susan for these amazing podcasts which will help to keep them coming!

Bookbinding 101: Headbands or Endbands

If you don't already know about headbands on books, you just might always notice them on books from here on out.

Headbands are found at the very top of the spine of a book. If the book has a covered spine, then the headbands can be found between the text block and the material covering the spine.

Let's talk terminology for just a second. The book has a head and a tail at either end of the spine. Headband refers to only the one side. I'm not sure when the change occurred but some people nowadays call them endbands. I prefer the term "endbands" because we aren't leaving out the tail end. It's more fair that way.

Do you see the endband on this book?

Originally, endbands were created not primarily for decoration but as part of the sewing structure to strengthen the binding of the book, and the endband's good looks were a bonus. So, traditional endbands are actually sewn onto the ends of the text block before the cover is put on, binding the ends of the pages together along the spine. Today though, you can purchase or make your own faux endbands to add to your books. The faux endbands do give added support to the structure, because it is glued in place, acting as a tape to help hold things together, but support might just be secondary to their decorative purpose. Even if people don't consciously notice them, it gives a subtle, finished look.

Faux endbands can be purchased by the foot or yard and
can be cut to the width of the book spine and glued on
using the linen or cotton tape that the endband
is sewn onto.

There are different materials, styles and sizes of endbands. If you are making a small book, like on the "booklace" shown below, then you'll need size 0.

For this 1.5" tall book,
I used a size 0 end band

For a larger book use size 2 or 3.

For this 8" x 10" book,
Daniel used a size 3 end band.

We buy our endbands from Talasonline.com because we buy them in bulk and it's less expensive that way, but you can also buy them from Hollanders.com.

For those of you who would like to learn to sew your own end bands. Here are some great tutorials from fellow bookbinders:

Pied Crow Press: Hand-sewn Headbands!

Veterok for Books: sewing headbands: a tutorial

Buechertiger: Simple Two-colored Coptic Headbands

Bookbinding Workshop in Logan, UT

Ten Book Workshop

October 26th and 27th, 2012

Postponed to November 9th and 10th, 2012!
8am - 4pm

Logan, UT

---Tippetts Balcony in the Fine Arts building on the USU Campus---

NOTE: This workshop is not just for students. Anyone in the community is welcome to come!

All students are required to bring a basic tool kit. We will have bonefolders and awls that you can purchase for a low price available at the workshop.

• Pencil
• Scissors
• Bonefolder
• Bookbinding Awl
• Xacto Type Craft Knife
• Cutting Mat
• Metal Edged Ruler
• Glue Brush (we recommend a 1" flat brush)

All other materials for the projects made will be provided by us for this 2 day workshop.

Each student has the opportunity to create and keep 10 different books. Historic and contemporary styles of books, bookbinding tools and techniques are discussed.


We will cover the basics of bookbinding for beginners, but students of all skill levels are welcome.


The ten book structures are:

• Single Sheet Book 
• Chapbook 
• Japanese Stab Bound Book 
• Flower Fold Book 
• Accordion Book with Pockets and Sewn Signatures 
• Hinged Ledger Book 
• Circle Accordion Book
• Softcover Leather Longstitch Book
• Hardcover Longstitch Book
• Tapes Bound Book (A Traditional Hardcover Book) 

Registration Closed for this Class

Ethiopian Double Needle Coptic Stitch Class

October 19th, 2012

5pm - 8pm

Provo Art & Frame

201 W Center Street in Provo, UT

The Ethiopian coptic stitch dates back to the 4th century. It's a beautiful book with an exposed spine in which you can see the sewing of the pages. The coptic stitch book will open flat for maximum use of the pages. It works great for sketchbooks, photo albums and journals. It's also a nice book for recipes because you don't have to hold it open while cooking in the kitchen and it works great as a wedding guestbook too.

All levels of expertise welcome including beginners! Ages 10+ for this class.

Class fee is $50 which includes all the materials you'll need for the book you make and keep!

Students need to bring the following tools:

• Pencil
• Cutting mat (or old magazine to cut on)
• x-acto type craft knife or utility knife
• Scissors
• Metal Edge Ruler
• Bonefolder (available at Provo Art & Frame, ask or a student discount for taking my class!)

To register and pay for the class, click on the "Pay Now" button below which will allow you to pay via credit card or by using your bank account in the form of an E-Check. If you have any questions please contact Karleigh at KarleighJae@gmail.com

CHECK OUT IS CLOSED FOR THIS CLASS.