CEG Class 5

Coptic Binding  - Class notes as signatures:  multiple signature book with chain stitch

Paper Preparation

1.      This has been done for you.  You will be given a set of class notes prepared in signature format.

Punching Holes in Signatures

1.      Open your phonebook to the middle to use as your cradle.

2.      Place the first signature, opened to the middle, into the fold of the phone book.

3.      Make a stitching template, using a 2” wide strip of paper that is the same height as your paper.  Fold the strip in half lengthwise and mark the stitching holes on the inside of the fold line.

·         From the top of the template, mark a hole at least  ½ “ from the top.  

·         Mark a hole in the centre.

·         Mark a hole between the top and centre holes.

·         Mark a hole the same distance below the centre hole.

·         Mark the final stitch hole at least ½ “ from the bottom of the template.

4.      Place the template into the centre fold of your pages in the cradle.  Align the edges carefully.

5.      Use your awl or piercing tool to punch the holes indicated on the stitching template.  Hold your piercing tool perpendicular to the paper to make sure the holes go through the folds of the signature.

6.      Repeat for all signatures.  Use an arrow or letter H to mark the top or head of the signatures.  This will make sure that the holes on the signatures line up when you begin to sew.

Cover Preparation

1.      This book has an open spine so you will be making a separate front and back cover.

2.      Determine the dimensions of your front and back covers.  Your covers will be ¼ “ taller and about 1/8 “ wider than the pages.  The covers will align, on the left, with the folds of the signatures.

3.      Decide how you will edge your cover.  e.g. wrapped edges or decorative stitching on the edges.  This will determine the dimensions of your fabric.  Refer to the General Rules of Thumb in the overview section to determine the measurements of your fabric.

4.      Decorate the cover as you wish.  Keep embellishments away from the area ½ “ from the spine side of the cover.  You will be punching holes in that area

Punching Holes in the Covers

1.      Align the spine side of the front and back covers.

2.      Align the stitching template to the spine side of the covers.  Centre it between the top and bottom edges.

3.      Use your piercing tool to punch holes through the template and the cover.  You may need to pierce the front and back covers separately, depending upon the thickness of the cover.

4.      Placing your pages on a foam pad or piece of corrugated cardboard will make the holes easier to punch.

Stitching the Signatures and Cover

1.      Determine the thread length needed by measuring the height of the book once for each signature and once for the looped stitches between each signature and tying off the ends.

2.      Use binder clips to hold the pages of the signature together for sewing.

3.      Align the front cover (face down) and the first signature.

4.      Using a circular needle, enter the top hole from inside signature and leave a 3” tail of thread.

5.      Wrap the thread around the edge of the cover and come up through the first hole from the bottom.

6.      Loop around the thread that attaches the cover and signature together and re-enter the first hole in the signature.

7.      Exit the second hole in the signature, wrap the thread around the edge of the cover and come up through the second hole in the cover, from the bottom.

8.      Loop around the thread that attached the cover and signature together and re-enter the second hole.

9.      Repeat steps 7 & 8 for the remaining holes in the signature.

10.  When you reach the last hole in the signature, do not re-enter the same hole after you have looped your thread, but align the second signature and enter the bottom hole of the second signature.

11.  Exit the next hole in the second signature and loop thread around the stitch made between the cover and the first signature and re-enter the signature hole.

12.  Repeat that step for each of the holes in the second signature.

13.  When you reach the top hole of the second signature do not re-enter the same hole but align the third signature and enter the top hole.

14.  When you exit the next hole in the third signature make a kettle stitch around the stitch made between the first and second signatures at the bottom hole.

·      A kettle stitch is a half hitch knot.

·       Use your needle to go under the thread that attaches the first and second signatures together at the bottom hole.

·       Don’t tighten the thread all the way at this point but leave a loop.

·       Cross over the thread and pull the needle through the loop.

·       Pull the knot firmly and vertically to tighten without ripping your pages.

15.  Repeat this for the remaining holes of the signature.

16.  Repeat step 14 for the remaining signatures, always making a kettle stitch around the previous signatures stitch.

17.  When you reach the last signature, you are going to sew the signature and remaining cover at the same time.

18.  Wrap your thread over the edge of the cover and enter the hole from the top.

19.  Make a kettle stitch around the stitch from the previous two signatures and enter first hole in the final signature

20.  Exit the next hole in the signature, make a kettle stitch around the stitch from the previous two signatures and then wrap thread over the edge of the cover and enter the cover hole from the top.

21.  Loop around the stitch that you just made between the final signature and the cover and re-enter the signature hole.

22.  Repeat steps 20 &21 until you reach the last hole in the signature.

23.  When you repeat the steps for the last hole, you will tie a knot in the inside of the signature when you re-enter the last hole.  Trim the tail of the thread.

Star Book Samples

Star Books have certain characteristics in common.  When they are open they can have the appearance of a star.  When they are closed they look like a simple codex book. Other than that, their differences can be many.

Star books can be made from three differing sizes of accordion folded pieces of paper nested together or they can be made from 3 different sizes of  individually cut pieces of paper, nested and glued together.

The spines of  Star books can be sewn for extra stability or simply left to float.  There are no hard and fast rules about the structure of the Star book except for the fact that the layers of the Star must nest within each other and the overall structure gives the Star its shape.  The outer two layers of the Star are decorated to provide the content of the book.

The following are some examples of Star books that I have created using a variety of structures.

the spine is sewn using a french link stitch

nested cut pages top view

cover

sewn spine

most of the outer layer is cut away

nested cut pages

Christmas Cover

nested pages with cut out centre in outer layer

sewn spine

cover on accordion back - note cord to hold accordion closed

It's Complicated - interior page

It's Complicated - another interior page

(the cuts get increasingly complicated on the two layers)

Storage Book for ATC's

fold up pockets to hold Artist Trading Cards

the spine is not sewn

sewn spine

pop-up shows through cut out section in outer layer

top view

photos printed on transparency 

outer layer is long sheet of paper folded in one accordion layer

photos printed on transparencies show through cut outs as inner layers

spine is not sewn

CEG Class 4

Class 4:  Star Books:  Also known as carousel books come in several variations. Some are made from three sets of long accordion folded sheets of paper and others are made of many sets of cut and nested papers.  The model we will be making will take advantage of the smaller paper readily available in art and craft supply stores

Paper Preparation

1.      You will need to make colour and design choices for your book that will affect your paper choices

a.       What is your theme or quote?

b.      What colour choices will enhance or support that?

c.       Will you have cut outs in the outer layer? If so, the middle layer should complement in colour.

d.      The inner layer is usually only seen at the spine or from the top.  It could be covered in a decorative paper to add visual interest from the back.

e.       Consider the colour of the cover fabric and the thread you will use to sew the spine as it relates to your paper choice.

2.      Possible design variations may affect your paper choices

a.       Paper C can have an opening, like a frame, to reveal images or text or pop ups on paper B.

b.      Both papers Band C can have cut out openings.

c.       Both papers B and C can be of differing heights, to give the effect of a tunnel book.

d.      Paper C can be a long accordion fold paper that covers the cut edges of underlying layers.

e.       Pockets can be added to paper C

3.      Three colours of coordinating card stock or paper cut to the following dimensions

a.       Colour A         5 pieces           6” x 12”

b.      Colour B         5 pieces           6” x 9.5”

c.       Colour C         5 pieces           6” x 8”

d.      Colour A         10 pieces         6´x 2”

e.       Scrap               1 piece             6” x2” for sewing guide

Signature Preparation

Once you’ve made all your colour and design choices:

1.      Cut your paper to size.

2.      Create a sewing guide.  Fold the 6” x 2” strips of paper in half lengthwise then open again and mark at .5”, 1”, 2” 4”, 5” and 5.5” on the fold line.  You will use this guide when you punch holes in your signatures. Mark the top or head with a H in pencil.

3.      Fold the five Colour A 6” x 12” pieces and the 10 6” x 2” pieces in half.  These will be your spacers.

4.      A signature will be made up of one folded 6” x 6” piece with 2 spacers inside it

1.      Use a telephone book, large book or encyclopaedia as a punching cradle and use your awl to pierce the sewing stations that you marked on your sewing guide.  

2.      Repeat that on each signature. Remember to mark the top or head of each signature with a H in pencil.

Sewing the Signatures

 ..

1.      Beginning with the last signature, enter the first hole from the outside.  Leave a two inch tail of thread to tie a knot.  See the diagram above.

2.      From the inside of the signature, exit the second hole and enter the third hole from the outside.

3.      From the inside of the signature, exit the fourth hole and enter the fifth hold from the outside.

4.      From the inside of the signature, exit the sixth hole and place the next signature on top of the one just sewn, aligning the sewing stations.

5.      Enter the sixth hold from the outside.

6.      From the inside, exit the fifth hold and pass the needle under the thread that connects the fifth and fourth hold of the previous signature and then enter the fourth hold from the outside.  This is called a French link stitch.  Refer to the diagram above.

7.      From the inside, exit the third hole and pass the needle under the thread that connect the third and second hold of the previous signature then enter the second hold from the outside.

8.      From the inside, exit the first hole and tie a knot with the tail of the thread that was left for this purpose.  Trim the tail to .25” Place the next signature on top of the one just sewn aligning the sewing stations.  Enter the first hole from the outside.

9.      From the inside, exit the second hole and pass the needle under the thread that connects the second and third holes of the previous signature.  Make sure that you pass under the thread before it crosses with the thread from the original signature.  Enter the third hole from the outside.

10.  From the inside, exit the fourth hole and pass the needle under the thread that connects the fourth and fifth holes of the previous signature as described above. Enter the fifth hole from the outside

11.  From the inside, exit the sixth hole. Slide the needle between the first and second signatures so that the thread loops around the stitch at the sixth sewing station. You can simply make a loop or do a kettle stitch at this point.

12.  Place the next signature on top of the one just sewn, aligning the sewing stations.  Enter the sixth hole from the outside.

13.  Continue sewing the signatures together, catching the thread from the previous signature in a French Link stitch and using a chain stitch or a kettle stich on the first and sixth sewing stations.

14.  When you have entered the last sewing station on the final signature, secure your thread with two knots and trim the tail to .25” (you can also thread the tail to a needle and pull the tail into the inside of the signature, knot and trim)

Creating the Layers of the Star Book

This is where you do the creative work on the middle and outer layers of your book.  You do this before assembly. You will cut out any openings you will need and dry fit the pages together to make sure things line up the way you want them to in each section.  Now is the time to stamp your text or make any changes.  It becomes very difficult to make those adjustments once things are glued together.

Assembling the Layers

1.      Before using adhesive, dry fit layers together to make sure things are square.

2.      Apply adhesive to 1/8 -1/4” strip at fore edges  only

3.      Repeat for all signatures

4.      Repeat for all layers.

Cover Preparation

1.      Determine the substrate you want to use for the cover.  Since the book is made from paper it should be something firm to protect it

2.      Cover your substrate in fabric or decorated paper as shown

1.      Adhere ribbon to the inside of the cover pieces.

2.      Adhere the first signature to the front cover.

3.      Adhere the last signature to the back cover.

Use the ribbons to keep the book open or closed