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Hi - and thanks for the invite! I've come over from the book-arts list. Good to see a new group :)
I've read the posts on coptic binding - I too am having problems keeping the binding tight. I try to pull the stitches really tightly (and am using waxed thread)and then the book doesn't lie completely flat when closed.
My problem is attaching the final signature along with the cover - that's where the looseness occurs, I think. I have bought a handmade coptic book where all the signatures were sewn, then the last siganture was sewn into again when attching the final cover, making a double row of binding.
Any ideas gratefully received!
Lesley
Lesley Davies
Kingston upon Hull, England
www.lesleydavies.co.uk
"Let the beauty we love be what we do" - Rumi
I've read the posts on coptic binding - I too am having problems keeping the binding tight. I try to pull the stitches really tightly (and am using waxed thread)and then the book doesn't lie completely flat when closed.
My problem is attaching the final signature along with the cover - that's where the looseness occurs, I think. I have bought a handmade coptic book where all the signatures were sewn, then the last siganture was sewn into again when attching the final cover, making a double row of binding.
Any ideas gratefully received!
Lesley
Lesley Davies
Kingston upon Hull, England
www.lesleydavies.co.uk
"Let the beauty we love be what we do" - Rumi
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I can't quite visualise the binding you describe... any chance of a photo?
I've had the too tight problem as well, I've been using a padded bulldog clip to keep the signatures snug while I sew. It can be a bit tedious detaching and re-attaching the clip but I've found it's quite useful. -
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A bulldog clip is a good idea - I'll try it.
Is it the double binding in the last signature that you can't visualise? Or my description of adding the final signature at the same tiem as the cover?
I'm a bit at sea with this - all I know of Coptic binding is what I've picked up from books - I've never been taught properly and would love to find a class over here.
I'll send a photo of my first attempt of a coptic book.
Lesley -
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Ah I see now, is the cover glued on to the signature as well?
here is a photo of some books I've been doing, as you can see the cover is actually wrapped around the first and last signature so in effect they are pamphletts added onto the binding.
jen.f1-comics.com/imgs/made...urnals.jpg -
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Ah ........ right!
Your's are soft bound books with the signatures forming the covers too.
Mine are hard bound - the cover isn't glued to the signature, just sewn. I can see that a soft -bound book would probably be easier to get the tension right. I'll try it - but I do want to master the hard covers too. It would be good to make wooden covers as the original coptic bound books way back in the 4th century!
Lesley -
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Unsu...
Thanks for posting that pic Lesley, I can finally visualize this! I'm off to search for instructions for Coptic binding. -
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have finally seen the word Coptic match a pic. And can now truthfully state I do a retard-modified coptic stitch. I understand how it goes into the stitching stages, but it looks as if it may require some more work than I'm already doing. I guess there's no tile like the present to experiment. * eyes Joumana with an Evil Grin* And guess who's my Guinea pig!?
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I learned coptic binding from Gary and Cecilia Frost; they (and later he) used to produce a beautiful little kit with mesquite-wood boards to learn the Ethiopian wood-board binding process. I don't know if they're still producing them, but you can look up Gary Frost or Dry Frio Bindery or Utopian Ethiopian on philobiblon or on Google. I've still done only a couple of those, but I love the style. I was going to teach a few people in my Early Medieval Studies MA program using these kits some years back, but things were too hectic for Gary to get them to me. I want to figure out the Ethiopian stitched headband process again. It's so beautiful when it's done right (it's stitched into the boards and used to protect their corners, too - totally different from other headband styles).
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I do coptic stitch books with hardcovers -- I normally do "double-needle coptic", using 1 needle for each line of stitching. I've found that if the tension is too tight and the book won't lay closed, if you lay a book on the foredge (not on the spine section), the thread will stretch a bit and it will close.
You can see my books here: www.annkingman.com
Ann
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If you have access to a decent public library, try:
Non-Adhesive Binding Vol III (Exposed Spine Sewings) by Keith Smith, or
Making & Keeping Creative Journals by Suzanne Tourtillott.
I've also made a single sheet "Coptic" from instructions in another of Keith Smith's books. I used embroidery thread and found it a lot easier to get the covers tight than with waxed linen. (But I'm not a big fan of waxed linen to begin with--it's too bulky and fights what I want to do.) There's pictures of my finished book here:
strangelittlegirl.com/books/c...nds.html
I've also found some written instructions (no diagrams) here:
people.whitman.edu/~winklea...optic.htm
I'm taking a course at the end of October in Toronto on Coptic books. I believe we're doing wooden covers as one of our samples. I'll let you know how it goes. ;) -
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Thanks for posting the coptic instructions, Emma Jane. They're similar to the method I use, but I love the ideas for making the book more creative.
Imaginative ideas for finishing a book are what I lack, so this is great!
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Who's the teacher at the Toronto class? There's a binder and binding teacher in Toronto named Reg Beatty - he taught me the braid-spine book (I think it's a Keith Smith design) of which I posted a couple of pics in this tribe. That was informal teaching, but I can tell he'd be a great teacher.
You may even be using Utopian Ethiopian kits to make the wood-cover coptic books. (Come to that, your teacher might be Gary Frost!) -
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Louise someone is doing the Coptic binding course through CBBAG. I was hoping they'd be doing Coptic headbands, but they won't. They will be doing wooden covers though. I have a feeling it's "just" two-needle, but I'm sure I'll learn a lot.
I'm taking another course in November with Reg, which is offered through the Japanese Paper Place. I saw Reg's work at the book arts fair last weekend. I completely adore his books. They're tiny and interesting. -
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you have a book arts fair!! i'm so jealous, I was going to go to the royal show this week but $20 each for dougie and I seemed a bit steep to see the 15 books in the book craft category :(
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Unsu...
I just made my first Coptic binding and I'm in loooooove! What a wonderful method! I'm on the hunt for a piece of leather for the cover now -- will go to a shoemaker first thing tomorrow. It will hide the beautiful effect of the spine, but this is a booklet I'll be writing and creating in so I'll be carrying it everywhere and I need it to be well protected.
Now I understand your trouble with keeping it tight! I had to re-tigten one end, which I did from the spine using a needle to pull the loops taut. -
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Shoemaker - now there's a good idea! I'm also going to go try leather upholsterers to see if they have any samples I can have. There's often leather pieces on ebay too, but I don't seem to be too successful in my bidding!
Any UK members have suggestions for obtaining small pieces of leather?
Lesley -
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Mostly, keep telling all your artisan/craftsperson friends that you're looking for it. Someone will know someone who makes handbags or belts or clothing or furniture or whatever. Craftspeople who don't have a use for their own offcuts are generally thrilled to find someone who wants them; we metalworkers can at least sell our scrap, but we like it better if those interesting bits get used for something interesting instead of sold cheap to be remelted. I got a lot of beautiful leather from a friend who was bowing out of the handmade clothing & accessories line. She was selling it at a yard sale, but wouldn't take any money from me...
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You'd have to make the trek north, but Hewit's is your best bet by far. They have a "bargain basement" section on their web site and an even more bargainy shelf if you go in person.
www.hewit.com/
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