Bookbinding

By Kez van Oudheusden

Lesson 2: The Last Step - Making Covers

You will learn about materials as well as methods of making book covers suitable to use for books made in lessons 1 & 2. These will be folded covers, glued covers and wrapped covers. Click to enlarge We will start with simple book covers to use with books made in lessons 1 & 2. Then let your imagination move on to experiment further with manipulating paper - cut, burn, tear, splash, paint, rip and scorch!

Materials and Techniques

• heavy cartridge papers,
• strong cotton or linen thread,
• beads,
• buttons,
• ribbon

You can probably think of other odds and ends for use in decorating your covers! Be imaginative!

1. Cut 2 pieces of heavy card about 1/2cm (1/4 inch) larger all around than book.
2. Using bookbinder's glue or a good quality all-purpose glue, spread evenly onto end pieces of your cartridge paper spine.
3. With plastic between the end pages, fold book into shape and press firmly under a heavy weight (a board and bricks) until glue has dried.
Cover can be decorated with the items listed above or aged as discussed later in this lesson.

Instructions for making fold-around cover with tie fasten

1. Lay your sewn book section onto a large piece of heavy cartridge paper
2. Mark about 1/2cm (1/4 inch) above and below the book and tear or cut along this line
3. Wrap the cover around your book to overlap a bit on the front. Tear or cut this size.
4. Sew a button/bead or decoration that can be used to wind thread around to the under side of the wrap. making sure it is clear of the foldover.
5. On the foldover side secure a double thread in line with the button holder.
6. Wrap thread around button

How about experimenting further with manipulating the paper! Cut, burn, tear, sew, splash, paint or rip!

Have you started using the book you made for class notes and ideas? Here's another way to change the appearanceof your book. Roughly tear off the edges of the pages and dip the book into shallow wax. A candle melted in a frypan is one way to do this. I love the feel of waxed paper and will often wax a whole page. Looks good with waxed notes!

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