So, for years now I’ve wanted to try bookbinding but was always hesitant to really get into it, simply because I have no artistic talent whatsoever. Seriously. Apart from writing, I have no skills. But I wanted to make an original gift for a friend, and that’s finally what got me started. This is my second attempt at bookbinding a fic, this time it’s one of mine, and I thought it would only be appropriate to use my favourite fic, the one dearest to my heart, and immortalise it this way.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to post this here because honestly, it’s nothing amazing. It’s quite plain and a little clumsy. As I said, I have no skills. But the overall result is not so bad, considering this is only my second project of the sort. I decided to post it for anyone who could be thinking of trying bookbinding, because if I can do it, pretty much anyone can.
This was a massive project, with over 500 pages and 33 signatures! My first project only had 12 or so signatures. Let’s say that sewing all these keeps you busy for the evening. I’ve learned a lot so far. What to do and what not to do. How to improve my technique, etc. It’s been trial and error, and lots of tutorial videos and instruction books. I still lack some of the necessary tools, which I’ll try to acquire as I go for future projects. The most exhausting and costly part is the printing. A nice, professional layout is impossible to achieve with my printer at home, so the margins are uneven, but once the book is put together, it doesn’t look as bad.
I used linen embroidery fabric for the cover. I will try to get a darker colour next time, because this one dirties very easily. The next time I buy chipboard for making the covers, I’ll try to get it white, because I had to add a sheet of paper in between the chipboard and the cloth so that the brown chipboard wasn’t visible through the fabric. Lots of annoying little technicalities to resolve. I also need to get bigger clamps to hold the pages together for the next time I want to do a book this thick! I’m particularly proud of the little metal corners on the cover. They add a little artistic touch. And so cheap to buy online. I am also completely in love with the pages on the inner cover, which I added to compensate for the general plainness of the book. I made them using a stencil with paint pens on watercolour paper.
Sorry for the crooked and weird pics... I suck at this too lol
