UpDown Press & Bindery

I am a bookbinder based in Baltimore, MD. I love creating handmade journals, photo albums, sketch books, and art books. Visit me on Etsy. This blog is a place for me to share my process and my finished books, as well as beautiful book related things. And also, on occasion, cute and fuzzy animals. You can also find UpDown here: Our website -- http://bit.ly/1dK9Vkt | Facebook -- http://on.fb.me/1lJhtsq Instagram -- @updownbindery Pinterest -- http://bit.ly/1tPIjR

[updownbindery]

Simple tunnel book on the work bench.

[updownbindery]

Reveling in a recently completed order. It’s like a flower garden overtook my studio.

[updownbindery]

Thanks for the reblog! 😍

[updownbindery]

We spent our evening at Longwood Gardens taking in the light display.

[atavus-blog]

Philippe Parreno - Atlas of Clouds, 2005

[updownbindery]

Wow!

[updownbindery]

Reveling in a recently completed order. It's like a flower garden overtook my studio.

[itscolossal]

Embroidered leaves, Hillary Fayle

[updownbindery]

Drool.

[updownbindery]

Your journals are so gorgeous!

Thank you!

[updownbindery]

15 books finished!

[updownbindery]

Per my conversation with @valiha:

Not all eyelets are created equal. I’ve recently started using eyelets with backs because they are smoother and don’t pose the risk of fraying that other eyelets might.

(Last pic is a traditional eyelet for comparison.)

[ompapergoods]

just throwin’ this out there: when an eyelet includes a backing it is called a grommet, so just in case you’re trying to find them and can’t try searching for grommets instead =)

[updownbindery]

Thanks! I was totally relying on the packaging for the naming (I’m also used to grommets being ginormous), but I’m glad to have the clarification!

[valiha]

Just one last question: I’m looking at two options - antique brass and silver. Antique brass looks more inconspicuous compared to silver, but I’m not sure how it agrees with colors like blue and purple; am I better of with silver in that case? Or is it all a matter of taste? 

[updownbindery]

I've had reason to use both. I like to pick based on colors, paper style, etc. If you're able, maybe get a pack of each so you can see them in real life?

[ebookporn]

Hachette CEO Michael Pietsch on the Future of Publishing

How an invention from the 1400s will fare in the years ahead

I’ve been hearing about the demise of book publishing since the first day I stepped through the doors of a publisher back in 1978. But here we are still, publishers like Little, Brown, with histories going back 100 and 200 years. What other American industry has companies still in existence after two centuries, evolving and modernizing but still doing much the same work? The most recent variant of the death watch: A digital revolution would cause e-books to replace printed ones, authors would overwhelmingly choose self-publishing, and publishers would follow carriage makers into oblivion.

After several years of rapid e-book growth, their sales topped out at about one-quarter of publishers’ revenues and have declined for a year. Print books have proved durable because, as a format, they’re simply hard to improve on. Music, movies and TV were all fundamentally altered because digitization allowed readers to experience those entertainments anywhere. Books were portable the day they were invented. Other forms have only just caught up.

And self-publishing? It’s grown hugely as an option for writers who want to reach readers directly. But writers like to be paid, in advance, for their work. Publishers are investors and risk takers. And a publishing company with longstanding media and marketing relationships is far more capable of getting attention for a new book than a writer working alone.

READ MORE

[updownbindery]

Per my conversation with @valiha:

Not all eyelets are created equal. I’ve recently started using eyelets with backs because they are smoother and don’t pose the risk of fraying that other eyelets might.

(Last pic is a traditional eyelet for comparison.)

[ompapergoods]

just throwin’ this out there: when an eyelet includes a backing it is called a grommet, so just in case you’re trying to find them and can’t try searching for grommets instead =)

[updownbindery]

Thanks! I was totally relying on the packaging for the naming (I'm also used to grommets being ginormous), but I'm glad to have the clarification!

[updownbindery]

Per my conversation with @valiha:

Not all eyelets are created equal. I’ve recently started using eyelets with backs because they are smoother and don’t pose the risk of fraying that other eyelets might.

(Last pic is a traditional eyelet for comparison.)

[updownbindery]

Today’s work. An order for a bunch of Coptic bound books.

[valiha]

I have a question! Are you ever worried that eyelets might snip the thread with use? I made several books with eyelets and I’m always worried the buyers will write back to complain about that. (so far it hasn’t happened but I still worry ☺)

[updownbindery]

I do worry about that, but I have recently found some eyelets that actually have this extra ring that goes in the back and smooths things out, so I worry less with those. And I’ve been using them for several years and haven’t yet had a complaint, so I figure it isn’t a huge problem. So, I keep using them because it’s just a much cleaner look, in my opinion, then just punching through the bookboard (though I still do that sometimes, too!

I also wonder if you could work out some layering of end sheets and eyelets that would help mitigate the potential…🤔

[valiha]

That’s good to know :) After the first couple of times I started punching and setting the eyelets before pasting the end sheets; I mark where the holes should be and punch the end sheet. Then I carefully align them, and I use fairly thick paper or sometimes cardstock. One of these days I’ll have to make a book for myself and test it just to be sure. But I also have to look into the back ring once I use up my eyelets, thanks!

[updownbindery]

In case it helps, I'll do a quick post showing the eyelets with back rings. I'll tag you in it. 🙂

[updownbindery]

Today’s work. An order for a bunch of Coptic bound books.

[valiha]

I have a question! Are you ever worried that eyelets might snip the thread with use? I made several books with eyelets and I’m always worried the buyers will write back to complain about that. (so far it hasn’t happened but I still worry ☺)

[updownbindery]

I do worry about that, but I have recently found some eyelets that actually have this extra ring that goes in the back and smooths things out, so I worry less with those. And I've been using them for several years and haven't yet had a complaint, so I figure it isn't a huge problem. So, I keep using them because it's just a much cleaner look, in my opinion, then just punching through the bookboard (though I still do that sometimes, too!

I also wonder if you could work out some layering of end sheets and eyelets that would help mitigate the potential...🤔

[updownbindery]

Today's work. An order for a bunch of Coptic bound books.

[updownbindery]

Waiting to be sewn!

[updownbindery]

Coptic bindings in progress.