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Hand-bound books: sewing the spines myself

Created12 photos
BookbindingHandcraftEditorial Design

About these books

Before designing pages on screen, I learned to build the book itself. These photos document my bookbinding coursework from 2016 to 2018: a leaf-shaped book, western sewn spines, parallel bindings and hardcover work — every signature folded, pierced and sewn by hand.

Three handmade leaf-pattern notebooks standing upright with covers fanned open, in pink, navy blue, and dark teal printed designs.
Three handmade leaf-pattern notebooks standing upright with covers fanned open, in pink, navy blue, and dark teal printed designs.
Handbound notebook covered in navy Japanese-print fabric lying on patterned cloth, with exposed grey yarn chain stitching along the spine.
Handbound notebook covered in navy Japanese-print fabric lying on patterned cloth, with exposed grey yarn chain stitching along the spine.
Small handbound book in navy Japanese-print fabric with rows of parallel grey yarn stitches along the spine and a wrap-around yarn tie.
Small handbound book in navy Japanese-print fabric with rows of parallel grey yarn stitches along the spine and a wrap-around yarn tie.
Pink linen handbound book with grey cross-stitch binding along the rounded spine and a yarn tie, on pink paper scattered with white paper hearts.
Pink linen handbound book with grey cross-stitch binding along the rounded spine and a yarn tie, on pink paper scattered with white paper hearts.
Top-down view of a closed hardcover case-bound book covered in navy Japanese-print fabric with porcelain medallion motifs.
Top-down view of a closed hardcover case-bound book covered in navy Japanese-print fabric with porcelain medallion motifs.
Top-down view of three handmade notebooks with printed leaf-pattern covers in pink, navy, and dark teal; one has a red ribbon bookmark.
Top-down view of three handmade notebooks with printed leaf-pattern covers in pink, navy, and dark teal; one has a red ribbon bookmark.
Opened fabric cover of a handbound notebook showing exposed grey thread spine stitching; a hand holds the cover flat.
Opened fabric cover of a handbound notebook showing exposed grey thread spine stitching; a hand holds the cover flat.
Hardcover case-bound book covered in navy Japanese-print fabric standing at an angle on matching patterned cloth.
Hardcover case-bound book covered in navy Japanese-print fabric standing at an angle on matching patterned cloth.
Three handmade leaf-pattern notebooks standing with covers opened, shown from a lower angle.
Three handmade leaf-pattern notebooks standing with covers opened, shown from a lower angle.
Handbound notebook in navy Japanese-print fabric lying flat on matching cloth, grey stitching exposed along the lower spine edge.
Handbound notebook in navy Japanese-print fabric lying flat on matching cloth, grey stitching exposed along the lower spine edge.
Pink linen handbound book with grey cross-stitch spine binding and yarn tie, shown slightly wider on pink paper with white hearts.
Pink linen handbound book with grey cross-stitch spine binding and yarn tie, shown slightly wider on pink paper with white hearts.
Opened hardcover case lying flat, showing front and back boards and spine covered in navy Japanese-print fabric.
Opened hardcover case lying flat, showing front and back boards and spine covered in navy Japanese-print fabric.