Bookbinding

Overview

Instructions for binding a sketchbook.

Sewing the signatures

First signature

First signature

• Push the thread into the spine of the first signature at the top.
• Bring the thread back out farther down on the spine and bring it back in at the same spot, leaving enough thread on the outside of the spine to form a small loop.
• Continue to make 3 small loops along the length of the spine.
• Bring the thread back out at the bottom of the signature's spine.

2nd signature

Adding the 2nd signature

Threading through loops in the previous signature

Tying off the first two signatures

• Take the thread to the bottom of the 2nd signature. Push it in, bring it back out a little higher up on the spine, and pass it through the lowest loop in the first signature.
• Continue for all the loops.
• Bring the threw out at the top of the 2nd signature.
• Pull all the loops in the signatures tight.
• Tie off the threads at the top.

Remaining signatures

Adding more signatures

• More signatures can be added on indefinitely by looping back through the stitches in the previous signature.
• Always add signatures in the same direction as you started. That is if the 2nd signature was added on the right of the first signature, the 3rd signature should be added on the right side of the 2nd signature, and so on.