What makes a Book Work Properly? A Hands-On Case Binding Workshop

What Makes a Book Work Properly? 

A Hands-On Case Binding Workshop

Location:  On Line (Zoom)

Part 1:  Sat. Oct 17 10:00-11:30 

Part 2   Sat. Oct 17 1:30-3:00

Part 3   Sun. Oct 18 10:00-11:30

Registration is Required:  Click Here to Register

Number of Participants: 10

Fee:  $50 

Supplies:  Since you will be working from home, you will provide your own supplies.  See supply list below.

Instructor:  Gudrun Aurand, a PSBA Member,  is an expert book conservator and book binder from Olympia, Washington.  She restores 18^th, 19^th and 20^th century family treasures like children’s books, bibles, and cookbooks among many other things. She also binds editions and makes boxes and portfolios.  She teaches bookbinding in her studio.  Gudrun apprenticed with Jim Croft in Santa, Idaho for 3 years.  To learn more about Gudrun and her work besure to visit her website

Description:  In this three-part Zoom workshop, you will learn all of the structural elements that make flat spine case bindings open and close properly.  A case binding, consisting of book cover and textblock, is useful for making hard back books like sketchbooks and journals for your own content. The techniques you will learn are key to making a book work properly and apply to other forms of binding.  In part one, you will learn about the properties of paper like grain direction, how to fold paper to make a text block, and how to mark sewing stations.  In part two, you will learn how to sew the signatures together to form the text block then glue the spine and add a spine support for strength. In part three, you will learn to prepare the case: to measure and cut boards for cover boards and spine piece, to measure covering material and how to glue and attach the case to the text block

Supply List  (Questions?  E-mail Gudrun:  paper2book4you@yahoo.com)  You can order supplies from Colophon Book Arts Supply, Dick Blick, Artco, and Michaels.

• 25 sheets of 8.5 x11 text weight paper for the pages
• Wax Paper
• Book Binding Thread (waxed or unwaxed)
• Book Binding Needle
• Book Board  or 4-ply Mat Board ( 2 boards 7” x 7”)
• 2 Wooden boards (smooth masonite, plywood, cutting board etc.)  for pressing.   Should be   larger than the book we are making.  The book we are making will be 6” x 5”or 5”x 6”.
• Weights  (2 covered bricks or heavy books)
• Waste Paper (like an old phone book, unprinted newsprint) for gluing
• PVA or Elmer’s glue
• Mat knife
• Cutting Mat
• 1 Manila File Folder
• Decorative Paper for Cover (heavier weight) Size?
• Glue Brush (Round Brush at least 1” in diameter)
• Emery Board or sand paper
• Push pin or small awl for punching holes (you can make your own awl with a
•       cognac cork and a needle)
• Triangle (approx. 8” x 8”)
• 12 in rule with a metal edge
• Bone Folder (can be bone or plastic)