Bookbinding - in general

I finally managed to find a few spare hours to get rid of some paper from my "let's buy it, I might need it for a book"-storage and do some bookbinding again, after years. Well, actually I snatched a few spare hours when I should have been doing something else, but honestly, what's one supposed to do when time's always short? And promptly I discovered why I had taken so long a break from bookbinding: a few hurdles that still needed useful hacks. So here's what I found very helpful in an art where every millimetre has to fit and you can't allow yourself even the tiniest flaw that will in half a minute ruin a book that you have spent hours preparing.

The first book I made was a rather simple one in blue and white. The only reason: I could only find the blue-and-white headband, and as I said, with my books, every minute detail has to match...

The spine is covered in linen, the front and back in high quality Italian art paper. At the front, I decided to add some trim along the line where linen and paper meet. This is a nice way of covering up accidential glue blotches, but in this case I did it just because it looks nice. Just don't apply too much glue to the ribbon, and don't use glue that's been thinned too much. You'll end up with glue soaking through the ribbon and showing at the front. In which case you can use a contrasting, thinner piece of ribbon to cover up those blotches and add some additional colour accent...

Do, in any case, glue the end papers to the body of the book *before* you glue the bookmark and the headband, as you will have to cut the coloured paper to the measurements of the book and they will be in your way. So, end papers first, then bookmark and headband. Best would be to glue the end paper even before you have the rough-cut paper trimmed, but as I usually don't know beforehand what paper I'll be using for the cover, I have to do the second-best thing. So, glue the first end paper, trim it to the exact measurements of the book, then glue the second end paper and trim it. This way you'll never have anything in your way when cutting.

When you make the cover, mark the front end of the cover paper and fold it. It will facilitate quick orientation when the glue is on and you have to paste that sticky, curling thing to the cardboard. Put the slightly watered glue onto the paper first. The cardboard will soak it up too quickly to adjust the paper. When the front edge is in place, use a clean white paper napkin or a piece of white fabric to smoothen it over the cardboard and avoid wrinkles. The folding bone is too hard for this and will leave marks.

And when at last, in a great and risky finale, you're ready to attach the cover to the book, which means that you have to paste the end paper to the cover almost by instinct and ruin the whole book when this is not perfect, here's today's most clever find. Put the loose book into the cover and adjust it neatly. Then glue just the binding strips to the cover, very diligently on both sides. Let dry sufficiently with some plastic foil inserted to keep it from sticking to the end papers. Then, when it keeps in place, apply slightly watered glue to the end paper with a broad brush (not needing more than ten quick brush strokes at the very most is fine), having inserted waste paper between the paper and the rest of the book. Whisk out the waste paper and glue the cover to the end paper very diligently, trying to get even edges inside. Normally there's no glue now where it shouldn't be, so you don't risk glueing your book shut ;)

Usually you can loosen and re-position the paper up to three times if you're quick. Close and press the book evenly, open again and smoothen creases or bubbles using your clean napkin. Do the same on the other side, thank whoever you believe in if everything worked nicely, press the whole book over night and have tea to relax ;)

Or, as in my case, move on to the next book.

It seems I'm longing for the summer, as all my current designs are light in colour and summery in design.The second one is in shades of yellow with a print of yellow broom.