The French Sewn Flat Back Case Bound Book

To be taught as an Online Zoom Book Workshop on Sunday 6th March 2022

10.00am – 4.00pm GMT

There will be a 45 minute lunch break and a 15 minute afternoon break

This workshop is intended for participants with or without book making experience. The workshop will be taught online using the Zoom meeting platform. A Zoom link will be sent by email to each participant inviting them to join the workshop. The workshop will run from 10.00am to 4.00pm GMT and there will be a 45 minute lunch break and a 15 minute afternoon break.

During this workshop, the participants will have the opportunity to make a cloth bound hardback French sewn multi section book.

This is a traditional classic book structure that is strong and durable; the section page spreads will lie flat when the book is opened. There is the option to include some pull out and drop down pages within the sewn sections and a sleeve inside the cover for some minimal loose-leaf content material.

This type of book construction can be applied universally to books of varying scales and formats, providing a professional binding finish and a neutral, elegant space to contain image/text content.

Materials and Equipment List

The French Sewn Flat Back Case Bound Book

Materials and equipment needed….

Paper/Board Stock and Glue

2 x A4 sheets of grey board, approx 2.5mm thick for hardback covers.

1x piece of book cloth 50cm x 50cm

4 x A2 size sheets of cartridge paper 120gsm-160gsm in weight

1 x A2 size of coloured paper stock, sugar paper or similar, approx between 90gsm and 160gsm in weight.

(Optional) Appropriated book material/library discard book/s to be used as source for some printed page image or text elements.

PVA glue, a small glue brush and a receptacle/jar for the glue

Tools

A bone folder or similar tool for scoring and reinforcing page folds.

A small Cutting Mat.

A scalpel or craft knife.

A flat 30cm / 1ft steel ruler.

A bookbinders pricker or an etching needle or similar for marking paper and making sewing holes.

A bookbinders clip point knife or an old flat bladed kitchen knife for cutting through folds in the cartridge paper page stock.

A4 Waste paper for gluing. Printer or copier paper is ideal for this.

A sewing needle and approximately 3 metres of linen sewing thread.

A compass cutter for creating cut page apertures (optional extra if available).

The Tutor

Guy Begbie is a UK based, internationally established book artist/designer, university art & design lecturer and bookbinder.

https://guybegbie.com