THE BONEFOLDER - An e-journal for the book binder and book artist

pub·li·ca·tion –noun

1. the act of publishing a book, periodical, map, piece of music, engraving, or the like.
2. the act of bringing before the public; announcement.
3. the state or fact of being published.
4. something that is published, esp. a periodical.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME publicacioun < L pūblicātiōn- (s. of pūblicātiō) a making public, confiscation, equiv. to pūblicāt(us) (ptp. of pūblicāre to make public) + -iōn- -ion]

Now I'm a little puzzled as to what I am going to do here. Do I choose an already published book, periodical, map, piece of music, engraving, or the like, or do I look at this from a more exciting view point? Like make my research on a publication become the research on the actual publishing process. You see over the last couple of years I have been involved in the art of book binding. The hand made process of binding in different styles, techniques and materials is something astonishing to me and certainly something I enjoy doing. So I feel that personally, researching something like this would be much more exciting than researching a specific publication and its contentsor whatever. I feel this is an option.

Either that or make my chosen publication a particular method of publishing. For example, 'book arts'. Another interest of mine which is something new to me that I have only recently become aware of. Having looked into only a small section of the 'book arts' scene, it would be something I would definately be interested in researching, and also, the art of re-using books in such a way I feel is itself surely a form of publishing, or if there is such a thing, 're-publishing'. Again, an option and definately something to consider.

Publication - 'THE BONEFOLDER - An e-journal for the bookbinder and book artist'

Now, after a sit down and a look at various forms of the 'big dic' (the Dictionary), I have come to the conclusion that if I was to chose my categories on the basis of definitions, then I could quite frankly pick just about anything. However, after searching the web for information on the books arts scene that was my original idea for my publication, I very conveniently stumbled upon this,

http://www.philobiblon.com/bonefolder/index.html

Now this my friend is quite frankly the ticket to what I need to carry out my intended body of research on the book arts scene and book binding as a way of publishing. 'THE BONEFOLDER - An e-journal for the bookbinder and book artist', is exactly what it says it is so I started by downloading copies the online magazine, and after looking further into them, I feel like I have discovered a gold mine. Each article bursting with information on the book arts and book binding techniques which are going to be an absolute treasure for me to keep binding.

After finding out about this e-journal, and reading briefly through a few issues, I decided that I could use this as a source of research for the idea on researching book binding and book arts, but not only use this but use other sources of information. Also use the e-journal and rather than building up an archive of information, use 'THE BONEFOLDER' e-journal to learn more ways of binding and not just find out about it.

Up until now, my knowledge of book binding techniques stretches no further than that of the traditional and hardback binding techniques. I searched the e-journal for some other techniques and began with this, the 'Twined binding' by 'Roberta Lavadour'. Although apparently after reading through this technique it seems considerable more complex than any of the binding I've done in the past, I still feel confident in learning the technique and producing in this way.

TWINED BINDING
- 'Roberta Lavadour'

STEP 1

As with traditional binding, using the cardboard and the leather or what ever material chosen for the cover, begin to assemble the cover, only gluing over the flaps of one cover (either the front or the back), and leave a long length of material instead of attaching the other cardboard piece. For this technique, a spine piece is not required as the weaving holds the covers together. Leave this over night in the clamp and resist the temptation to begin until completely dry.

STEP 2

With the excess material (where the other piece of cardboard would be) make cuts along the top and bottoms of the cover material, perpendicular to the top and bottom edges of the already fixed card cover. Then turn over the edges of the cover material round the fixed cover card, completing the first half of the cover by filling in the space on the inside of the cover with any excess material.

STEP 3

Make a number of shreds in the cover material, making an even number of sewing stations down the spine of the paper block and on the shreds, evenly spaced, every 3-4 shreds.

STEP 4 - 'The Binding'

Collect your 2 different colour threads of about arms length, tying a needle to the end of each one. Then tie the other ends of the thread together leaving about an inch and a half spare.

Loop one thread around the first piece of shredded material, and begin twining so the spare tail ends are positioned between the first and second shred. The thread ends will be hidden under the twinings.

Continue to the end of the shredded material cover and one line is complete. At the end, loop the top thread under the bottom thread, pulling the bottom thread till the top thread loop is positioned between the 1st and 2nd shred. (see diagram - step 3-4)

Repeat this process until you have completed 6 lines.

STEP 5 - 'The Gathering'

When your ready to make the first gathering, twine down the line to the first sewing station. Enter the station in the paper block with the thread that would have gone to the back of the shred, and exit through the next sewing station. When the first gathering has been added, use a bone folderto compress the folded pages, helping the bulk of the thread to be absorbed.

Continue twining and adding rows and gaterings. Each line of gathering spaced depending on the thickness of the thread and the pages. About every 4 rows. Once completed, tie off the ends leaving a tail long enough to attach a needle and then thread the needle and thread under the block of pages, snipping off at the other side.

STEP 6 - Adding the back cover


Attatch the back piece of cardboard to the piece of cover material that is around 2 cm larger than the cover board piece.

Create staggered slots in the cover material down the side nearest the spine. Then thread the shreds through the slots, before trimming them down, over lapping them in pairs and then gluing them to the inside of the piece of cover board. Cover these with a spare piece of material, before folding the edges of the cover material round the cover board. Finish off any edges and compress under clamps till dry.


Having now learnt this technique, and produced a twined bound book, I want to continue and look at some other methods and techniques of binding, some of which I will use to produce some pieces for my stall in Portobello road market.