Bookbinding at Home: Covering a Journal with Leather | Tutorial by Peg and Awl

This is the last video in our first bookbinding tutorial series: Bookbinding from Home. In this video, Margaux demonstrates how to cover a journal with reclaimed or new leather.
Thank you all for following along and sharing your books. We are so psyched to see all of the books that have come out of these tutorials! We hope you find comfort in the process of binding your books as well as filling them. There is certainly a lot to document right now- in both pictures and words. ⁣#diy
Here are the materials and tools that you will need:
- Leather
- Fabric
- Thread
- Scissors
- Hammer
- Glue
- Heavy Book
Buy our Anselm Bookbinding Kit on our website:
pegandawlbuilt...
Share your bookbinding results with us on Instagram:
Instagram: @pegandawl / @pegandawlbuilt
www.pegandawl.com

[@RogueT-Rex8468]

..... this is in fact the simplest one I have seen that doesn’t involve ridiculous tools and the like. Perfect for a beginners crack at it. And it leaves for more than ample creative finishes❤️

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you for this feedback! We wanted to encourage creativity in process and exploring your own style.

[@yuck6457]

5:42 "I'm just coaxing her to stay straight" Lmao my mom at me

[@craftychatscafe6342]

😂lol, been there😂

[@phillipstroll7385]

Cheaply made book that appears of quality. Nice nice nice. Well done.

[@aylinmachaen4921]

watching you cut the book was so relaxing

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Haha

[@sherryroberts7716]

LOVELY! I was so taken by your trade of a journal for the young man's taped-together leather jacket! Great find!!

[@phillipstroll7385]

Leather should be everywhere. It's the Peta that should disappear.

[@gregorymcintosh4289]

Thank you. I love your hands. You put your hours in !!!! Best, Gregory

[@manifestationmeditationmus2909]

So good... so satisfying. Thank you so much for the video. Keep up the good work.

[@rhrh9128]

Really fantastic.

[@halleneyens9856]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@annreneelighter5084]

I love everything about this video, and your other videos about bookbinding. You are an excellent teacher. Thank you for sharing!

[@maxmedia6524]

Great job! I’m in Montreal too!

[@TheJoanshep]

I recently gave away a couple old leather purses I didn't use....dang how i wish i'd kept them for book covers!! thanks for this clear inspiration!

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Aha, I hope more old leather finds its way to you soon! Thank you for following along!

[@KathleenRenninger]

Good, straightforward video. Interesting approach with the fabric edging, and I like the idea of recycling leather. Also the headband idea.

[@madebylora]

I love this video! I love the look of the fabric edges! I recently bought a big piece of leather with the intention of covering some books and this has given me exactly what I needed to know! (So far all the books I’ve made have been hard back and covered in fabric). It’s also given me the push to hammer the text block (I’ve never done that on any of my books so far)

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you, Lora! This is very exciting - I hope you enjoy your new bookbinding adventures :)

[@samaker4]

We just found your channel on Instagram. Love your video! Looking forward to see more.

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you! We are working on more!

[@share8596]

Awesome Awesome Awesome! Thank you for this video.

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you for following along!

[@hazaqames477]

This is an excellent tutorial! Very easy to follow, interesting, useful, and well done!

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you, James! I really appreciate your feedback, and I hope you enjoy your journal.

[@kraftyiam]

Howdy, first - your calligraphy labels in the beginning so nice. Great lil books. I enjoyed watching. Thanks for sharing.

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

I'm so glad you liked them! It's a fun start. Thanks for watching :)

[@FaithFocusJourney]

That was so satisfying to watch

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Love to read that - thank you!

[@ZaiyaFineArt]

oh my god thank you! Iv been doing this all different I was wondering how that fap was made and here iv been glueing it down entirely! THANK YOU!

[@susanstover7178]

Just an awesome video! You make things so clear😀😀😀!

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you, Susan! :)

[@PaperPremise]

Awesome, thanks for the clear direction and inspiration!

[@margauxkent4038]

Jennilyn Nevins my pleasure!

[@angelaruck3702]

They're perfect!! 🥰

[@adrienneanderson-smith2257]

INSTRUCTIONS! THANK YOU ! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Excellent.

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Haha - I'm so happy you found what you need! Thank you too :)

[@cherylruest8204]

Gorgeous!!!😍😍😍

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you! :)

[@christinasbeautymark]

Love this video! I have some of your journals and love them. Thank you for posting this ❤️

[@margauxkent4038]

christinasbeautymark thank you! Enjoy your journals and thanks for following along!

[@margohoogenboom6283]

ik kijk steeds weer, wat een geweldige tutorials en wat een fantastisch resultaat!

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you Margo!

[@diegooland1261]

This is just what I needed to see, thank you! Interesting you don't fold the edges over.

[@aranyaaparkarmakar4266]

A job well done . Absolutely lovely!

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you!

[@johnmitchelljr]

Well done. Thank you.

[@chew]

this is crazy cool

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you!

[@seaofpines7]

amazing!

[@bubblehead78]

Really enjoyed the video. Subscribed!

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Thank you!

[@Scaraboobs1]

Awesome video. Thank you :) have you tried giving the leather edges a quick burnish? I'm curious how it'd turn out with the fabric edges

[@thoroughlyinked]

What a wonderful tutorial. It explains everything so clearly. What do you call the little label in the back of the book that had no mull?

[@Abdul-ru9ju]

What do you recommend i use as an alternative to mull? And thank you for the very informative and entertaining content.

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Muslin works well. I would also try any cotton. Cheese cloth would probably work as well. Best of luck!

[@adriennejones2992]

so inspiring - what kind of scissors are you using? mine don't cut quite as clean as that with leather.

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Yeah - they have to be sharp. These are vintage metal scissors I found unused in the trash years ago and they consistently work! Sharp is the key - I am sorry I don't have a recommendation.

[@AngelaLopez-xz4if]

Could you glue the fabric on top instead of threading it?

[@earthdimensionc-1378]

Why not use contact cement on the leather? Is that preference or is there reasoning behind it? Thanks for the info.

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

So much is just what I've tried. Is contact cement the same as rubber cement? If so, that gives me headaches. But once the odorless flexible glue dries, it hardens and I've found it to be incredibly durable. But I am a trial and error human - so try what you have around and see what happens!

[@jillcecil5656]

Vory hupeful thonks

[@angela1926]

Thank you for this video! Is there a book binding press you recommend?

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Hi Angela! My book presses, and the ones we use in our shop, are vintage finds from various flea markets. As such, I can't point you towards one as a recommendation. However, you can probably find a good one on Etsy or Ebay - all you need is something that will provide even and consistent pressure.

[@joanpringle-canning2834]

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

[@digestivebiscuit8967]

What glue can we use for this?

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Hello! I use bookbinding glue - Neutral pH Adhesive from Lineco, but Elmer's glue works as well. You just want a flexible adhesive.

[@digestivebiscuit8967]

@@PegandAwlBuilt thanks!

[@mikezinn7212]

Wish I could by you a glue BRUSH!

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Haha, no thank you! We have had brushes, but I've always preferred to use my finger.

[@gypsyoftheworld1]

I can't get my spine to round. 😭😭😭

[@margauxkent4038]

Rachel Kohler did you use a flexible glue!? That is the key!

[@gypsyoftheworld1]

@@margauxkent4038 I used tacky glue from Walmart 😂 did you use Elmer's in your tutorial?

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

@@gypsyoftheworld1 I didn't - but elmers works for sure! I use glue from Lineco

[@robertphillips93]

If you got too much glue on the back or it was applied weeks ago, you can soften it with a little hot air from a heat gun, hair dryer, or even a warm griddle. But be careful or you'll have a hot mess on your hands. Also, you can get a uniformly even glue-up if you clamp or weight the block and work the glue in with a brush. Fingers are still good for smoothing and removing excess. If the back was too compressed during glue-up, the spine will have less swelling and the book will be harder to round. Even the table or counter you're working on can inhibit rounding if it's too springy! Finally, the hand positioning the book should almost be lifting the spine off the table with a rolling influence from the fingers firmly on the side and the thumb on the face of the book -- really lean into it and aim the hammer well, of course! Some people faint if they see a knife or scissors applied to a book . . . don't show them what you did with a hammer!

[@mikezinn7212]

The problem can be averted by NOT gluing over the support tapes and stitching before rounding. Keeping glue off the tapes allows some flexibility between the sections when hammered. Always glue only BETWEEN the tapes first and THEN round the back. Once rounded you can glue over the tapes to secure the stitching and perhaps add a full length of light weight lining paper to the spine if more support is needed.

[@jamespeters5913]

not a traditional way to leather bind a book!!...but sort of cute....your leather is way to thick to be wrapped....and PLEASE get a glue brush...lol

[@alvaromarcoperes8273]

very annoying to see your fingers covered by glue! please use a brush instead!

[@PegandAwlBuilt]

Haha! To each their own.