Sewing A Textblock - Part 1

The first step to making almost any book is creating the textblock.
This is part 1.
Part 2 of creating a textblock can be seen here:
• Sewing A Textblock - P...
Instructions in Part 2 include adding endpapers, reinforcing the spine with mull, adding head and tailbands, adding a ribbon bookmark and a liner for the spine. Video concludes with the textblock being used to create a wrapped journal.
Here is a great source for the bookboard, or binder's board, mentioned in the video. You can get it in several different thicknesses.
amzn.to/30v1E0S
Also a great source for PVA adhesive:
amzn.to/2YBzkrU
And a source for Super (also called Mull)
amzn.to/2Q8UzhQ
And, last but not least, a source for a wonderful text-weight paper that is great for bookmaking. You'll want Rives Lightweight, the 115 gsm paper.
amzn.to/2QeIasF
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[@davidlopezserret12]

I lost count of how many videos I've watched and NONE had this simple and clear explanation I was looking for, thanks!!

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Awesome!

[@rosemarymortonjack9387]

I agree with all that’s been said. Clear and simple instructions without any waffle about “hi! I’m so and so etc….Thank you!

[@hanaveri8658]

You have saved me even now, take this 💐

[@ztowfic]

These videos really are a masterpiece. I have made two books with them so far and it is so much fun. I am not even an artsy crafty person. My wife makes fun of me sewing them but the final product was great.

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

So awesome! Thank you! You made my day. :)

[@JANeway1723]

I keep coming back to your videos. They are so well-done.

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Thank you!

[@sesprankle]

Excellent video. In this case a picture is truly worth a thousand words. Thank you!

[@JANeway1723]

as always, clear and informative. nice vintage press and paper cutter, too!

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Thank you so much! I use the book press a lot, but that paper cutter is mostly for looks. :)

[@JANeway1723]

@@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks Paper cutter is very photogenic, in fact. I have a similar vintage press-German and for photography. I just want to repeat that I think your videos are great. Good images, clear and to the point text. bravo

[@binder098]

I was mentoring a friend and glad to find your video, many of the others are, well just not right, at least for the way I learned.I want to now to check out your other videos. I studied with Daphne Beaumont Wright in Hampshire England in the early 80s, Pip had studied and worked with William Mathews, who by all standards was an excellent hand bookbinder. Agn, nice job!

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Thank you!

[@DOMAVerse]

Really great video, thank you! My only question would be ... what is an adequate distance between the holes?

[@solcastro9279]

I use this easy technique for binding yearly planners I sell. But each time I go through the outside of the block, I pass the needle through the "long line" of the previous booklet. Kind of like in the french link.

[@Blorguehad]

Thank you!

[@djoyce777]

Great video! Has anyone done this with coated paper? Do you have to sand it first to expose paper fibers to prevent the signatures from sliding?

[@rosemarymortonjack9387]

Hi Kristy, I wonder if you saw mine about the grain of the paper? Do you have any advice?

[@brookejordan7478]

such a clear instructional video I was able to follow along even with the sound off

[@sashalelievre9250]

Is there any way to add more thread?

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Sure. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3KopIt9l5Jkd7s

[@Jazz-jg9vo]

Thanks for sharing these wonderful videos. So interesting and very clear to follow. Is this a good project for a beginner? Do you have a video that gives the dimensions for the cover? Could hard cardboard be used for the cover as I do not have all the supplies. What needle did you use.? Lastly could the cover be done in fabric or faux leather. Thanks

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Thanks for the kind words, Jazz! :) Yes, a beginner could make this book. Although my advice when you create any book type the first time is to keep your expectations low. The first one is always a learning experience, so don't use your favorite paper or fabric on that first one. :) I have two other videos about making a hardbound (case bound) book. Here is part 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqannKypqbd0hrM Part 2 of that tutorial series talks about how to figure out the dimensions for the cover. You can see that video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHnNmZqAqt17hJo If you're going to make a hardbound book the one place you shouldn't skimp is the bookboard. True bookboard (also called binders board, Davey board) is very dense and won't warp. If you use cheap cardboard (chipboard), even if it's heavy, it will warp badly once you glue anything to it. You'll be disappointed. There are links to a bookboard source in the description in my video. I didn’t really use any special kind of needle. You just need a needle that will allow you to use whatever thread you’re using. Lastly, yes, if you don’t have the right materials for a hardbound book, you could cover this with leather or faux leather, using the same method to create the textblock. Part 2 of Making a Textblock shows how to do that near the end: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnPOY393lLSZqdE I also have another video all about making a faux leather cover: kzbin.info/www/bejne/maS7dGqreNOXia8 Good luck, and let me know if you have any more questions! :)

[@amanthinks374]

Great explanation! thanks.

[@rosemarymortonjack9387]

If I use A4 sheets folded into several folios to create A5 Signatures, the likelihood is that the grain of the paper won’t be parallel to the spine of the book. What’s your take on this?

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Hi Rosemary - I have been on the road and off the grid for a couple of weeks, so sometimes it takes me awhile to see and answer a question. Regarding the paper, I know a purist would say that you absolutely must have the paper grain running the same direction as the bookboard, but I'm not one of them. If I can, I do. If I can't, I don't worry about it, particularly if I'm using a lightweight paper. I've never had a book ruined because of it. :)

[@rosemarymortonjack9387]

@@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks Hi Kristy, thank you yet again. Anything that’s good enough for you is way good enough for me. You’ve set my mind at rest.

[@johnproffitt3272]

Is there a specific reason you chose not to link the stitches in the middle of the book?

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

When you're making a traditional textblock there's no reason to link the stitches like you would for an open spine book. You do this with an open spine book for two main reasons - to reinforce the strength of the spine and for decorative purposes. With a traditional textblock it will get glued after sewing in addition to also being wrapped with mull, which is also glued to it. All of this reinforces the spine, and, of course, you can't see it after it's bound, so no reason to make it decorative.

[@orangeflower9293]

ازاي اخلي الورق متساوي ؟

[@cozy_fern_]

How do you know how many holes to make and how to space them to make the template?

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

It depends on the size of your textblock (height). If it is large (tall) you'll want them spaced about an inch apart. If it's small, they'll be closer together. *Always* an even number of holes. And you'll see from my template in the video that you want to start the holes about a half inch from each edge. Once you know how tall your textblock is, it's a pretty easy math problem, but it IS a math problem, so you need to work it out for your own particular book. :)

[@cozy_fern_]

@@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks perfect, thank you so much!!! You’re so great at explaining things and I love this video! I’m so excited to give it a try.

[@mariegabe9015]

Is the Rives lightweight 115 gsm paper for the end pages or for the textblock? I'm not sure what that is used for.

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Hi Marie - Yes, I use the lightweight Rives for the textblock, although in this particular video I'm just using a basic text-weight paper. The Rives lightweight is what I used to print the book in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqannKypqbd0hrM However, I have used the Rives lightweight for endpapers, as well. It is light, but strong, so it works well for both purposes. It's heavier than a basic text weight paper, and has a really nice textured hand-made paper feel to it.

[@inkwarp]

ahh, at last, a clearly explained video...

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

😘

[@gursimrankahlon2386]

Can this technique be used for watercolor paper?

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

I think of most watercolor paper as being fairly thick.... But, basically, this technique would work for any paper that you can fold. If it's thick then you wouldn't want to put too many of them together into a signature, probably no more than two folded pieces per signature. If the paper is quite thick you could even use this technique with single folded sheets. If you plan to paint in the book once it's bound you might consider a binding that lies flat when it's open, which a case bound book won't do. Perhaps something like a Coptic stitch, or Secret Belgian Binding. Watch this video for some different choices -- kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5SQqYmeiJmljbs

[@gursimrankahlon2386]

Thank You so much 😊

[@Tsadi9Mem9Khet9]

So would the text for a digibook be done this way, or would it be perfect bound, possibly with folded pages?

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

If you are using signatures (multiple pages folded inside one another) then you would use this method of sewing those signatures together. If you are using just single folded pieces of paper (called a folio), or single pieces of paper stacked together, then you could perfect bind your book rather than using this technique. There are other fun techniques for single pages or single folios stacked together. Watch this video for some ideas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5SQqYmeiJmljbs

[@Tsadi9Mem9Khet9]

@@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks Thanks, but I was just wondering what method is likely specifically used for the coated text pages inside of digibooks.

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

@@Tsadi9Mem9Khet9 Ahh, you mean like the books for CDs and DVDs? Those are almost always perfect bound books. They wouldn't use sewn signatures.

[@Tsadi9Mem9Khet9]

@@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks Okay. Thank you very much!!

[@prashnaghalley3168]

What kind of paper and thread did you use

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Hi Prashna - the paper I used in this video is just a generic acid-free 70 lb text-weight paper. Nothing particularly special about it. The thread is a pre-waxed linen thread. As I mention in the video it's heavier than I would normally use for this weight paper, but I wanted it to show up in the video.

[@prashnaghalley3168]

How many signatures did you have in each one ?

[@KristiWarrenHandmadeBooks]

Each signature consisted of 8 pieces of paper folded in half (folios), so there were 32 total pages, front and back, in each signature. I don't really remember how many total signatures I had in this example text block, but looking at the video again it looks like I had 6 signatures in the text block.

[@glenngriffon8032]

Thank you for answering my #1 question in the first 40 seconds. I've seen other binding tutorials and no one mentions actually putting folded pages inside other folded pages, or folios. They often just say "stack four folded sheets of paper". Well stack them how? Should put a folded page in another folded page? Is that a stsck? Or should I keep the folded pages isolated and stack them atop one another? No one was clear about that. Thank you for clarity.

[@rosemarymortonjack9387]

Why is the ref point necessary? Couldn’t you just align the sewing holes? I’m sure there’s a reason!