Sewing on Tapes Using a Sewing Frame // Adventures in Bookbinding

In this video I demonstrate sewing an A4 text block on 4 tapes using a #sewing #frame.
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I understand not everyone wants to use Patreon. I also very much welcome and appreciate one-off contributions. This can be done through PayPal.me/dasb...
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The historical photo used in the video is from is of the NSW Government Printing Office and is used thanks to the State Library of NSW. Digital Order No: D1_08364.
The tools and materials I use can be purchased from specialist suppliers and manufacturers in my suppliers list. If you are in Australia I have a limited range of items I supply by mail or by pickup from the bindery in Brisbane.
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The #DASBookbinding Channel is the perfect starting point for learning #bookbinding. It covers foundation skills, simple projects, technical methods, materials and more advanced bookbinding projects. The videos are presented in a tutorial or lesson fashion, which I hope are easy to follow. The knowledge presented is based on traditional techniques which can be used to create traditional books or as a foundation to quality journalling or creative artists' books. The best way to find what you are looking for is the DAS Bookbinding KZbin Channel guide.
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English Closed Caption titles by Carrie Snyder. Thank you!!
The music used in this video is performed by Jon Sayles. Jon has some great classical guitar music on his website, which he shares freely.

[@lisajarvis3820]

I have never seen that kind of knot used before to add new threads ~ and it’s a lot easier/quicker ~ Thank You again!!

[@Leo1406hongkong]

Brilliant to me! Nice to go through the whole process of sewing with you. Thousand thanks!

[@oakahull7705]

This is absolutely awesome to me! I'm learning to book bind during quarantine

[@DASBookbinding]

And what else would want to do! Have fun. DAS

[@joec.babyyyy5634]

DAS Again Thank You For Your Videos. Being That I Am Going To Be Managing A Book Store, And Book Binding Books My Self. I Greatly Appreciate You Sharing Your Knowledge! Thanks From San Antonio Tx.

[@AngelavengerL]

This is so satisfying and relaxing to watch.

[@DASBookbinding]

Glad you enjoyed it! DAS

[@vernonchew6112]

Great tutorial on how to use a sewing frame! I happened to have bought one before Moses came down from the mountain but did not know how to use it. The tape keys are missing and I am now going on an excavation journey to find them before attempting to sew a book body with tapes. Please set up your online shop asap so that your fans could purchase supplies from you to show our appreciation. Thanks.

[@DASBookbinding]

Getting close with the shop. Unfortunately I'll probably only ship to Australia as the OS shipping is just so expensive. Patreon is an option for supporting me too. All the best, Darryn

[@avigail5356]

Beautiful work! Why is it important that the ribbon moves freely? I understand that it has to keep it all together? Thank you for sharing you knowledge and expertise!

[@robertstrawser1426]

Very nice video. I collect books and have been wanting to get into bookbinding for years, if I can ever set aside the cash for a decent press, usually I get outbid by someone that wants to use then as fancy flower pot stands. I am working on building a sewing frame and it really helps to see a nice one actually in use.

[@DASBookbinding]

Bricks and some flat pieces of wood are all you need to get started. And for sewing on tapes you don't need a sewing frame. Happy binding!

[@mohamadyasinowadally8564]

As usual...outstanding...with easy and explicit video

[@BilliesCraftRoom]

Thanks so much for sharing this, what beautiful tools you work with to create beautiful books.

[@lisam9233]

Thanks, Darryn. Another informative video. Mesmerizing to watch :)

[@محمدرضارضاخان]

Thank you sir. it's useful

[@arunavel0211]

Hello sir I have not been able to watch your video for a few weeks

[@melissaschaefer854]

Fascinating!! I could do this!

[@DASBookbinding]

Yes, you could. You don't need a sewing frame either. Most cotton tapes are stiff enough that you can just sew without. In most of my videos I only use a frame for sewing on cords. All the best, DAS

[@thiagorossi3860]

That’s very nice! Thank you for another great tutorial. I learnt to sew on tapes and the french style too (with you), that I think can be used with and without tapes. I want to learn cords next and I think it’s called linked (without cords and tapes), only thread. Is there a rule or reason why we should use or another? Number of signatures, folios in the signature, paper type, size, type of case...? I don’t know. I never know anyone explaining why they do the way they do. In general I like the book to open flat but there are so many types of cases and sewing I don’t know the best combination. Thanks.

[@DASBookbinding]

Yes, the French sewing is often done without tapes, especially small books. Maybe you mean the Coptic sewn book. Yes this is a type of link stitch. There are a number of variations possible. I show the most common in my video. There are certainly reasons for doing different binding structures. It's a big topic but I'll give a couple of examples. A small book doesn't need much support in the binding, thus why the French sewing is appropriate without supports. But then a huge ledger will need all the strength possible and thus you would do French sewing over heavy linen tapes. If you want to replicate an early (say 18th century) binding you might sew on raised cords. For opening flat it is hard to beat simply sewing on tapes and casing. Good luck! DAS

[@christopherely4364]

I was recently reading a description of the original Smyth sewing machine which mentioned that at the time, an "expert girl" could sew 2500 signatures a day. I found the number to be quite impressive and had to wonder how many hours a day that must take. The machine, by the way, was supposed to do 25,000 to 30,000 signatures per day (this in the 1890s).

[@DASBookbinding]

May I ask where you read this description. I'd be very interested to read more about this. Many factors to consider, such as the structure of the book - sewing stations etc. I can sew on 2 tapes with kettle stitches at a rate of a section every 2 minutes. With mucking about to start and finish I can sew a 14 section book in 30 minutes. Not all commercial books have kettle stitches and once you get the hang of it sewing 2 or 3 (or more) on can be faster. I'm guessing they assumed 4 sections per minute for 12 hours. That is hard tedious work! Those Smyth machines need the sections feeding by hand. I'm guessing they assume a section every 2 seconds or bit better for 12 hours. It's sort of a 2 step operation - pick up then feed - a second for each step.

[@DASBookbinding]

Thanks for the link. DAS

[@miladyrigel]

Please make a video on the punched hole guidelines. I am not finding information on this easily.😢

[@starfoxandstellar9917]

Can you use ribbon instead of cotton tape? My cotton tape is extremely wide and i dont want to cut it in half and have it fray

[@Moha0308]

hi ! i would at once thank you for the hight quality of the videos as well for the knowhow you share us with much pedagogie. you give us all tricks we need to really enjoy bindning, with a few tolls and so. that's great! i would like to ask you something; which type of bindning would be haddock for a rather thick book ( about 600 pages) a book that might be open flat, and stand so, at any pages? thanks a lot !

[@DASBookbinding]

Glad you enjoy the videos. There is flat and then there is really flat for an open book. A springback opens completely flat, but maybe not the choice for all books. I think the 19th century library style with split board attachment opens well and is a very strong binding. It's a very under rated binding these days - both the tight-back and hollow back. Hope this helps, DAS

[@Moha0308]

@@DASBookbinding thank's a lot for so clear and complete infos. That's so kind!

[@jck01010101]

Can you sew multiple text blocks on a frame? I think I have seen this but cant find any info. Thanks

[@DASBookbinding]

Yes, it was done by the women that sewed books up until the start of the 20th century. I know some people who have done it for edition work. The push a loop a tape in between each block. I've never seen it documented.

[@martinnyberg71]

7:16 Is sewing the book front to back just a personal preference, best practice to keep track of the right order, or simply traditional? 😊 And as a physicist, I presume you are interested in the geometry/topology/combinatorics/graphtheory aspects of how many holes you need, which way to have the thread go, and all sorts of interesting variants? 😁 In this case, I’m wondering to myself if there is an established way of sewing that doubles back inside the section at the tape, producing a continuous line of thread inside and having the thread go across the tape twice per section? Would that give extra swell and extra stability to the spine if that is one’s goal for a more rounded spine, or I’m I just thinking up something people actually do not do? 🤔🙃

[@DASBookbinding]

I think the order comes from efficiency and repetition. If you are right handed and always put the head to the right and flip the sections over starting with the spine facing away from you, it ends up being front to back. And yes you can sew around the tapes. Check out the springback and library binding videos where I do this with the endpapers. But only on the endpapers. I'm not sure there is a significant structural advantage. More aesthetic.

[@lynndavis1779]

Thank you for the lovely video. Could you tell me where I can find the "H" buckles that weight the tapes? I've made my own frame but I haven't used it in quite a while. I don't remember what I was using to hold the tapes at the bottom.

[@lynndavis1779]

Never mind! Now that I know what they're called (tape keys), I've found them.

[@FalconMoon44]

Amazingly helpful video!! Your videos have bern a huge help in my journey to learning this craft. I did have a quick question though. Do you always have to round a book spine? Or is that something that is only done with cords and tapes?

[@DASBookbinding]

No, nothing to do with the sewing support. I have a video on rounding and back which I hope explains these processes. But in short, the main reason is to distribute swell from the sewing.

[@trimurthyachar823]

Super sir please next video

[@phoebebaker1575]

Good video, although I’m not sure why the tapes need to move freely. How are they glued to the case?

[@DASBookbinding]

The need to be loose for rounding and backing. Once this is done the spine is fully glued and the tapes no longer move.

[@bigjarn]

I'm a lefty so saying my setup would be right arm through the sewing frame

[@alisalem3563]

What are the dimensions for the hole locations? I searched a lot and I can't find anything about these dimensions

[@DASBookbinding]

Equally spaced between the kettle stitches. DAS

[@josierichens2039]

Are the tapes fabric or paper? Where do you find them?

[@DASBookbinding]

Cotton tape. I use tape from bookbinding suppliers, however most sewing supply shops will have cotton tape. You can also use more exotic materials like linen tape, frayed out cord, or Ramieband. www.hewitonline.com/Cotton_Sewing_Tape_p/sw-020.htm www.talasonline.com/Cotton-Tape

[@kyststudio-epicartadventure]

You have 22 sheets per each section? Or 22 sections?

[@DASBookbinding]

22 sections. I think it was 4 sheets per section. DAS

[@alexandrepires3890]

What are those little "H" pieces and where can I find them? 6:05

[@DASBookbinding]

Sewing keys www.hewitonline.com/Sewing_Keys_p/sw-100.htm www.talasonline.com/Sewing-Keys DAS

[@laraibmustafa3260]

How many pages in one signature??

[@DASBookbinding]

In this case, case sheets per section, which gives 8 leaves or 16 pages. But the number of sheets in a section depends on many things. I'll be a doing a video on this int he next few months. DAS