I was asked to make a book as a prize for an SCA event. I considered doing a quick and easy Coptic but instead I went with a Gothic binding. I kept it simple, using PVA instead of wheat paste, thought I did use a packed stitch instead of the simpler straight stitch.
Materials are the usual: modern "velum" paper cut in half and folded to get correct grain, 1/8th inch thick craft plywood, unwaxed linen thread, linen cord, silk thread for the endbands, handmade decorative paper for the pastedowns, veg-tanned yellow leather, and PVA glue.
Here are some pictures:
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| Could I have just done a straight stitch instead of a packed stitch? Yes. Did I? No. |
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| Spine rounded and backed and glued and in the finishing press. |
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| Silk wrapped endband. |
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| And another endband. |
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| Bead on edge endband. |
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| Covers ready to be attached. |
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| Endband on finished book |
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| Cover of finished book. |
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| Back of finished book. |
