Bookie
I took a cool class yesterday, basic bookbinding, run by a local paper store. I had to go earlier in the week to pick out the decorative papers (spine cover, front and back cover, flyleaves+pastedowns). I talked with the staff at the store and they told me to get this and that.
So I poked around the shop, found a decorative paper I liked (for the front + back covers), then matched a linen book cloth (for the spine) to it, and selected the flyleaf papers from the sample book the staff member showed me.
When I got to the class, we started right away on preparing and sewing the text block. After a couple of hours! doing that, we finally got to the point of cutting the papers to glue onto the cover boards.
After I cut the decorative paper, one of the instructors said, “Oh, that’s gift wrap. You’ll have problems with it.”
After I cut the flyleaf papers, the (same) instructor said “Oh, that’s too thick. You’ll have problems with it.”
“Well,” I said, “your staff told me to get this one.”
“Oh. Well, maybe it will be ok.”
I cut the book cloth without any issues.
Then we continue on and start gluing stuff, starting with the book cloth. It’s very pretty there, on my little cardboard covers, I think to myself as I pick up the decorative paper to attach it to the book.
Uh oh. I glued it on wrong-side out. Instead of this nice burgundy color that just matched the detail in the decorative paper, I’ve got magenta. It’s a nice color and all, but it looks stupid right next to the burgundy.
The “problem” papers all went on perfectly easily, and over all the book looks pretty good except for that little color problem. I think I surprised the instructors for how well it went together — most people end up with gluey blobs everywhere. Overall I’m pretty happy with it.
So for seven hours of work and $150 I ended up with a blank book that you could buy in a Borders for $8.00 (maybe $15 if you consider it’s hand made). Not bad for a Sunday.
