
2/14

Longstitch and

linkstitch bindings

Limp

bindings,

held

ogether

with

beautiful

ong

and

linkstitch

sewing,

have

been

made hroughout

Europe

since

he fifteenth

century,

and

were

used or both

printed

and blank books.

They employ

a

range of sewingstructures,

rom

simple

ackets -

which

are as old

as the codex

tself

-

to

elaborate

and sophisticated

echniques'

Longstitch

nd

linkstitch

bindings

can be both

historically

ccurate

and

wildly

innovative.

A seriesof

bindings

which

reproduce

ome

of

the classic

historical

styles

also allows

experimentation

with

materialsand techniques

o

create

contemporary

interpretations

f

the structure.

The

book

covers

how

he

naturalbeauty

of

vellum

and handmade

aper

and

can

be enhanced

with transfer

prints

of

mediaeval

woodcuts,

modern

drawings

and

text.

The sewing

methods

create

attractive

patterns

of

long and

linkstitches,

and

the books

can

be fufther

embellished

with spine

plates

of

wood and

leather.

They

can be

given

closures

and

ties,

ornamented

with buttons,

bosses,

secondary

ewing

and woven hread.

Features of

longstitch and

linkstitch bindings

.

A

series

f

historically ccurate

indings

.

Sewingstructures,

rom sirnple

ackets

o elaborate

echniques

.

Vellumand

handmade

aper

covers

.

Spinepiecesf

leatherand hardwood

.

A stiff

paper

cover

rom two

pieces

of

paper

aminated

ogether

.

Limp

vellumcover

rom

a document

ined

with Japanese

aper

.

Ornamented

with

buttons,

bosses

.

Closures

nd ties

. Secondary ewingand woven hread

.

Experiment

ith materials

nd echniques

.

Create

ontemporary

imp bindings

Tool List

Awl

Bone olders

Scalpel nd blades

.

Straightedge

Cutting

mat

Needles

,.

--..-"-..--.---r__.

Sanding lockand sandpaper, ariousgrits \

Scissors

Meta'l quare

Engineer's

quare)

Japanese

ole

punch

Handdri l l

and small

bi ts

Smallwoodworker's

lamps

Paste

brush

Buttonsof

various

shapes

Smallhandsaw

Wood

carving

ools


3/14

Contemporary

& Historical

Variations

in

Design

Coverdesigns an

be

simple

or

elaborate ut always

dynamicwith

a clear

relationship etween

isualelements.

t

can

also ell a story,

either

quite

iterally,

as

in

the

willow

pattern

on crockery,ar more abstractly

suggesting

ensions

or

other

relationshipsetween he

visualcomponents

uchas shapeand

color.

In

any

design,differenf'values ssigned o the diversityof materials

available.

Wood, eather

and vellumare the most commonof traditional pineplatematerials.

Wood,vellum, eather

can all be

punched,

cored, ooled,cut,

ppinted

and stained.

Wood can

also

be

sculpted o

form

statuesque igures e.g. totem

poles

or

Easter

Island

statues,

patterns,

uch

as

diamond

cross-hatching,

r

a

pictorial

wood-cut.

Other

values

are

placed

on whether

visual

elements re large

or

small

(relative

o

the book

or each other),

central or

peripheral.

tems can be single or repeated:

whole, n

paft

or at the same or different

scales

of

size.

They

can

be.,embellishedr

plain,

dark or l ight,

contrasting r blending,

olourful

r monochrome.

Design.

lementsalso carry connotations

f other cultures,countriesand specific

time

periods,

whether hese are historically alid or not is not always necessarily

relevant.

The

same

s

true of diffefent

ypes and even onts sizes.

Woven

Longstitches

.

Woven

ongstitches an

improve

he relative

ension of the bindingand

provide

a

protective

wrapping

or the sewing hread as well as being

attractive

.

The thread can

be tied down inside

he first or last signatureat

any

sewing

station

hen used

on the outside o weave

hrough he existing ong stitches.

Very

Long

Straight

Links

.

This

can

be useful

when making

a sculpted pineplate

n a

linkstitchbinding.

.

Sew as for

a linkstitch

binding,

wo

sectionsalone, hen

put

into the

cover

and sew

book, ncluding

he cover

.

When

you get

to the last

two

sections

attach

he spineplateand create

inks

to the original

ewing.

.

Thiswil l

give

straight ines

ight across

he spine rom the

beginning

spineplate

oles o

the final spineplate

oles.

Waxing

'

.'

Wax

can be used

o

resist wood

stain which can be applied n a batik

style

like

Javanese ax

painting.

Because

he wood

s

solid

t

can

be waxedand

then shapesare scrapedaway

revealinga design

which s fixed by dyeing.

'

.

You

can use Liberonor beeswax o

polish

he wood either before oq

after

dri l l ing. f

after

you

may

need

o threada

needlewith thick threadand

pull

t

through

all

the holes o remove excesswax.

.

Whenwaxing a woodenstrip to support he spine,

use masking ape on

the

inner

surface o

keep t clean

so it

doesn't

mark the

cover


4/14

Longstitch

Binding

Foldsignatures,

off

eightfold

ignatures.

one

down

well

and

press.

Trim

the

head, ai land

oredge f each

signature

sing

a template'

Cut he cardwrapper othe

heightof

the

signatures

nd

wider han

wil. l"be

eeded.

Set yourdividers o the spinewidth, whilstapplying ome ingerpressure t about

half

an-inch

way

rom the spine.

Use

your

dividers

o

mark

out the

spine-width

t

the

corners f the

covercard, hen

fold one end

o

the

marks near

he

other

end

and makea crease

ear

he centre

of the cover

card.

Repeat

o create

wo

folds at

the centre,

.e.

he

spine

area.

Cut

a

piece

of stif f board

or

vellum

o

the width

of

the

spine

and

he

height

of the

signatures,

singdividers.

his

will be used

as

a spine

stiffener.

Glue

out

& attach

the

spine

stiffener

o

cover.

Bonedown

well and

et

dry'

Cut

a

piece

of

card haf

is the

sameheight

as the

signatufes

nd

more

han three

times

he width

of the

spine.

This

s a sewing

emplate.

Mark

and

old his

sewing

template

as

you

did

for the

cover.

Wrap he

sewing

emplate

around

your

assembled

extblock

and

mark

centre

of

each

siEnature

nto

he

template.

Notice

hat

the

.inner

ignatures

re wice

as far

from

each

other

as

he outermost

ignatures

re

o the

folds

of the

template.

Long 1


5/14

Mark

vefticaland horizontal

ines

onto he template

as

on

the example

emplate.

The

sewing

tations

will stagger

up and down rom

one signature

o the

next. Mark

the sewingholesand abelalternately

with the

letterA or letter

B.

Mark he top of

the signatures,he template

and he

coverwith

an up arrow.

Write he letter

A

on

three of the

signatures nd

B on

the three others.

Lay he templateon the outside

of the coverand

punch

hrough

he

sewingholes

with an

awl.

Assemble

he bookand begin

sewing

inside

he first

signature)

t

the

penultimate

sewing

hole

going

out through he

cover rom

the inside

of the signature.

Come

back

nto

he,.signature

t the ult imate

sewinghole,

and

ie off

to form

a solid

oop

of thread.

Thenextend

he threadalong

he

inner old of the

signature

nd do

a similar

oop

at the otherend.

Take he

thread o the

outside

of the

signature,

ut stay

underneath

he cover,cross

o the

backof the

next

signature

nd

continue

o

sew

in this manner

nt i l he book

s

ful ly

sewn.

Long 2


6/14

.

The Long with Linkstitch

This indingas ixsewingtat ions.

heend

onesorm inks cross

he

spine

whilst

he inner

sewing

stations

orm

long stitches

along he spine.

Each ow of

holesalong

he

spine

of the

cover

accommodates

he sewingof two

signatures,

With an

even

number

of si gnatures, he

linkstitch

ewingstations

are used

alternately n the way up and down he spine, o that eachsignature etssewn

enpugh.With

an unevbnnumberof signatures,

he

finalsignature

s sewn wice o

keep he

lookof the spine

consistent.

Mark

your

signaturesor

six sewing tat ions

s shownbelow.

The sewingbegins

simplyby

going

n and

out

al l

alongat each

sewing

tat ion.This exposeshe long

stitches

on the outsideof the cover.

Sewing Signature 1

Start

he sewing

at an outermost nd

hole,

go

into he signature

nd out at the

next sewingstation.

Sewing Signature 2

When

he thread has returned o the beginning, ie off

with a knot and trim

the

end.Go back nto he cover whereyou cameout) to enter he third signature. ul l

the

knot n

with the thread as

you go

so it ceases

o be visible.

The sewingof the first two signatures

makes ongstitches ut

does

not

createany

l inks.However,

t

doescreate

a

place

o which inks

can be made.

Sewing Signature 3

oo

oo

The

inkst i tches

re now madeon

the outside

f the cover,

but

only

when

you

get

to the end of sewi ngeachsignature, ot at the bqginning.

oo

oo

n

\J

\J \J

ooo


7/14

Sewing

Signature

4

Make

he

l ink st i tch

when

you

reach

he

end

of the

sewing.

hen

re-enter

he

cover

o

go

into

signature

.

Sewing Signature 5

Continuehe sewingas before or the

remaining

ignatures.

Sewing Signature 5

Completehe

sewing or the

remaining ignatures.

The

inkst i tchesre made

on the outside f

the

cover

as

you get

to

the

end.

Tie

off inside he last

signature

nto the

existing

hread.

With the exposed ong

hreads

you

may choose

o

weave by starting

a

thread

on

the

insideof

any sect ion, xi t hrough

he

coverand

weave

n and

out back

and

orth

across he

spine.

o

o


8/14

'

Linkstitch Binding

Marking out

Mark

your

signatures or

five sewingstations

as shown

below.

Sewing Signatures

1

and

2

The

nit ial ewingof the f i rst

wo sect ions

f a

l inkst i tch

inding

s

made

without

the cover n place. he sewing

goes

al l-along ut alternates

p and

down

between

the

two

sections nd so

provides

wo

paral lel

inking

hreads

at

each

nner

sewing

stat ion,

with one eachat the

headand ai l .This

works

or

any

number

of sewing

stat ions.

Stari he sewing t one end,

go

into

he signature

nd out at

the next

sewing

station.

Go

up to

the

second ection,enter

and

travel

along

o the next

sewing

station,

exit.

Go backdown o the first section.

Continue lternating,unti l

you

return o where

you

started,

and tie

off.

Cover

Prepare

he

coverwith

holes

as in the

diagram

below,

Each ow

of

holes

along

he

'

spine

of the

cover

accommodates

he sewing

of two

signatures.

The

linkstitches

re

made

at alternate

holes

along

he

spine,so

that

each

signature

makes

omeof the

l inks.

.

Links are

made

at alternate

holes

(in

the

cover, or

spineplate),

r

A

link is never

made at

the beginning

(of

a signature)'

r

A

link

is

always

made

when

you

reach

the end

(of

a

signature).


9/14

Sewihg

Signature

3

Add

he hirdsignature

o

1 and2, and

put

hese

ignatures

n

place

nsidehe

cover.

Enter he

hread

nto he

hirdsignature,

o

along

nside nd

exit

at the

second

cover ole long.

Now

make

our

irst

ink.

Continuehe

sewing

whilstmaking inks hrough

he cover

holes'

Sewing

Signature 4

Add he fourth

signature o the book

and continue

he sewing

whilst

making

inks.

: . .0

0

f i

I

oo

t

o

$trt","trt"t"t"raurrrar,.[..r.:r.',rr ; .q ::i# .'. ; ;r;r.:;.$:r:*r:r:r:*i:rti:.'.t*ta:.'.:..frr*r::;*:::;:r:;;'::;nr.:r;.[

Repeat

he

pattern

of

signatures

3 and

4 for the

remaining

ignatures.

I f you havean unevennumberof signaturesn your book, he f inalsignatures

linkedat

every sewing

station

before

ying off,

When

you

have inished

ewing

ompletely,

o

back

nto he

last

signature

nd ie

off

to

the

thread

hat

is

already

here.

Thread

When

binding thick

book

of many

sections

nd especial ly

i th a

thick

hread,

he

added

bulkof the

thread

must be

accounted

or. Some

of the

bulk

wil l be

accommodated

y

the

paper,

particularly

f either

he

paper

s soft

or

when the

section

s thick,

A

way o measure

f

the

bulk s

given

below.

A

thread

of

t/zto

t/s

the

thickness

f the

section

wi l l

add

a swell

of

L/t tot/o'

This

has o

be added

o the

thickness

f

the

sections,

nd divided

across

he

breadth

of

the spine,

before

marking

out.

This

s

more

important

or books

with

very

stiff

spines

such as

wooden

spinepieces.

+l


10/14

A LIMP VELLUM BINDINC

13

12A

Open

out

the turn-ins

and

work

from the

inside

of the

cover. A long

cut is made to remove

what

is excess

ellum at each corner. On the

head/tail turn-in the cut is straight; made just

inside,

and

parallel

to, the

fore-edge crease.This

cut

turns through

90"

just

above the

point

of

the

corner

formed

by the

creases, nd continues

towards

the outer

edge of

the fore-edge

turn-in.

It

runs straight

nitially,

but rounds off

towards the

edge.

Trim

all four corners

thus, and

take the

sharpness ff

the cut edges

by lightly

rubbing

them

with

flour

paper.

128

Close

he head/tail turn-in on

top of the

fore-edge

urn-in and

hold it down flat.

Placea

pencilpoint

againsthe edgeof

the head/tail

turn-

in where

t

lies over

he fore-edge

urn-in: run the

pencilalong

he

edge

o that

the

profile

of

the

head/tail

urn-in

s

drawn on the fore-edge

urn-in.

Leave

he turn-ins

n this

positionand

place

a

ruler

parallel o the

fore-edge rease:

raw

a line 7 mm

from the fore-edge

rease. his

is line 1

on

the

diagram.A

second

ine, again

parallel o the fore-

edge rease,

s drawnon the head/tail turn-in

10mm from

the cut edgeof

the fore-edge

urn-in

(line

2 on

the diagram):

raw

this line

so that it

extends

n

to the

fore-edgeurn-in.

Now

placea

ruler

so that

t

lies rom the

cornerof the

cover

o

line 2,

intersecting

he atter

at the edge

of the

head/rai|

turn-in.

Draw in this

diagonal ine

(line

3).

12C

Open

out

the

turn-insand

turn over

the

cover

so

that

you cansee he

pencil

marks.Make

two 1mm holes:oneon the head/tail turn-in

where

he

diagonal

ine

3

meets

ine 1,

and

one

on

the

fore-edge

urn-in

where

he head/tail

profile

line

nieets ine

2. This second

hole

should

be made

aboue he

profile

ine and

slightly

owards

he fore-

edge

creaseo ensure

hat it

will not

be visible

when

he corner

s

closbd.


11/14

74

JEN

LINDSAY

12D

Close

he

head/tail

urn-in

on

loP

of

the

fore-edge

urn-in

and

push

a

pencil

point

through

the

hole

at

the

corner

so

that

it marks

a

corresponding

oint

on

the fore-edge

rn-in

underneathseeDiagramE).

12E

The

appearance

f

the

corner

after

stage

D'

12F

Open

out

the

turn-ins

again

and

turn over

the

cover.

On

the

head/tail

urn-in

a

small

cut

is

made

from

the

bottom

of

the

hole straight

out

to

the

edge

parallel o

the

head/tail

crease);

nother

cut

is

made

along

he

line of,

but

just

above,

he

diagonal

ine

which

runs from the bonom of the

holi

to

the

corner,

hus

a small

triangle

of

vellum

is

removed.


12/14

A LIMP VELLUM BINDING

15

12G

A

third 1mm

hole

s

now made

not

on,

but

immediately ext to,

the

pencil

mark on

the fore-

edge urn-in:

owards he,cut

edgeof

the

fore-edge

rurn-ln.

12H A bevelled

ut is now made o connect hese

nvo

holes

on

the fore-edge urn-in: it is

important

that this cut be

made slightly towards the fore-

edgecrease

o that

the

corner

fits neatly. The

best

way

to achieve

his is to make the cut at the

bottom

(i.e.

owards

he fore-edge rease) f

the

holes.

The cut

shouldalso be bevelled owards

he

fore-edge rease.

121 The

corner s now complete:

erase ll

pencil

marks.The

tab

on

the head/tail

turn-in slips nto

the

slit

on the

fore-edge

urn-in

and the

corner

thus remains

closedwithout

the

need or any

adhesive.


13/14

Lining

Paper

With

paper

The.senstructionsce or stickingwo pieces

f

the

samepaper

ogether

o

make

a

thicker

sheet,

but

can

be used

or

sticking

ogether

wo

sheets

of

different

colors.

f

Cut two

sheets

f

paper,

one

bigger

han he

other

on

all

sides

by 2.,.

2.

Compleqety

et

out

both pieces

with

a

sponge

ntil

hey

are

lat

and

evenly

aturated

3.

L.y

the

biggel'

feel on

a large

utting

mat,

hen ay

he

smaller

ne

on

top

of

it,

with

even.llarginsn allsides.

4.

Now

Paste

ut

the

two sheets:

hat

is,

paste

ut

the smaller

heet

and

he

margins f

the

bigger

heet.

i

5"

Pick

up

he

smallerosheeq

lip it

over

nto

the same osition

on

the

larger

sheet.Place

a

qiege

f

clean

newsprint

n top

and,

with

a large,

lat

brush

a

soft clean

hoe

brush

will

do),

brush

all

over,

gently,

rom

the

center

o the

edges.

6. Pick

up both

sheets.

ay

hem

aside

nd

completety

lean

he

cutting

mat.Then

ay

the two sheets ownon the mat,so that

he

pasted

margins

tick o

the mat.Pound-

well

with

a

lar"ge

rush a

special ounding

rush s best,

f

not,

the

shoe

brushwill do).

7- Lay

a she-et

f holytex

and,a

heet

of blotter

on top, followed,by

board

and

plenry

of

weights.

lf you

do

not

have

holytex

and

blotter,

hen

a few

sheets

f ctean ewsprint

will suffice).

fter:

half

an hour,

change

he

blotter(or newsprint),

nd

weight

again.

Change

Sain

few

more

times,

hen leave

overnight

under

board

andweight

overnight

8. When

dry

cut

the smaller

heet

ree

rom

the bigger

ne. Leave nder

a boardanda

lightweightuntil ready o use.


14/14

Lining

Old

Vellum

Documents

With

Japaneseaper

Any

old document

an

be successfullylattened,

liminating.all

reases,f

yetted

sufficiently

nd inedwith

a

good

strong

aPanese

aPer,

uch

as

Kozo.

l.

Cut out the

pieceof,vellumo be use.

With a One-wipe

uster,

tean

t

well

on

both sides.

.

z.With

a large

sponge,

et out

the

vellum

well

on

the

back

side, o

avoid

the risk of

"ny

inL

"oting

off by wetting he showside.

3.

When completely

lat

(this

may ake

a

while

keepwetdng ),

ay

he

l

vellum

side.Paste

ut

a piece

of

goodstront

Kozo (or

Chinese

alligraphy

paper,

which

s

chdaper),

iggerhan

he

vellum

on

all Sides

Y

2", on

a

"'

large

utting

mat.

4.

Remove

he

paper

and.hangt

off

the edge

f the bench.

Comptetely

clearrhe cutting

mat,

hen

lay he

vetlum

down.

Wet and

latqen

pin

if

necessary.

5. Fick

up he

plper from.the

bench

nd

very

carefully

ay

t over

the

yellum.

ay

a

ghegt

of

cleannewsprint

ver

andcar-'efully

rush'through

with

a flat brush

a shore

rush

will

do).

6.

Remove

he neWsprint

nd

pound

he

Japanese

aPer

wetl

with-a

arge

pounding ruslf,

r,

if

you

don't

have uch

thing

the

shoe

brush).

7.

Leaveo

dry

overnight

The vetlum

hould

e

nice

and

ight

the

ne>

Long and Link Stitch Binding Guide

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Transcript of Long and Link Stitch Binding Guide