| Pamphlets Seven Ways (Online)

Learn seven unique binding techniques to design and produce your own customized pamphlets. Ideal for writers, artists, and crafters, this course offers a blend of creativity and practical skills to enhance your bookbinding repertoire.

Note: This workshop will be held in a live, online format utilizing the Zoom platform.
Class meets on Wednesday & Thursday, Dec 4 & 5 from 4-7pm ET.

Not all handmade book projects require a high page count. For ‘smaller’ works, the versatile family of pamphlet bindings might just be the right approach. Generally speaking, pamphlets are single-section book structures and offer an excellent point of entry for foundational concepts and practices in bookbinding.

Over two evenings, students will follow several demonstrations to make their own reference set of pamphlet bindings. Structures will include the 3-hole pamphlet stitch, 5-hole pamphlet stitch, double pamphlet, teardrop stitch, and a hard-cover pamphlet binding. Additionally, we will explore variations in covering styles, and discuss how to edition these structures (i.e.: produce a run of identical multiples) from the comfort of a home studio.

All levels of experience are welcome!

Students should provide their own tools and materials for this workshop and have them readily available for class.

Tools needed:

• 1 self-healing mat 
• 1 sharp pencil 
• 1 eraser
• 1 Olfa knife, OR X-Acto knife, OR scalpel (as preferred)
  • 8-10 spare blades 
• 1 pair scissors 
• 1 flat metal ruler, 12”
• 1 metal triangle (45°/45°/90°), at least 6”
• 1 bookbinding needle 
• 1 small block natural beeswax
• 1 bone or Teflon folder
• 1 awl
• 1 round glue brush
• 1 small flat glue brush
• PVA adhesive
• a few sheets of waste paper (e.g.: newsprint, recycled paper…)
• paper towels or rags as needed
• a container in which to soak glue brush when not in use

For questions about tools, please contact the instructor at [email protected], and copy [email protected].

Materials:

• 1 pack 50 sheet 8.5×11” Mohawk SuperFine paper, grain short
• 1 spool 18/3 linen bookbinding thread (white or your choice of color)
• ½ yard Dubletta or Brillianta bookcloth
• 1 sheet 19×13” Eska Graphic Board
• 1 sheet Hahnemühle Ingres Paper
• 4 single sheets of 19×25” Canson Mi-Teintes Art Paper (your choice of colors)
• 1 roll wax paper (preferred: Reynolds Cut-Rite or waxed kraft paper)
• 1 board (for drying the cover of the hardcover pamphlet; a clean and smooth cutting board will do)
• 1-2 book weights (to place on top of board during drying — this can be a stack of heavy books or even a couple of jars filled with marbles)

As much as possible, this materials list accounts for the minimum amount of materials we will use, while also providing a bit of extra to allow for re-dos.

Optional:

• 2 quilting rulers, 6×12”
• 1 pair pointed dividers
• 1 pair small flat pliers (recommended for anyone who might need the extra support with sewing pamphlets)
• 1 natural rubber pick-up (also sold as rubber cement erasers)

Optional-listed items really are up to the student’s discretion: a nice supplement, but by no means imperative to have a positive experience in the workshop. They are not required because some can be expensive to source; they may be valuable additions for makers seeking to build up their studio set-up.

Images copyright Suzanne Glemot.