Saturday - Monday, 6/30, 7/1 and 7/2
9:30am-5:30pm

Vellum was commonly used as a covering material for bindings from the 16th to the 18th century, and was revived in the late 19th century by the arts and crafts movement. It is an extremely elegant and refined structure, and relatively straightforward to make.

We will begin by sewing the book onto allum-tawed thongs, sewing on simple endpapers, then rounding the spine and sewing on plain linen headbands. The cover is made “off the book” from good quality calfskin vellum, which is measured, scored, cut, and folded to fit the book precisely (a paper template will be made beforehand to check the measurements and serve as a guide for future bindings). Particular attention is given to the ingenious “interlocking corners” that hold the cover together. The endpapers are then put down, and the book pressed lightly. All levels.

Materials to bring: Scalpel and blades; metal ruler; dividers; bone folder; scissors; cutting mat. Please bring (if you have): Japanese hole punch.

Materials Fee: $75