c/bookbinders

My old sewing machine needle finally gave out on a big commission last month

I was binding a set of leather journals for a shop in Austin and the needle snapped halfway through. I grabbed a size 90 denim needle from my sewing box as a last ditch fix, and it went through three layers of bookcloth like butter. Has anyone else tried using heavier needles for thick materials?

I swore by PVA glue for years until a rainy week in Portland changed my mind

I was rebinding a 1920s poetry collection for a client and the humidity made the PVA take forever to set... it was a mess. An older binder at the local shop, Maria, convinced me to try wheat paste for the spine lining. The flexibility it gave the text block was a total game changer for that old, brittle paper. Anyone else switch adhesives for specific projects like that?

I used to think linen thread was just for show until I tried it on a repair job

For years, I used basic polyester thread on all my repairs, thinking it was strong enough. Then, about six months ago, I had to fix a 100-year-old family bible with really brittle paper. The polyester was too stiff and cut into the pages. I switched to a 25/3 linen thread from a shop in Chicago, and the difference was huge. It's more flexible and seems to put less stress on old paper. Has anyone else found a specific material that changed how you handle delicate work?

Scrap fabric is the only way I'll bind books anymore

I bought new book cloth for years without a second thought. Then I helped clean out a textile recycling bin. The amount of perfect fabric thrown out shocked me. Now I only use donated scraps and old linens. My bindings have more character and I'm not adding to landfill waste.

Shoutout to the kettle stitch for holding my early projects together

I struggled with it at first, but an older binder took the time to show me the trick. Now I see how it makes books last, unlike some quick methods today. That lesson in patience paid off.

So glad I tried herbal tea, my stitching is much neater now

Vintage bindings at the local fair changed my mind on paste vs. glue

Idk, I thought paste was messy and weak. After feeling how supple the old paste-bound spines were, I'm reconsidering. Maybe it's just me, but that hands-on demo was convincing.

Showerthought: My old t-shirt made a great book cover

I cut up a worn-out cotton shirt to cover a small journal I was binding. It was a fun way to reuse something instead of throwing it out. Have you found other everyday items that work well for covers?

Old calendar pages as practice signatures made guiding new binders WAY easier.

Damp air in my old shop used to warp book covers until I set up a fan.

My trip to that family-run bindery in Kyoto last spring really hit home.

Seeing them use techniques from generations ago got me feeling nostalgic. It's WILD to compare it to modern automated shops.