Our Courses

The courses we run ...

All of our courses use basic and easily available equipment (that we can supply) - perfect for a rewarding and inexpensive hobby you can continue at home. Currently, we run three types of course - INTO PRINT is a leisurely day, running from approximately 10.30am to 4.30pm. This course involves the creation of a single-signature A6 book (see glossary below) with printed contents and cover created by the participants - a creative roller coaster that can be customised to suit the interests of those involved. Possibilities are limitless!

Our BLANK NOTEBOOK course is a longer day, creating a three-signature notebook with ribbon bookmark, coloured headband and hand-painted cover. All the materials needed to make the books are included in the price and we use finest quality Italian or exotic recycled paper for the pages.

Book-making is like alchemy: a few simple elements combine to create something magical - an object to be treasured.

The third course we offer, BOOK-ON-BOARD, is a shorter course, ideal for a half-day or evening, and suitable for small or large groups. The course involves creating a single signature book with hand-painted cover. Fun, creative and an ideal introduction to book-making.

Glossary

A6

A6 is a quarter A4. After trimming, your A6 book will measure approximately 4.25 x 6 inches. We choose to make books of this size because the text block can be constructed from easily available long-grain A4 sheets, folded into four. However, the technique we show you is also suitable for larger books

Bone folder

This is a simple tool used to ensure a crisp fold when making text blocks and at other times during the book-making process.

Book cloth

Book cloth is specially woven to make a hard-wearing cover for books, or for use along the spine only. We will bring a wide selection of colours to choose from.

Endpapers

These are the decorative pages at the front and back of a book. One half of each endpaper is pasted to the inside front and back cover of the book.

Headband

The headband adds finesse and neatness to the top and bottom of the text block spine and is often striped or brightly-coloured.

Mull

Mull is loosely woven cloth used to form the flexible hinge of the book. A strip of mull connects the spine to the cover beneath the endpapers.

Signature

A single set of pages formed by folding paper together as a unit and sewing at the fold, usually combined with other signatures to form a completed book.

Scalpel

The scalpel is the knife used for trimming boards, cloth and text blocks. We will provide a scalpel for you, and bring an all-important supply of blades to ensure sharp cutting of materials.

Text block

Text block is the name given to the block of pages that forms the contents of the book. The block is glued inside the cover using thicker and often brightly-coloured or marbled single folded sheets called endpapers.