c/bookbinders

My friend in Portland said hand sewing is a waste of time for modern bindings

We were talking about my latest project, a 300 page case binding, and he said a good adhesive and a sturdy machine stitch is just as strong and way faster. He argued that the old ways just add hours for no real benefit. It made me stop and think about when tradition matters and when it's just extra work. What do you all think, is hand sewing still the gold standard or are we holding onto it too tight?

A single drop of water taught me about grain direction

I was gluing up a text block in my garage yesterday and a drop from my water cup landed on the edge of the paper stack. It instantly started to ripple and curl, but only along one side, showing me the grain was running the wrong way on two sheets I'd missed. I had to carefully pull those signatures apart and re-fold them before I could move on. Has anyone else had a simple mistake point out a bigger problem like that?

Noticing more chat about hand pain in our community

Lately, I've seen a lot of bookbinders bringing up sore hands and wrists. It really clicked for me after I did a big leather project and my fingers felt weird. We get so into the details that we ignore how our bodies feel. I've changed how I hold my tools and now I take breaks often. Small adjustments can stop bigger problems. We should talk more about how to stay well while we bind. It's important to keep enjoying this craft without pain.

The way I was storing my book cloth was causing all my wrinkles

I always had wrinkles in my book cloth when I got ready to bind. I used to just fold it up and toss it in a drawer. One day, I saw a tip about rolling cloth around tubes. It clicked that the folds were making the wrinkles stay. I took some empty paper towel tubes and rolled the cloth around them. Now the cloth lays flat every time I need it. It even freed up space in my tight corner. This easy change saved me a lot of hassle and made my projects go smoother.

Unpopular opinion: Cheap thread caused my last project to unravel in weeks.

I fixed it by testing linen thread after my book fell apart.

Can we talk about how slow acid-free paper reacts to humidity?

My entire batch of endpapers warped overnight and now I have to start over.

Just realized an old muffin tin can sort all my bookbinding supplies

I was looking for a way to keep my beads and small tools in order. This works great and keeps everything from rolling around my workbench.

My storage cleanup unearthed the book press I started with.

Its heft tells a story new gadgets can't match.

Am I the only one who leaves headbands off when binding sketchbooks?

My recent sketchbook binding has no headbands and it's holding up just fine.

Changed my mind on backing material for leather bindings

Always used cardboard for stiffness (it's cheap and easy), but after trying millboard, the difference in durability is huge, so which do you prefer and why?

TIL my niece believes bookbinding thread is for friendship bracelets

She snuck into my workshop and used my linen thread to weave a bracelet while I was cutting boards. Now my current project is short several feet of thread, and I have a colorful accessory to show for it. In my experience, keeping curious kids out of your supplies is a constant battle, but your mileage may vary. I guess I need to invest in a better lock for my thread drawer.

My handmade cookbooks can't handle kitchen spills

I bound a set of recipe books with decorative covers. Now they're warped from a little water damage. Should we stop making pretty books that aren't tough?

PSA: The tough call on a family Bible's bad past repair

A client brought me their family Bible that was coming apart at the seams. A grandparent had fixed it years ago with regular craft glue. That glue was now turning brittle and staining the pages, making things worse. I had to decide if I should take off all the old work to do a proper rebind or try to save some of it for the family's sake. I sat down with the client and laid out the options, explaining that a full fix might lose the grandparent's touch. We went with a mix, keeping the original spine piece but replacing the damaged covers. This job stuck with me because it wasn't just about the book, it was about people's memories. How do you deal when a repair job has more heart than skill?

Rant: Seeing the library go digital changed how I view book repairs.

In my experience, this shift means fewer projects but more meaningful ones. Your mileage may vary, but it's a quiet shift in our trade.

Shoutout to the binder who had to explain why you can't use glitter glue on vellum

So I was at a craft fair showing off some of my hand-bound journals, and this person comes up super excited. They had a family bible they wanted rebound, but they insisted on using bright glitter glue for the decorations! I was caught off guard, trying to be polite. One side of me thinks we should honor what the customer dreams up, since it's their book and they're paying. The other side screams that some materials just don't belong near certain papers, and glitter glue would ruin the vellum forever. It turned into this awkward standoff with them getting huffy and me fumbling for words. Now I'm curious, where does everyone stand? Do you ever say no to a project to protect the book, or do you always try to make it work?

Pushing against the 'slow is always best' mindset in our craft

Many bookbinders swear by taking months on a single project, but I just finished a guest book in under a week and it's perfect. I had to use a basic kettle stitch and a glue that sets fast, which some folks say is a no-go. The binding is tight and the covers are straight, proving you don't always need endless time. A hard deadline made me plan each step carefully and cut out fussy details that don't add strength.

Warning: I mocked linen thread for years, but a puppet show proved me wrong.

Rant: Folks keep saying you can't bind books without a team, but I've done my best work alone in my shed.

My trusty PVA glue gets dirty looks from the old-school crowd

At our monthly bindery group, some members shake their heads when I reach for my PVA. I find it works just fine for quick jobs and saves a lot of fuss. Are we really stuck on tradition, or can new stuff be good too?

Just realized cinder blocks speed up book pressing

Got a last-minute order for a wedding guestbook. Pressing usually eats up a whole day. Tried using cinder blocks from my garage. They add steady weight. Saved hours on the deadline.