What's a Poor Bookbinder To Do?

Yesterday I was rummaging through the jumble sale section of my local branch of Lidl and came across some Moleskine type notebooks. They're A5, so an half an inch or so wider than a Moleskine, they have an elastic pencil loop that the Moleskines don't. The quality of the 80 gsm paper is superior to the Moleskine and the quality of the construction is as good if not better, they've even got headbands - which none of the others have (gasp).

On the bottom row, 2 Moleskines and a Leuchtturm £12 to £15 depending on where you buy them.
On the top row Lidl notebooks (grits teeth) £2.49!

OK, the stuff in Lidl's jumble sale is changed twice a week and you may have to wait 6 months for the same thing to come around again.

I feel a bit mean putting the Leuchtturm in with that lot as it's definitely the leader of the pack. Made in Hamburg with German quality throughout. They're the same price as a Moleskine but far better.

Made by Me!  Price TBC

Bindery Tales

My first attempt at making a Moleskine style journal has proved its worth. It has been thoroughly tested in the rough and tumble of the world and is now crammed to the endpapers with squiggly marks.

As it was my first attempt there was a fair bit wrong with it. I was in such a tearing hurry to finish it that I didn't notice that I'd glued the block in upside down. The bookmark ribbon is glued to the spine of the block before it is glued into the case. As you can see, its tail is sticking up not hanging down in the usual manner.

That's a unique feature Awa Rich!

Y'know, it was never a problem so you're probably right. Aynho, I intend to make the bookmarks a feature in future editions.

I'm cernly looking forrit to that future feature Awa Rich!

The hand made batik dyed Nepalese Lokta paper I used for the cover is lovely stuff but it goes a bit wooly - like felt - with the sort of rough handling a journal can get. It can be quite pleasant but I decided to seal the next batch with acrylic varnish.

The First Journal

I wasn't able to get a replacement ready for seamless continuation due to being away for a week looking after a black dog, some adjustments I wanted to make to the stitching frame and pricking cradle, and good old procrastination.

I'm currently using an old Moleskine that I started scratching my thoughts in a couple of years ago but abandoned due to lack of enthusiasm. Aynho, with renewed enthusiasm I will fill it before starting on a new one.

The new journals are A6 - the same as the first one - which is a nice handy size to keep in your bag for when inspiration glints.

The Second A6 journals

How often do you find yourself riding a train of thought (or the rail replacement bus service Awa Rich) connecting this, merging with that and going off down branch lines, when the clouds part, the sun shines through illuminating a sparkling nugget of wisdom. You stop and say to yourself "yes, of course!" 

You think "I'll remember that", certainly you will, it was such a lucent crystal of verity. Something distracts you and moments later all that remains is a memory of the elation that you held such a perfect thing, and the frustration that you can't remember it. The touch of a vanished hand.

Flinkin' 'eck Awa Rich, it's just a thought. No need to get so melodramatic. Pass me the spirit of hartshorn, I'm having a fit of the vapours!

Mythology is full of descriptions of this common phenomenon (On the Caledonian Canal Awa Rich?). The faerie gold that turns to dry leaves, the enchanted music who's melody you can't recall though you danced like one possessed. It seems perverse that our brains leave us with the memory that we held something precious but can't remember what it was.

Sometimes 're running the tape' can bring it back. Rewinding it backwards can help. Sometimes it pops back unbidden at a random future time. A handy notebook can relieve you from a lot of grief.

Update: The blue one has already found a new home in Ireland, with a friend of Marie's sister. I hope it serves her well.

I made the first journal with cheap photocopy paper which wasn't so good for writing with a fountain pen. It was too thin and absorbent. I used Conqueror 100 gsm wove vellum in the second pair, much better paper.

A5 Journals

The modifications I made to the stitching frame and pricking cradle are working well. It's surprising how a small change can make a big difference. I can prick the stitching holes quicker and more accurately and it's a lot easier to set up the tapes in the stitching frame now. There's still a bit tweaking to be done, but it feels more like a useable piece of equipment - rather than an experiment - now.

The two journals in the photo above are the same as the one I sent to Marie's sister. The blocks are made from 100 gsm Conqueror. The one on the left is covered with some heavy wrapping paper from the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, London. The one on the right is covered with hand made Nepalese Lokta paper from Shepherds/Faulkiners in Victoria.

I'm pretty pleased with them, they look, feel and smell lovely. The only slight problem is that I used A4 paper folded in half, so the grain runs across the page rather than parallel with the spine. I thought I'd try it to see if it made any difference as getting hold of good quality A3 paper isn't easy. Apart from feeling a bit stiff when you flip through the pages, the major problem is the way the block warps when the humidity is high. Aynho, it was just a test and I learned something from it. The next ones will benefit from the experience.

Standing on the shoulders of giants Awa Rich!

Quite so

Books are Madjicke!

I've always been fascinated by books, not just for their content - I can, and probably will, wax lyrical about that interminably.

Books have been revered and feared throughout history, mostly for their content but sometimes their reputation is enough. There's a mythology that surrounds books. They can be full of dangerous things. Madjicke spells and incantations, or still more scary, ideas. All things that may tempt you to stray from the path, and we can't have that, can we Awa Rich?

But, I'm talking about books as objects. Even before you become enthralled and absorbed by what's inside - which may be no more than the potential of blank pages - there's something about a book that's powerful and madjickle. Hold a book in your hands, open it, flick through the pages, smell it. Feel the enchantment crackle.

Bookbinding is one of those ancient traditional crafts that have always seemed like alchemy to me, but a madjicke I wanted the knowing of. I looked around for books about making books - recursion is another thing that fascinates me - I never seemed to have the ready money when I was thinking about it. I looked at courses, they were even more expensive.

This year I resolved to figure it out and found all the answers I needed at the Delphic Oracle, or YouTube as it's more popularly known. You can learn just about anything you want to on YouTube, it just takes time, patience and asking the right questions.

My first attempt was a sketchbook. I buy lovely sketchbooks that I never use because they're too precious to be sullied with my scrawlings. If I make my own then they'll be friendly to my scratchings, went my reasoning.

I've made half a dozen small sketchbooks (A5 and A6) using various kinds of paper and was well pleased with the results. They work! I mean I can use them like a 'proper' sketchbook and they don't fall apart. Unbelievable! It was quite a long journey but well worth it to have something I can use.

I hadn't intended making Moleskine type notebooks as I have several thirsty ones on the shelf. I stumbled upon SeaLemon - who has several tutorials on bookbindery on YouTube - including 'How to Make a Moleskine Style Notebook'. So I thought I'd give it a try.

The first attempt was a bit frayed at the edges as I'd used cheap photocopy paper on the inside and tried to trim it with an X-Acto knife. Nevertheless, I still have all my fingers and something useable. I've nearly filled it with inky symbols that represent the machinations of my mind. Result!

I made another for my partner, Marie. She was delighted with it and asked me to make one for her sister.

This is it. The cover is made from a sheet of wrapping paper from The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, London. The pen is a TWSBI Diamond 580.

This is a teaser. Some time in the future ("It's gonna be the future soon!" - Jonathan Coulton song) I'll describe how I got to this point.

Front cover

Front cover (belly band removed)

Rear cover

Front and rear cover

Front end paper

The dangerous bit