Instructor: Bari Zaki

No group Zoom workshops are currently scheduled. That said, the full-length live recording is available, either on its own, or with the option of scheduling a private or semiprivate workshop (in addition to the recording). No previous bookbinding experience is necessary; a bit of glueing experience is a plus. See the dropdown below for pricing.

The screw-post binder is a great binding style for single-sheet (meaning unfolded) pages, whether they are pre-printed (with photos, a story, correspondence, or artwork) or blank, to use as a sketchbook. Pages are held in place by the screw-post spine piece. It is easy to resequence, remove, or replace pages as you wish.

What you’ll make: A pair of screw-post binders, each measuring 8" x 8" x 1" with a 2" x 2" see-through window in the front cover.

We begin with an overview of materials & tools that we’ll be using throughout the workshop. Then you will make your screw-post spine piece that holds your stack of pages. Next you will cut out your see-through window, and make your cover with Japanese bookcloth & decorative papers. In the process you will learn how to wrap your window so that it has a seamless finish inside and out. (This window treatment can indeed be used on other binding styles.) You will glue your screw-post spine piece to the inside of your cover, and for the finale you will glue in your interior panels, learning to line up the framed window cut-out area on the inside of your front cover. Happiness indeed!

Workshop fee includes all the materials (but not the tools) you’ll need to make a pair of screw-post binders with a see-through window for the front cover, one in class and one later on your own: 5 pieces of pre-cut binders board; 2 stacks of 80 lb. text drawing paper for your pages; 4 pieces of Japanese bookcloth; 9 pieces of Japanese decorative paper; 6 strips of museum board for your screw-post spine piece; 6 ¾" aluminum screw posts in a glassine envelope sealed with a bit of you-know-what.

The materials I’ve selected for the kit are a colourful array of Japanese papers & bookcloth. Each kit is individually assembled with a complementary combo. If a particular colour or pattern catches your fancy, please e me and I will do my best to accommodate.

If you’d like to purchase an additional set of materials, you certainly can. However, you cannot accomplish this in the dropdown menu (because one set of materials is included with the workshop fee). So, please e me, and I will be in touch extremely promptly. It’s $175 per additional set (all the materials to make a pair of books). Shipping is gratis if you order at the same time as your workshop registration.

Tools needed: Bonefolder, X-acto knife, PVA glue & a glue-brush. You can purchase these items individually, and I am pleased to offer a 20% discount on any tools ordered for the workshop (via refund after your workshop purchase). Nota bene: If you have the necessary tools but are in need of the glue & glue-brush, you’ll find them in a separate shop listing here.

Ancillary tools needed: ruler, triangle ruler, pencil, scrap paper for glueing on, and a cutting mat. You’ll also need a standard 3-hole punch with adjustable hole placements (available at any office supply store) and a Japanese hand “paper drill” with a 3/16" bit.

This recording is 4-ish hours in total. It includes the “natural pauses” from the original workshop sessions, giving you time to complete the various steps. You can pause the video wherever and as often as you’d like, but you may not need to at all.

To schedule a date & time, add this class to your cart, and then email barizakistudio@gmail.com with your preferred date(s) and time of day. Feel free to call or e me with any questions (773-294-7766 or barizakistudio@gmail.com).

I look forward to sharing my long-standing love of bookbinding, glueing & Japanese materials with you.