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 dropdowns below for pricing.

The Coptic-stitch binding dates back to second century Egypt. The binding itself is non-adhesive (glue-free!); the structure has an exposed spine and opens perfectly flat. Three lovely stitching variations are possible to create a book with this style of binding, and in this workshop you will learn to make all three. The structure itself is terrific for a travelogue, fabulous for a photo album, and stylish for a sketchbook.

Nota bene: Over many years of teaching this style of binding, I have heard from quite a few students that they find attaching their covers to be challenging. This is because the stitching “rotates” as it progresses. In the recording, I share my tips & techniques for executing your stitching with confidence & ease.

What you’ll make: Three different styles of Coptic-stitch binding. 1) Your traditional hard-cover binding uses one curved needle 2) Your multi-needle hard-cover binding uses four curved needles, and 3) Your soft-cover binding uses one curved needle. All three of your books will measure 8½" x 5¼" x 1", each with 48 pages/96 serendipitous sides, with deckled edges on the top & fore edge of each page.

Week #1: We begin with a brief introduction to paper grain and a review of workshop tools. You will then fold your eighteen sheets of Hahnemühle Bugra drawing paper to make a total of eighteen 8-page signatures, six for each book. Next, you will glue your Cambridge Imprint papers to your four hard covers. Whilst these are pressing, you will learn to make a “paper sandwich” to create your two soft covers using Cambridge Imprint paper + graphx double-mount + Stonehenge paper. After finishing all three pairs of covers, you will pause for an interlude, while I explain the difference between the three stitching styles. You can choose which style you will use for each of your books. You will then mark up your spines & covers to prepare your books for stitching.

Week #2: Stitching ensues with your trio of colour-curated thread options. For the final step in making your soft-cover book, you will reinforce the interiors with a piece of thick watercolour paper. Voilà-là-là!

Your kit includes: 4 pieces of pre-cut binders board, 10 pieces of pre-cut Cambridge Imprint paper, 2 sheets of graphx double-mount, 2 pieces of Stonehenge, 2 pieces of heavy cardstock for reinforcing your soft-covers, 18 sheets of Hahnemühle Bugra, 3 spools of waxed-linen thread, and 5 curved needles (1 extra).

Workshop fee includes all the materials (but not the tools) you’ll need to make a trio of Coptic-stitch books. Select your seasonal palette(s) from the dropdown menu below, referring to the photos above: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.

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 $145 per additional set (all the materials to make a trio of books). Shipping is gratis if you order at the same time as your workshop registration.

Tools needed: Bonefolder, shipping clerk’s knife, lightweight awl, medium awl, X-acto knife. My Bookbinding Tool Kit (Coptic-stitch or Japanese style) has all the tools you’ll need. You can also 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).

Ancillary tools needed: PVA glue, glue-brush, ruler, triangle ruler, pair of sharp scissors, pencil, scrap paper for glueing on, and a cutting mat. And your phone to take photos of your oeuvre in progress!

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.

The two-part recording (because it is a two-part workshop) is 8-ish hours in total. Both parts include 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. You could complete your trio in a single sitting, but that would be fairly exhausting.

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 email me with any questions (773-294-7766 or barizakistudio@gmail.com).

I look forward to sharing my long-standing love of bookbinding, glueing & stitching—and my ongoing rhapsody over Cambridge Imprint papers— with you.