Laced-In Boards

So, the thing about the books we're making in this class is that they're different from any book I have ever made before.  The big differnce is that these books have 'laced in' covers, as opposed to 'case' covers like i have always done in the past.    Lace-in means that when you sew up the book you sew cords or tapes into the spine (as shown before like all during the sewing structures class) and THEN you use the tail ends of those cords to attach the cover boards directly to the text block. What you do is you punch holes in the boards, and then, wait for it, LACE IN the cords! So, here is what it looks like from the front:

That white flap is just some Japanese paper you glue to the spine to consolidate and strengthen it.  You cut some shallow grooves in the board where the cords are going to go over it so that they're more or less flush with the board and thus bumps in the cover are minimized when you go and cover all this with leather and paper.  More information:  the front cover is marked with an "R" to stand for 'recto' and there is a "V" on the back for 'verso'--usually I just write "front" and "back" on my boards to keep it all straight but Don said he always does recto and verso, because you may as well be a condescending jerk where possible. Obviously, Don is AWESOME.

 This is what it looks like on the inside of the cover--you untwist the cords as much as humanly possible and comb them to get rid of as much loose fiber as humanly possible, then you splay them out and glue them down and pound on them with a hammer to get them as smooth and level as humanly possible.  Turns out bookbinding is all about getting things to make as few and tiny bumps as human freakingly possible. 

 

Here's my table now, with Emilie moved in to the other side of it. It's working out remarkably well-- I don't feel cramped at all, even though there's twice the number of people around as there have been in other classes.  We've got the counter right behind us, which helps of course, but all in all it's just kind of fun to have all the different people around and lots of activity going on.  The studio has become really high energy and so far it's been a blast.

Tomorrow the first thing we are going to do is weave headbands, which strikes TERROR to my very soul, because though I learned I think two different ways of sewing headbands in my little BYU class, I have barely done one since because it is a pain and annoying and tangly and usually ends up ugly and knotty and awful.  So um, woo hoo!  Now I get to show an  ugly knotty mess to a really well respected, totally amazing and awe-inspiring master book binder!  Hooray!!!  :)