"In bookbinding, a dos-à-dos binding (from the French meaning "back-to-back") is a binding structure in which two separate books are bound together such that the fore edge of one is adjacent to the spine of the other, with a shared lower board between them serving as the back cover of both. When shelved, the spine of the book to the right faces outward, while the spine of the book to the left faces the back of the shelf; the text of both works runs head-to-tail." (Straight from Wikipedia!)

We will be stitching two multi sectioned book blocks to make our Dos -a -Dos book.

Japanese-style Album

This binding is one of the earliest 'book' shaped bindings dating back to China in the 14th century.  Today these books are used as sketchbooks, notebooks and with a little extra reinforcement, which you  will learn in this class, albums or scrapbooks. During this workshop you will learn one of the four stitch styles used in traditional Japanese bookbinding . These are beautiful structures to which you can add a variety of creative finishes, we can also interleave the pages with  glassine if desired. You can also design your own stitch patterns!     

Suitable for beginners.

This new long weekend course will enable you, over two and a half days, to make a very versatile collection of  books that are designed to show their  decorative stitching as well as being very  functional. They all lay flat when opened and in use, making them ideal as artist's  books for sketching, painting or  journalling. The collection, all filled with  watercolour paper,  consists of two  hardbound Long Stitched bindings, a Crossed  Structure binding, made with  either a  leather or a washable paper cover and a  two sectioned Origata  binding. These bindings are all  chosen to  compliment each other and  when  completed they will be housed in a  matching slipcase in order to display their  decorative spines.

This course is suitable for beginners, or if you have already completed the Beginning Bookbinding course will enable you to build on your skills, and provide you with a wonderful set of decorative, contemporary books .

All equipment and materials will be provided along with step-by-step demonstration and practice. You will also be provided with most of the the materials to reproduce these books at home.

Over this full  weekend of bookbinding you will learn the  techniques to complete four beautiful book structures along with a lined slipcase to hold your treasured prototype collection. All of the skills you will learn can be 'mixed and matched' so that you have a myriad of design possibilities after the course. You will make a Quarter Bound Single Section, a Hard Bound Journal, along with a Japanese Stab stitch book and a Concertina binding, finishing the weekend with a lined slipcase. 

All materials and equipment are included in the fee and you will also be provided with most of the the materials to reproduce these books at home.

Stapleford Granary has easy car parking and is within walking distance of Shelford Railway Station.

During this one-day class you will learn a 'speedy' leather or vegetarian ‘washable paper’ binding and then construct your own refillable journal with a mixture of papers, envelopes and pockets to suit you,  finished off with an elastic closure. 

This structure is ideal as a Travel Journal or Gardening Journal and would also make a fabulous Cookery Journal with places to pop all those quickly-jotted recipes from friends or the treasured notes from family. The choice will be yours on the day.

Lots of appropriate cover papers will be available but if you have a special one in mind, please bring it along.

Suitable for all, whether you are a beginner or wanting to learn a new book structure.

Stapleford Granary has easy car parking and os within walking distance of Shelford Railway Station.

This 5 week morning course will enable you  to make a very versatile collection of  books that are designed to show their  decorative stitching as well as being very  functional. They all lay flat when opened  and in use, making them ideal as artist's  books for sketching, painting or  journalling. The collection, all filled with  watercolour paper,  consists of two  hardbound Long Stitched bindings, a  Crossed  Structure binding, made with  either a  leather or washable paper cover  and a  two sectioned Origata  binding. These bindings are all  chosen to  compliment each other and  when  completed they will be housed in a  matching slipcase in order to display their  decorative spines.

This course is suitable for beginners, or if you have already completed the Beginning Bookbinding 5 week course will enable you to build on your skills, and provide you with a wonderful set of decorative, contemporary books.

All equipment and materials will be provided along with step-by-step demonstration and practice. You will also be provided with most of the the materials to reproduce these books at home.

 Book in a Box. Learn how to make a hardbound, hand stitched, book and a beautiful matching slipcase to keep your book in.

This is an ideal course for those who would like to start  bookbinding but may not be able to commit to the 5 week Beginning Bookbinding course, or those who wish to brush up their skills. It is  also ideal preparation for attending a book and page repair course.

We will be using  hand marbled papers for the end papers and to line the slipcases.  You will leave with the skills to reproduce this again at home. 

All materials, tools and equipment will be provided. 

Learn how to make the Elbum, designed by Ben Elbel,  a fun and clever album structure which holds its pages by gripping them into a series of articulated  narrow pockets. This is a  treasure of paper engineering, this project is also a great introduction to concertina folding by hand as it requires precision folding. There will be an opportunity to practice with making a prototype before moving onto your finished Elbum. This is ideal if you are looking for a book structure that will hold individual pages.

This class is suitable for beginners as well as those with some bookbinding experience. 

Stapleford Granary  has easy car parking and is within walking distance of Shelford Railway Station

Boxes! How we love boxes!

During this class we will explore a variety of box options including stacking, dividing and alternative lids whilst also learning (through demonstration and practice) the all-important skills of cutting and covering. Although we will work to the same template there will be the opportunity to personalise with covering and lining materials. A beautiful selection of marbled  and Japanese papers will be available to choose from as well and co-ordinating buckram which is a sturdy book and box covering material.

Participants will leave with one completed box along with materials, instructions and skills to extend the project into a ‘stack’.

All equipment and materials will be provided along with step-by-step demonstration and practice.  

Stapleford Granary has easy carparking.

The historic and beautiful 'coptic' binding is a very popular class.
The binding allows the book to lie perfectly flat and also to open to 180 degrees, making it popular amongst other things as a journal, travel book or artist sketch book. Also, the exposed spine stitching has enormous visual appeal.During the day you will learn how to prepare the pages for binding as well as decide on your own personal decorative style for board covering before getting to grips with the stitching. You will also have creative input on the appearance of the spine itself.
Suitable for beginners.

Slight controversy over the title of this binding as the inventor (Anne Goy) wishes it to be known as CrissCross Binding but let's not split hairs or threads. This one is a beauty combining the best of western and Japanese bindings resulting in a closed but exposed spine which lies flat when open; a very versatile book that can be used as a journal, sketchbook or even photograph album. 

This workshop is suitable for everyone whether you are a beginner or are looking to learn a new technique. All equipment and materials will be provided along with step-by-step demonstration and practice.  

Stapleford Granary has easy car parking and is close to Shelford railway station.

Doug Mitchell, a highly experienced book conservator, will lead the day, under his guidance and tuition you will learn the basics of book repairs using a variety of cloths, papers, tissues and adhesives. Through a mix of demonstration and practice you will learn how to: Deconstruct a book in a safe and systematic fashion, repair both individual pages and sections, prepare your book should it require resewing, replace the end papers, undertake any repairs to the

cover in order to allow new material to be added.

To get the most out of this one day class I would recommend that you have some bookbinding experience and that you have made a 'cased in' book, to enable you to understand how to deconstruct your book for repair. 

All materials and equipment will be provided, but you will  need to bring with you one or two hard cover cloth bound books, no bigger than A5 and with a stable book block,  (as time is limited), that you are happy to replace the end papers on.