Daniel E. Kelm
Enrollment limited to twelve.
hy would we even consider restructuring the codex? It has been around for ages, so there are numerous styles from which to choose. Shouldn't the existing options suffice?
As is often the case with Daniel's book work, he encountered a set of materials and specifications that would not fit into any structure known to him. Consequently, he developed the binding that we will do in this workshop. The primary innovations here concern the sewing and the connection of the text block to the cover.
Much of the sewing found in traditional books is all-along. This means that the sewing thread enters the section of folded paper near one end and exits near the other end, having incorporated sewing supports along the way. This sewing produces a kettle stitch wherever the thread exits one section to enter the next.
The kettle stitch is arguably the weakest part of the sewing. Because the thread reverses direction at the kettle stitch, movement of the sections relative to each other can cause tearing of the paper at the kettle stitch holes. Usually, to prevent this, linings of paper are pasted or glued to the spine folds of the text block.
The success of these linings depends on two factors—the strength of the lining lamination and the effect of the lining on the flexibility of the spine. Text blocks comprised of short-fibered paper, such as printmaking paper, are notorious for delaminating from the spine lining; and the addition of any spine lining necessarily decreases the flexibility of the spine.
Kelm, confronted by both of these factors, decided to invent a spine structure that did not require glued linings. His reasoning went: if the stabilizing presence of the glued linings is removed, the kettle stitch must be eliminated from the sewing. To eliminate the kettle stitch, the sewing cannot be all-along. Instead, it must be localized at the sewing supports.
He achieved this by sewing on raised cords and introducing a stainless steel wire into the interior fold of each section. The thread enters the section at the point where it is crossed by a raised cord. It wraps around the interior wire and exits the section through the same hole through which it entered. It then wraps the raised cord until positioned to enter the next section.
After the text block is sewn the cover, or case, can be constructed. As you can see in the gallery of images, the cloth-covered case features an offset spine attachment to the cover boards that allows the text block to open out flat. The connection of text block to cover is achieved by anchoring the sewing cords to wire rods secured to the spine edge of each cover board. This cover structure is inspired by Gary Frost’s Sewn-Boards Binding.
In addition to simple pages, our model will have gatefolds and mat pages for images.
You can expect to learn a great deal about some of the challenges binders face when accommodating materials that don’t lend themselves to traditional binding structures, and in the process make a very versatile and strong structure.
All levels of experience are welcome.
About one month before the workshop, registrants will receive a tool list, directions to the studio, and any other pertinent logistical information via email. Workshop hours are usually from 9:30 until about 5:00. Please do not buy an airplane ticket or make any other non-refundable payment before checking with us to be sure the workshop for which you have registered has sufficient enrollment.
(This workshop is not currently on the schedule. You may to request that we offer it sometime in the future.)