A proper sewn-bound book is a beautiful piece of work when crafted properly.

This is not one of those finely crafted works.

It is a “quicky” sewn bound journal that, lays flat, not too costly,

and a fraction of the effort and tools that a classic sewn bound book involves.

No sewing frame involved (as in coptic binding but this is even more efficient…at least for me).

The first “short- cut” is using a staple-bound “booklet” notebook such as the ones Rhodia or Fabriano makes.

The second “short- cut” is stitching in portions.

Samples of Rhodia and Fabriano booklets.

I then take it apart….

After I remove the staples, I separate the full sheets into “signatures” (sets of page groups in a book).

4 folded papers per signature = 8 sheets per signature / 16 pages.

I will give them a pressing before assembling.

I have skipped the process of punching holes in the paper since I will use the staple holes.

Booklets are assembled with three staples.

I will be stitching 3 separate areas instead of continuous stitching

back and fourth throughout the whole book.

My thread has a needle on each end.

The signatures lined up with two heavier weight papers as covers.

I will secure one end with a binding clip.

Working from the middle portion first then the ends.

I stitched this portion…then decided maybe I should document this situation….so the stitching instruction starts with an end portion.

enter through the cover

…and out.

(pay no attention to that extra hole under the needle.

I am using a cover from another booklet…Fabriano ecoqua.)

The thread is now looped behind the cover.

Both needles go directly into the next signature, cross on the inside and come back out

to repeat process in the following signatures.

The image above shows the stitched book without glue and will hold together fine enough but I am going to spread a very thin layer of tacky glue on the spine

and secure it with binding clips till set.

Lays flat….and done.