Coptic Stitch
Coptic stitch works best when you're binding lots of sheets together, so the binding pattern is more visible on the spine. At first it seems to be a more difficult technique, but once you get the hang of it, it's not more difficult than any other.
You'll need
- paper
- board
- bone folder
- awl
- waxed thread
- binding needle
- scissors
- craft knife
Method step by step:
(Photos from Sea Lemon's video tutorial)
Start with folding your papers in half, and use the bone folder to smooth down the edges.
Put the folded sheets together to create a signature (about four folded sheets makes up one signature)
Stack the signatures evenly and mark the first hole about 5-6 cms from the end of the paper, then mark two more 2,5 cm apart. Do the same thing on the other side.
Pierce the holes on the cover board
And on the signatures.
Depending on the size of your book and the thread you use, you can double thread or use a single thread. Make sure to tie the end.
You start from the bottom cover and one signature. Sew from the inside of the signature to the outside.
And around and outside of the cover.
Loop around the thread
Then back to the signature through the same hole.
Back to the next hole
Around the cover
Then loop around and back to the signature. Do the same with every hole.
When you reach the last hole on the signature, loop around then grab the next signature and return the needle to the first hole.
Go through the next hole
Loop around
The previous signature’s thread.
Then back into the same hole
And into the next hole. Repeat on the remaining holes.
When you have the third signature, you make sure when you loop around the previous signature’s thread
When you only have the last signature and the top cover left, you’ll be working with both.
Start with the first hole on the cover
Loop the around the same thread once
And in the signature
For the remaining stitches, loop around the previous signature first,
Then into the cover
Loop around the thread, then back into the signature.
Repeat for the remaining holes.
Once you’re finished, just tie the thread.
References
- Coptic Stitch Sketchbook by Sea Lemon
- http://www.tortagialla.com/2010/08/16/chain-or-coptic-stitch-bookbinding-tutorial/
- //www.clothpaperscissors.com/wp-content/uploads/Coptic-Stitch-PDF.pdf
- http://www.making-mini-scrapbooks.com/copticbinding.html
