Each book made by Tigerpetal Press is entirely unique. We use a variety of techniques and methods to create our notebooks, tailored specifically to each book, but here is a general overview of the process from start to finish.
I start every new project by designing the interior pages that will go into the book. I choose the size of the book; whether it will be dotted, lined, or something else entirely; if it will have a little image in the corner, and, if so, what that image will be.
For most of the books, I can create a document with forty pages (my typical printed signature) or ten sheets double-sided. However, for specialty books such as planners, guided journals, or novels, each page is created specifically, which can take quite a while.
In my schedule, I’ve set an hour every Friday for the printing and folding of a new book’s pages. Most of my notebooks are seven signatures or ten sheets each, which will give the book 280 pages total.
It takes my printer exactly fifty-five minutes to print all seventy sheets double-sided, and as it’s printing, I will be folding. I fold each sheet individually to ensure accuracy and a crisp, clean fold. By the end of the hour, all the pages have been printed and folded.
I sort them together into their signatures as I’m folding, but after that I align the edges and put them in my book press over the weekend. That way, by Monday, the pages lie flat.
I trim the books on Mondays. After a weekend in the press, they’re nice and flat, so I can measure out how much to take off the top, bottom, and outside edges. I’ll always start with the outside edge. For this, I use a ruler, a light pencil, and a heavy-duty Pajarito cutting tool.
My most common trim sizes are 5 inches and 5.5 inches. Trimming 5.5 inches requires a fresh blade, because that’s the size of the page itself, and what is being trimmed is how far each inside page hangs over the edge.
Sometimes, instead of cutting the edge straight with the cutting tool, I’ll tear the paper for a deckle edge. This is less common. The method for doing so is lining up the ruler against your measured edges and slowly tearing away the paper. The wider the edge you’re ripping, the easier it is. For obvious reasons, I do not do this for books that are larger than 5.25 inches wide.
Since the deckle edge makes it harder to flip to specific pages, I only do it on the outside edge, rather than all the way around. That way, one can still flip through using the top and bottom edges.
I’ve experimented with each of the major stitching methods, including saddle stitch, chain stitch, Coptic/kettle stitch, Japanese stab stitch, long stitch, buttonhole stitch, cross/corset stitch, and French link stitch.
Most of these methods are interchangeable, which means it doesn’t matter up until this point which one you’ve chosen. The Japanese stab binding style, however, is a very different method, and therefore is prepped for differently. Similarly, the saddle stitch and chain stitch methods are only good for a single signature, and aren’t often used for multi-signature notebooks, though it is still possible. (This simply means that each of the signatures have thread tails, instead of only the first and last signatures.)
Once I’ve picked which stitching method I’m going to use, I can prep the cover and punch the holes into it and the signatures. The simplest pattern is to punch the holes at the same measurements on each of the signatures. You could punch them in one-inch intervals or something similar.
Some methods have specific hole patterns, like the corset stitch. For the Coptic stitch method, the holes have to be close enough together on the spine, but the overall pattern can be changed. Others, like Japanese stab binding, are famous for being beautiful. Japanese stab binding is the most customizable, and some of the designs get quite complex.
I like playing with different patterns as well, especially with the long stitch method (my favourite). I haven’t done much embroidery in my life, but I’ve seen the beautiful patterns other bookbinders have made in their projects. I always like trying something new.
The first thing to consider is whether the book will have a spine, or is the stitching is meant to be visible. For example, in Coptic stitching, the signatures are attached directly to the front and back covers. Slight modifications can be made so that a book can have a spine, but most traditionally, it does not have an extra piece.
A lot of the time, I can work on the cover separately from the signatures. I have to decide the size of the boards I cut (I work with 3mm book board), whether it will be the same size as the pages or bigger.
For books without a spine, the front and back covers should match the pages exactly. For books with a spine, there should be a slight overhang. I add 1/4-inch to the height, to give an 1/8-inch overhang on the top and bottom. Keeping the spine hinge in mind, I don’t add anything extra to the width, as there will be a quarter-inch gap between the covers and the spine, which will make up the distance for the overhang on the sides.
For example, a long-stitched book with pages that are 5x8 with 280 pages will have these pieces:
From there, I’ll attach the cover’s pattern, whether it be fancy paper, fabric, or leather. Each cover will also need an interior pattern, and whether it’s one piece or multiple pieces depends on the stitching method.
Then, I’ll get started on the stitching. I’ll measure out my embroidery floss, wax it if it’s not pre-waxed, and tie it at one end. With my signatures laid out in front of me and the cover close by as well. I start with the back. The last signature in the book is stitched directly to the cover, then connected to the next signature, and the next, until I get to the front.
I always add a label to the notebooks I make, a small rectangle reading handmade books by Tigerpetal Press. I’m hoping to get a professional stamp or embosser at some point, but for now, this method works for me.
Finally, the book is complete, at which time I will prepare to video my flip-through reel of the book and some final pictures to post on social media.
Tigerpetal Press is a small book press dedicated to publishing local authors and poets.