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Posts Tagged ‘erin fletcher’

  1. Rare Book School – Here I Come

    July 4, 2014 by Erin Fletcher

    RBS-ErinFletcher

    After reading through 1,275 pages of content detailing the history of bookbinding, I’m ready for my week-long course at the Rare Book School. For the following week, I’ll be spending my days at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville filling my brain with even more detailed information on the history of bookbinding! RBS was founded by Terry Belanger in 1983 at Columbia University as an institute to support the study of the history of books and printing and related topics for scholars and professionals working in these fields. RBS was moved to the University of Virginia in 1992.

    I’ll be taking Introduction to the History of Bookbinding, which is a course that has been taught by Jan Storm van Leeuwen for over ten years. He is the retired Keeper of the Binding Collection at the Dutch Royal Library in The Hague. In his retired years, he continues to publish and lecture widely on the history of bookbinding. 

    While I’m in Virginia, the blog will be a bit quiet. Once I return to Boston, filled with greater bookbinding knowledge, you can look forward to a post about my experience at RBS.

  2. My Hand // Amazing Dremel Workshop

    June 24, 2014 by Erin Fletcher

    DremelWorkshopWood-ErinFletcher

    In early May, I add the opportunity to take the Amazing Dremel Workshop with Jill Timm. I had seen her workshop being offered across the nation by various Guild chapters. Due to its popularity and my position as the Program Co-chair for the New England Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, I brought Jill to teach her workshop at the Northeast Document Conservation Center.

    My interest in the class began when I received my Dzia’s old Dremel tool along with his collection of bits. I had never used a Dremel and wanted to get acquainted with its uses. As part of our material fee, we received a collection of bits neatly packed inside a wooden box. Jill introduced each type of bit by the material it was designed to carve into. We began by carving into glass using a series of diamond bits.

    DremelWorkshop1-ErinFletcher

    After adding a flex-shaft to our Dremel, we continued working through our wooden box of new bits by carving out designs in wood, mirror, copper and steel plates. The flex-shaft screws onto the hand tool; it’s much easier to handle because the design is similar to a pencil or stylus.

    As Jill handed out the copper plates, she gave a demo on cutting the plate to create rounded corners using a cutting disc.

    DremelWorkshopCopper-ErinFletcher

    On our second day, we began to experiment with polymer clay, ceramic and plexiglass. In addition to experimenting with the various Dremel bits, we learned how to clean our tools and keep them in good shape. Jill also introduced us to the many attachments for the Dremel tool, such as a router attachment or the drill stand giving one the ability to drill through glass and other materials.

    DremelWorkshop2-ErinFletcher DremelWorkshopBench-ErinFletcher

    Overall, the workshop was fantastic. I understand my Dremel tool better and feel comfortable working with it in the future. Perhaps I’ll be making a binding with etched glass covers or carved wooden boards, only time will tell.

  3. Herringbone Bindery on Instagram

    June 24, 2014 by Erin Fletcher

    HerringboneBinderyInstagram-ErinFletcher

    Herringbone Bindery is now on Instagram! If you love following the blog, check out my Instagram account for daily updates of the creative activity in the bindery. I’ll be posting images of bindings in progress plus inspiration and designs for future bindings.

  4. My Hand // Leather Embroidery Samplers – Part One

    April 15, 2014 by Erin Fletcher

    EmbroiderySampler-ErinFletcher

    Since my last embroidered leather binding, I’ve had the urge to experiment with various traditional stitches in leather. Through my experiments I aimed to find which stitches would translate the same way on leather as they do on fabric. In addition, I wanted to know if I could easily keep a stitched line straight during the covering process.

    I began with a rough sketch of each sampler, a total of six. The stitches I chose were divided into categories (such as chain stitches, variations on the back stitch, couching, etc.) and then laid out onto each sampler sketch. I choose to experiment on both goatskin and buffalo which were pared down to the thickness I use when covering a full leather fine binding (~.5 for the buffalo and .7 for the goat). 

    EmbroiderySampler5-ErinFletcher

    Then, I cut down a piece of Japanese tissue to the size of the plaquette board and adhered it to the center of the leather. Once the pieces were dry, I proceeded to draw out a 1 x 1 mm square grid onto each sampler. This grid made it incredibly easy to lay out the stitches and to make sure I kept them even and straight. Before I began a stitch, I figured out the hole placement and spacing. Then with my pin vise I made pin-pricks through the leather. Laying out the holes beforehand made the act of stitching easier and faster. 

    EmbroiderySampler2-ErinFletcher

    After completing all of the stitches on a sampler, I prepped the leather for covering. Excess strings were trimmed and pasted down in line with stitches on the backside. This way any strays would not be visible on the front side of the leather. Once I readied my bench with the proper tools, the leather pieces were pasted up with wheat starch paste and attached to the board. After folding over the turn-ins and working down the corners, I stuck the plaquette under a press between foam and press boards. The foam pushes down the leather around the stitches much easier and quicker than I could. 

    When working with embroidered leather, I don’t wet out the piece before pasting up as I normally would. I do however add some moisture to the turn-ins to aid in the covering process. 

    EmbroiderySampler4-ErinFletcher

  5. Celebrate The One Year Anniversary of My Etsy Shop With This Offer

    March 14, 2014 by Erin Fletcher

    anniversary-march15blog

    March 15th marks the first anniversary of the Herringbone Bindery Etsy Shop. All items will be marked 15% off in celebration and just in time to make room for a whole new collection! 

    Browse through a selection of blank journals in various sizes, leather bound notebooks and bookbinding kits. 

  6. Bookbinding Now // Interview with Henry Hébert

    January 23, 2014 by Erin Fletcher

    bookbindingnowhenry

    In May 2013, Susan Mills interviewed me for her podcast Bookbinding Now. In addition to that interview, Susan offered me the opportunity to suggest someone for a future interview or conduct my own for the podcast.

    Up until this point I had only conducted written interviews on the blog, so I was intrigued to test out my interview skills in a live, one-on-one scenario. I chose to interview my friend and colleague, Henry Hébert. In the interview we chat about his experiences in the field of conservation leading up to attending North Bennet Street School and what he’s done since graduating in 2012. Spoiler: his talents and expert skills have landed him the position of Rare Book Conservator at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. You can download the episode (no. 69) on iTunes or listen to it here. 

  7. Tutorial: Collapsible Punching Cradle

    January 3, 2014 by Erin Fletcher

    PunchingTrough1-ErinFletcher

    A punching cradle is a useful tool to have around in one’s bindery. There are a lot of models available for purchase, but it’s quite simple to make one yourself using just a few tools and materials. I have a few in my bindery that range in size, but I find my collapsible punching cradle to be the most useful. Especially when I am traveling to teach workshops.

    The following tutorial will go through the steps to create your own collapsible punching cradle. I’ve including all of my measurements, but the best part about this tool is that you can customize it for your own purposes. This particular cradle will consist of a detachable cradle and 2 leg supports. The cradle will have two different size options, which makes this particular version even more versatile. I discovered this collapsible punching cradle while taking a private workshop with Monique Lallier. She allowed me to take down the measurements and I made my own once I returned to my studio.

    If you are looking for more instructional content, I have a growing list of tutorials and I also teach live workshops in-person and online. Check out my list of Upcoming Workshops.

    MATERIALS: 
    – paper for covering (I used Lokta)
    – binder’s board
    – book cloth
    – PVA
    – methyl cellulose (optional)

    TOOLS: 
    – pencil
    – ruler
    – 90º triangle
    – Japanese screw punch with 3mm bit
    – cutting mat
    – x-acto blade
    – glue brushes in various sizes
    – bone folder
    – scissors

    STEP ONE:
    Determine the length of workable space for your cradle. For example, if you tend to work large, then perhaps you want to make a cradle long enough for paper that is 12″ tall. The cradle I’m making in this tutorial is slightly longer than ones I currently have. The total width of my cradle is 395mm (~15½”), the two outer slots give me a workable area of 325mm (~12½”) and the inter slots give me a workable area of 288mm (~11¼”).

    PunchingCradle2a-ErinFletcher

    Once you’ve decided on your dimensions, grab some binder’s board and cut down 2 pieces the same size for the cradle. The dimensions for the legs and support stubs can really vary depending on the distance you want between the bottom of the cradle and your work surface. The lower the cradle is the more likely that your awl will pierce your work surface if left unprotected. But you can start by using my measurements below and then make your own modifications.

    MY MEASUREMENTS:
    cradle (cut 2 pieces the same size):
    395mm x 125mm

    legs (cut 2 pieces the same size):
    150mmx 88mm

    support stubs (cut 4 pieces the same size):
    110mm x 11mm

    STEP TWO:
    Mark with a pencil where you would like the two slots to be on both cradle pieces. On my cradle the outer slot starts 30mm in from either end. Each slot is 3mm wide and they sit 15mm apart.

    PunchingCradle3a-ErinFletcher

    The height of my slots are 80mm from the bottom edge of the cradle. Using a 90º triangle, draw a line from your mark up to the desired height. Do this on either side and on both cradle pieces.

    PunchingCradle4-ErinFletcher

    Using a Japanese screw punch with a 3mm bit, punch a hole at the top of the slots. Make sure to have a scrap board underneath to protect your work surface. With an x-acto blade, carefully cut out the slots by slowly cutting through each layer. DO NOT try and cut through the entire thickness in one stroke, the blade could kickback and slice your finger. As you cut, angle your blade as perpendicular to the binder’s board as you can, this will make a nice straight cut. Sand the slots smooth.

    PunchingCradle5-ErinFletcher

    read more >

  8. Herringbone Bindery Etsy introduces Kits

    December 3, 2013 by Erin Fletcher

    newkits-herringbonebinderyetsy

    Bookbinding kits are now available at the Herringbone Bindery Etsy shop. These particular kits supply the materials and instructions to bind your own blank flatback journal. Each kit includes paste paper made right here in the bindery with five different patterns available. 

    kitmaterials-herringbonebinderyetsy

    KIT INCLUDES: 
    1. 6 signatures for text block
    2. 2 colored endpaper folios
    3. 2 covers and 1 spine piece
    4. 1 piece of bookcloth
    5. 2 sheets of decorative paper
    6. headband material
    7. 1 piece of mull
    8. 1 needle and thread
    9. 1 piece of linen sewing tapes
    10. 1 punching jig
    11. 1 set of instructions

    The instructions were written, designed and illustrated by me. They are easy to follow for any skill level and each page includes helpful drawings to illustrate those more tricky steps.

    See the first 3 pages below: 

    flatbackkit-directions

    – – – –

    flatbackkit-directions3

    – – – – flatbackkit-directions2

  9. My Hand // Bullet Boxes

    December 3, 2013 by Erin Fletcher

    Earlier this year my family experienced the passing of Richard Gradowski, known by me and my cousins as Dzia which is Polish for Grandpa. My Dzia loved so many things in life and his passions created lasting relationships that touched so many lives. First was his love for Polka music both as an avid listener and talented musician on the harmonica and accordion. I remember hearing the cheerful rhythm of Polka music softly playing from the antique wooden radio in the kitchen upon each visit. 

    Secondly, my Dzia loved ducks, particularly mallards and loons. Seated at his work bench, my Dzia would carefully carve out the shape of each duck from a block of wood and hand paint each detail with superb skill and patience. These sculptures were scattered throughout the house and even gifted to my mother and aunts. 

    Lastly, my Dzia engaged in any material regarding WWII. His interest in war, no doubt came from his experience in the 1950s during the Korean War; where he was stationed at a United States Air Force base in DC as part of the motor vehicle squadron. As my family lay his body to rest, a military salute commenced. My mother was given seven casings from the volleys fired. One casing was meant for my Nana, while the remaining six would be given to her children. To honor the memory of my Dzia, I created a clamshell box to safely house each casing. 

    bulletboxes7-erinfletcher

    These are, by far, the tiniest clamshell boxes I’ve ever constructed. Using a thin binder’s board the pieces were carefully measured and cut down using the spring gauge on the board shear. 

    bulletboxes1-erinfletcher

    The boxes were constructed just like a standard sized clamshell box, except the interior tray has four walls instead of three. The trays are covered in navy Cialux bookcloth. 

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    I wanted the casing to be surrounded by a soft material with plenty of padding. After laminating a few pieces of binder’s board to Volara foam, I tightly wrapped the padding with bright white Ultrasuede. The interior tray was lined with Ultrasuede as well and the pads lined both long walls. A piece of satin ribbon attached to the backside of the thicker pad allows for easy removal of the casing. 

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    The case is covered in a matching navy Harmatan goatskin. The exterior tray is lined with blue Hahnemühle Ingres and stamped in gold foil with my Dzia’s name and the year of his birth and death.

    bulletboxes8-erinfletcher

    Each box was handed out during my family’s Thanksgiving celebration. Sadly, my husband and I could not attend this year for the feast and festivities, but my cousins Meg and Gina sent me some wonderful pictures of the casing sitting snugly in its clamshell box.

    bulletboxes9-erinfletcher

  10. Tutorial: Top Secret Belgian Binding

    November 19, 2013 by Erin Fletcher

    secretbelgian1-erinfletcher

    The Secret Belgian binding is just one of many structures on my long list models to make. With the aid of a tutorial posted on the BookArtsWeb tutorial and references page, I was on my way to checking this structure off my list. Unfortunately the link seems to be broken now. However, within this post you’ll find my instructions, which are very comprehensive and any skill level can complete this simple structure in a matter of hours. So let’s get started*:

    *This tutorial is for a modified version I’m calling the Top Secret Belgian. This version of the structure is sewn differently and extra steps are taken to hide the interior thread. If you are looking for more instructional content, I have a growing list of tutorials and I also teach live workshops in-person and online. Check out my list of Upcoming Workshops.

    MATERIALS: 
    – binder’s board for 2 covers and 1 spine piece
    – decorative paper
    – paper to line covers and spine piece (aka paste downs)
    – colored thread
    – text block (3-5 signatures, about 3-4 folios each)
    – PVA
    – wax

    TOOLS: 
    – needle
    – bone folder
    – glue brush
    – scalpel (preferably with curved blade)
    – x-acto
    – scissors
    – pencil
    – triangle
    – awl
    – dividers (optional)

    STEP ONE: 
    For this tutorial I bound a copy of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. My inspiration for the covers came at the moment in the story when the main character begins to tear away the maddening yellow wallpaper in a desperate attempt to relieve her agony and pain. Whatever you choose as your text block, whether it be a short story, poetry or blank pages, prepare those now and fold to their final size.

    From the text block, measure the height of the signature and add about 5-7mm. Measure the width of the folded signature and add about 3-4mm. This will determine the dimension of the covers with added squares.

    The height of the spine piece will be the same as the covers. The width is determined by the thickness of your text block. Pinch the text block about 20mm from the spine, measure the flared out signatures. Add 2mm to this measure to find the width of the spine piece.

    MY MEASUREMENTS:
    text block height: 201mm
    text block width: 121mm
    text block thickness: 10mm

    cover height: 208mm
    cover width: 125mm

    spine piece height: 208mm
    spine piece width: 12mm

    Cut down the decorative paper to include excess for turn-ins (about 20mm, less for the spine piece). Cut down the paper for the paste downs, allowing a 3mm margin on all sides. Glue up the decorative paper and cover both boards and spine piece.

    secretbelgian2-erinfletcher

    Trim out the inside of the covers, so the turn-ins are even and straight. This can be done quickly with a set of dividers. Simple measure out the desired distance, lightly score a line along all four sides. Trim off excess along scored guideline with an x-acto or scalpel. Tear away the excess by pulling toward the edge of the cover.

    secretbelgian3-erinfletcher

    Glue down the paste down onto the spine piece and set aside under weight to dry.

    STEP TWO:
    Prepare a jig for punching holes into the covers. The holes should be evenly spaced along the height of the covers allowing for a fair amount of sewing stations. Using an awl punch the holes 16mm from the spine edge. The needle on the awl should have a continuous gauge and not be graduated. This way all of the holes are the same size.

    secretbelgian4-erinfletcher read more >

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  • My name is Erin Fletcher, owner and bookbinder of Herringbone Bindery in Boston. Flash of the Hand is a space where I share my process and inspirations.
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