Bookbinding Tools & Materials - beginner friendly

Here are the tools and materials I use to make a book! There is no correct or one way to make a book, but I hope this video can be a launching point to figure out what works for you.

Within the video I demonstrate how I cut a book block by hand and how I make glue on endbands.

Note: at 4:37 I forgot to mention that you can tape the edges of your pressing boards to prevent the book block from sticking

Tools used
✦ self-healing cutting mat
✦ utility knife - I use the OLFA knife
✦ metal ruler
✦ awl
✦ curved needles, AKA upholstery needles, mattress needles (get the right size for your thread, straight needles work too)
✦ rotary cutter
✦ scissors (one for paper, one for fabric)
✦ glue brushes

Materials used
✦ Crawford Irish Waxed Linen Thread - 2 ply
✦ Archival quality pH neutral PVA glue
✦ 70 lb sketch paper for text block/book block
✦ 80 lb sketch paper for endpapers
✦ 30 ply 0.10" chipboard for covers
✦ 80 lb cardstock for spine stiffener
✦ grade 90 cheesecloth for super/mull (spine lining)
✦ unryu tissue paper for reinforcement
✦ endbands, AKA headband and tailband

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:33 bone folder
0:53 sketch paper
1:09 utility knife & metal ruler
1:36 awl
2:17 thread & needle
3:12 book press
3:52 PVA glue & glue brush
4:27 light duty awl
4:47 endpapers
5:05 cutting bookblock by hand
7:12 chipboard
7:25 bookcloth
7:35 spine stiffener & spacing
8:16 rotary cutter
8:41 spine lining
9:21 endbands
10:22 casing in
11:19 pressing
11:37 finished book
12:26 review

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FAQ
✦ Where can I buy bookbinding supplies? your local art supply store, Blick Art Materials (US), TALAS (US), Hollander's (US), DeSerres (CA), Etsy
✦ What adhesive are you using? Archival quality pH neutral PVA glue, there are multiple brands that sell this
✦ Where did you get your...
30 ply chipboard - Blick Art Materials
✦ What brand is your...
thread - Crawford Irish Waxed Linen Thread
corner rounder - Akiles Diamond-1
✦ What camera & lens do you use? Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX85 with MEIKE 25mm F/1.8 standard fixed focus lens
✦ What is your dog's name? Lucy 🐕

[Jah_LEASE_yah]

Another tip from an amateur book binder, if you want a book that lays flat, the kettle stitch and coptic stitch are the best binding methods, and mod podge is my favorite glue for the spine. It dries quickly and very flexible but sturdy so that spine fully folds when you open the book but won't break or fall apart.

[idlewildwind]

Awesome tutorial!
Tip for others: If you can find pieces of wallpaper somehow, those make great cover material instead of bookcloth! They're sturdy and resistant to last for decades on walls. (I've walked into several paint shops and asked if they have any samples of retiring wallpaper that they were planning to throw away, and have obtained a variety that way!)

[jessicawicher]

Absolutely clear without unnecessary chatter. I really appreciate it, and learned a couple of new things. Thanks!

[stepgingerly]

A cost-saving tip for any adults who want to bind books with kids... Unflavored basic wax dental floss works really well for sewing signatures. (My students hand-bind their 7th grade memoirs every year.)😊

[kitterzy]

My only tip is for your use of your rotary cutter. They’re designed ergonomically to be pushed forward to cut. I’ve been quilting for decades, so when I started out I tried to use one like you. Didn’t work well in the long run. If you have hand fatigue or use a rotary cutter a lot, try push cutting forward. Works great for paper too. Just have to be careful to use separate blades for fabric and paper (zapper dulls rotary blades fast).

[daveturnbull]

All in all a very nice demonstration of a minimial bookbinding kit Chanel. The biggest problem I had when starting was trimming the block and yes, I ruined a few just like you, but I persevered with it and now only rarely have to start again. I'm only a hobby binder though and can't justify the expense of a guillotine.
My tip would be to put some greaseproof paper between the bookblock and boards when gluing up the spine. It stops the boards getting stuck to the block and the risk of damage when trying to remove them.

[asheirahs_nook]

A tool I've come to love is my punching cradle in tandem with handmade punching molds. It saves you so much time if you need to punch a lot of signatures of the same size ❤️ you can easily diy one out of greyboard or wood you have lying about 👌

[BlueDudette]

I just found your channel and love it, I worked for years in a commercial bindery when I was young and have such fond memories. We had giant machines etc for most of the tasks but the results were the same. It was a lot of fun to create or rebind books. I still think about it 30+years later.

[Pandamomentum]

I really like the endbands made with the same fabric as the bookcloth! A very cohesive look

[gtpdlih]

Thank you for sharing and giving the specific materials that you use. Some other tutorials just say things like "thicker paper" but you give us the specifics! Thank you!

[gabrielhound]

I don't think this is the hobby for me but watching this video was so nice and relaxing. Your work is fantastic!

[Kdmud]

Love this instructional video! Thank you Channel, this really helped me with some of the steps I wasn’t too clear about. Plus, your book was so beautiful 😻🌟👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[JojosCraftyLove]

Cutting book block by hand.... knowing me, my left hand with the ruler would slip and I would stuff up the entire block. lol! Thank you for such a wonderful video! It looks like a lot of fun! :)

[ALangston]

Thank you so much! This was an excellent video for a beginner. i'm looking to get into this as a hobby myself and can't afford to spend a ton of money on it. Excellent work! This seems like such a calming hobby.

[carolsanderson]

You are an excellent teacher. Calm, slow, demonstrating and guiding through each step. Charmiing!

[Seyir_Kanali]

The respect for the tools is impressive.

[tiredfrog]

Thank you so much for this video! I reply appreciate your clear, concise explanations. Also, your voice is so relaxing and you edited this beautifully.

I intend to make a sketch book and fill it with art for my mother. It will be my first time bookbinding so I’m a little nervous, but I love how personal it is. My mum has always appreciated handmade gifts, and with her fourth round of chemo taking place just before Christmas, it’ll be nice to present her with a gift made with love. Thank you helping me make this a reality! 🥰

[BexMcInulty]

I've been binding books for a couple of years now and I have a neat little hack: stick some wide packingtape around the edges of your bookpress. you do not need the chipboard when you glue the textblock. the glue gets onto the tape and the textblock doesn't really get stuck to anything. you can remove the tape after a couple of uses, or peel the glue off when it's all dry
Personally I also mix my glue with water depending on what i am gluing different consistencies are better. you have to be careful though or find a way to deal with the extra moisture.
for the space between the spine and the coverboards I found that no matter what i used 9mm was somehow always perfect (and if you add 1/4 inch to the height of your covers it gives you and even overlap on all sides). it also took me some time to figure out. but instead of redoing the cover i simply cut my textblock smaller because my covers were usually too short.

[Splatterpunk_OldNewYork]

Awesome tutorial. So simple and aesthetically pleasing too. Now I can make my own types of covers. Thank you.

[ellesaurus]

I've been watching you for quite a while now (first, because the bookbinding sounds are incredibly soothing, then because I got fascinated by the craft), and I finally dared to think about starting the hobby myself. This video was incredibly helpful because I got rather overwhelmed by the amount of information out there on the internet, so this helped me build a list of the first few tools and items I'd need. So, a huge thank you!! <33