Crafting Coptic Books: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Jennifer Wolfe Jennifer.wolfe@rcstn.net NAEA CONVENTION Baltimore, MD 2010 COPTIC BOOKS

2. BACKGROUND • Early Christians living in Egypt were known as Copts • Copts are credited with developing this binding method in the 2nd or 3rd century CE

3. Folio- One sheet of paper folded in half Leaf- one half of the folio Page- one side of the leaf A folio has two leaves and/or four pages Signature-a gathering of 2 or more folios Sewing station-sewing holes in the gutter fold Vocabulary

4. Spine-edge of book, attachments are generally at the spine Endpaper or Pastedown-papers inside front and back covers Cover- front and back covers are sometimes called the books boards, the outer sections of the book, protective covering Text block or Book block-everything between the covers Vocabulary

5. supplies • Two Pieces for the cover. • 5,or more, sections (front & back covers with 3 or more signatures) • String for binding • Awl for creating sewing stations

6. Supplies • Needle • Bone folder • Paper for template • Cover material • Paper for book block

7. NOTES • length of string = length of book spine x number of signatures + one book spine. • make sure to keep track of the tops and bottoms of the signatures so that you do not stitch them in upside down.

8. BOOK COVERS • Should be somewhat substantial • Mat board • Cardboard • Leather • Wood • Metal • Canvas board • If it can be sized and holes can be made, it will work!

9. BOOK COVERS Today we are using: • Davey board, cut 3.5”h. x 3.25”w. • Covered with decorative paper

10. Let’s Make a Book! • Prepare covers • Cover outer sides of davey board with decorative paper • Cut paper approximately ½ inch larger than the cover • Spread an even layer of glue on back of paper • Lay cover in center of paper to attach

11. Let’s Make a Book! • Turn over and smooth paper with bone folder • Turn back and wrap paper around edge of cover, beginning with the corners, following with long edges • Burnish glued papers for secure attachment

12. Let’s Make a Book!

13. Let’s Make a Book!

14. Let’s Make a Book!

15. Let’s Make a Book! • Select another decorative paper and cut it just smaller than your cover to become endpaper • Spread an even layer of glue on back side of paper • Carefully place endpaper on inside of cover, centered

16. Let’s Make a Book! • Make folios from 6” x 3” drawing paper • Fold so that 3” edges meet (hamburger fold) • Burnish folds with bone folder • Stack folios in 3 equal groups to make signatures

17. Let’s Make a Book! • Make template for sewing stations • 2” x 3” paper (pink), folded in half with long edges together (hot dog fold) • Open fold and mark in 3 stitching sites; near top, near bottom, and in the center

18. Let’s Make a Book! • Open each signature and place template inside, aligning top edge, bottom edge, and folds • Carefully use awl to pierce through each sewing station in every signature

19. Let’s Make a Book! • Use sewing station template to mark holes in the covers • Lay folded template about 3/8 inch from the long side of the front cover • Make marks corresponding to the holes in template

20. Let’s Make a Book! • Repeat for 2nd cover • Remember to consider how covers relate to each other and the spine • Pierce holes as marked using screw punch or paper punch

21. Let’s Make a Book! • Prepare for assembling by stacking covers and signatures as they should be bound together • Thread needle with waxed linen

22. Let’s Make a Book!

23. Let’s Make a Book! • Begin by picking up front cover and first signature • Working from center of signature, sew through signature (leaving a tail inside signature) • Take needle over the edge of cover and sew from front to back through the cover • Insert needle back into signature through same opening

24. Let’s Make a Book! • Make a knot using the 2 ends of thread • Make knot close to paper, but do not pull so tightly as to rip anything

26. Let’s Make a Book • Needle travels inside the signature to the next sewing station to repeat • Repeat for each sewing station in the signature, but do not re-enter signature at the last sewing station

27. Let’s Make a Book • Pick up next signature and stack with previous work • Remember to align tops and sewing stations • Insert needle into the first sewing station of the new signature (at the same end you finished last signature)

29. Let’s Make a Book • Travel inside signature and sew at each station as before • Instead of sewing through the cover, you will loop around the stitch connecting the cover to the first signature • When you are at the last sewing station add the next signature and repeat procedure

31. Let’s Make a Book • Adding the back cover is done at the same time as adding the last signature • Hold last signature and back cover together in place for stitching • Rather than inserting needle into last signature, sew through back cover (outside to inside) and then insert into last signature

32. Let’s Make a Book • Continue to travel inside signature (last) to next station • Bring needle outside station, through back cover, around outer stitch (next to last signature), and back into signature (last)

34. Let’s Make a Book • When you re-enter last sewing station of last signature, tie off loose end and trim tail • YOU HAVE JUST COMPLETED A COPTIC BOUND BOOK! CONGRATULATIONS!