Upcoming Classes
Learn to make this new version of a favourite journal which has a decoratively stitched leather or ‘washable paper’ spine, stitched using two colours of thread, and an elastic closure. This is a beautiful, interesting and versatile book structure that opens flat when in use. There will be a variety of coloured threads and a range of cover papers available to choose from.
This workshop is suitable for everyone whether you are a beginner or are looking to learn a new technique.
All equipment and materials will be provided along with step-by-step demonstration and practice.
Bennell Court has easy car parking.
Slight controversy over the title of this binding as the inventor (Anne Goy) wishes it to be known as CrissCross Binding but let's not split hairs or threads. This one is a beauty combining the best of western and Japanese bindings resulting in a closed spine which lies flat when open; a very versatile book that can be used as a journal, sketchbook or even photograph album.
As with other classes, this workshop is taught so that you can repeat at home.
All equipment and materials required will be provided along with step by step demonstration and practice. This class is suitable for beginners.
An opportunity to wear your heart on your book spine!
During this one day class you will learn to make your own landscape A6 soft leather long stitch sketchbook, lined with a beautiful Japanese paper. These gorgeous books will be filled with a heavy weight Fabriano paper and finished with a leather tie closure and a heart shaped button.
You will learn how to stitch a design that requires a number of punching templates for the sections but don't worry there will lots of help if required. There will be a selection of coloured leathers and coloured threads to choose from.
The paper used for the sections makes these ideal as both sketchbooks or journals. Suitable for beginners.
In this half day class you will learn how to make a hardbound, hand stitched, quarter bound book. An opportunity to dip your toes into the wonderful world of bookbinding.
This is an ideal class for those who would like to start bookbinding. We will be using a choice of beautiful papers for covers.
You will leave with the skills and materials to reproduce this again at home.
All materials, tools and equipment will be provided. Suitable for beginners
Bennell Court has plenty of car parking spaces.
A lovely hands on session for half term for parents/carers and children to work together to learn bookbinding. Suitable for 6 years old and upwards.
You and your child will be making a hardbound book with a long stitched cover. The class fee is for one adult and one child however, if you would like to bring more than one child with you please email me to see if there is an additional space.
All materials and equipment is provided along with refreshments and homemade cake.
Bennell Court has plenty of car parking
Join me and make your own three tiered lidded box with a lid that closes with a satisfying click due to the incorporation of magnets. Your box will be covered in buckram and the internal trays lined with a Japanese paper of your choosing . You will learn, through demonstration and practice, the all important skills of measuring, cutting and covering. Participants will leave with one completed box along with instructions and skills to reproduce another at home.
Over this full two days of bookbinding you will learn the techniques to complete four beautiful book structures along with a lined slipcase to hold your treasured prototype collection. All of the skills you will learn can be 'mixed and matched' so that you have a myriad of design possibilities after the course. You will make a Quarter Bound Single Section, a Hard Bound Journal, along with a Japanese Stab stitch book and a Concertina binding, finishing the weekend with a lined slipcase.
All materials and equipment are included in the fee and you will also be provided with most of the the materials to reproduce these books at home.
Would you like the opportunity to work on your own project but struggle with motivation or space at home? Or just want some company of like minded bookbinders?
If so, this is an ideal chance to spend time in my studio where you can use my tools and equipment to work on a project of your choice using your own materials. However if you would like me to prepare any boards for you do let me know in advance and I can advise you of the cost.
There are a range of presses and sewing frames available to use as well as my usual tools kits and cutting mats.
I will be on hand to offer some guidance but this is not a teaching session - as I am likely to be working on my own project, or preparing for forthcoming classes alongside you.
This new Batwing Box is a fabulous box structure to add to your collection of boxes or to make as a first box. This is a beautiful box to both make and use. It is quite ingenious and opens up to reveal a rectangular tray - useful for transporting your bookbinding tools or using on your desk. This box was originally developed by Bep van Gesteren. You will have a selection of beautiful papers, buckrams and ribbons to choose from thus creating an individual box for you to go home with.
As with other classes, this workshop is taught so that you will leave with the skills to be able to make another at home.
All equipment and materials required will be provided, along with step by step demonstration and practice. Suitable for beginners.
Bennell Court has easy car parking
This workshop is about slowing down and drawing your attention into the micro world around you where we notice the magic, even in the mundane. In our haste what do we overlook?
Before the workshop you’ll be sent details of how to record in detail and take notes of a short walk of 29.5 steps, the length of the moon’s cycle. Or seeing what you notice in 29.5 minutes
In the morning of day one of the workshop you will be making a landscape A6 Leather Long Stitch Sketchbook with Helen, lined with a decorative Japanese paper and filled with heavyweight Fabriano paper.
In the afternoon and on day two we will be bringing together the details of your short walk of 29.5 steps or your 29.5 minutes (29.5 days is the length of the moon cycle) to record all the tiny details you’ve noticed.
We’ll use lettering, collage, colour, drawing to expand the walk/time over pages in your Long Stitch sketchbook capturing the magical beauty in what could have so easily been forgotten and missed.
Suitable for beginners.
Bennell Court has car parking
In this half day class you will learn how to make a hand stitched, hardbound book. An opportunity to dip your toes into the wonderful world of bookbinding.
This is an ideal class for those who would like to start bookbinding or would like to attend the Book and Page repair day. We will be using a choice of beautiful papers for endpapers and buckram for covers.
I came across a rather lovely book many years ago when in Italy on holiday, which has inspired this small journal. It will have hand torn pages with deckled edges -perhaps a new skill to learn, and will be housed in its own portfolio case making it a very versatile book that can be used as a journal, sketchbook or general notebook.
During this one-day class you will learn a 'speedy' leather or vegetarian ‘washable paper’ binding and then construct your own refillable journal with a mixture of papers, envelopes and pockets to suit you, finished off with an elastic closure.
This structure is ideal as a Travel Journal or Gardening Journal and would also make a fabulous Cookery Journal with places to pop all those quickly-jotted recipes from friends or the treasured notes from family. The choice will be yours on the day.
Lots of appropriate cover papers will be available but if you have a special one in mind, please bring it along.
Suitable for all, whether you are a beginner or wanting to learn a new book structure.
Bennell Court is a lovely venue with car parking
Doug Mitchell, a highly experienced book conservator, will lead the day, under his guidance and tuition you will learn the basics of book repairs using a variety of cloths, papers, tissues and adhesives. Through a mix of demonstration and practice you will learn how to: Deconstruct a book in a safe and systematic fashion, repair both individual pages and sections, prepare your book should it require resewing, replace the end papers, undertake any repairs to the cover in order to allow new material to be added.
*Please note - To get the most out of this one day class I would recommend that you have some bookbinding experience and that you have made a 'cased in' book, to enable you to understand how to deconstruct your book for repair.
All materials and equipment will be provided, but you will need to bring with you one or two hard cover cloth bound books, no bigger than A5 and with a stable book block, (as time is limited), that you are happy to replace the end papers on.
Join me and make this new very special box with a drawer and lid that closes with a satisfying click due to the incorporation of magnets. Ideal for keeping stationery in or indeed any treasured possessions.
Your box will be covered in buckram and the inside lined with a Japanese paper of your choosing .
You will learn, through demonstration and practice, the all important skills of measuring, cutting and covering. Participants will leave with one completed box along with the skills to reproduce another at home.
This is best suited to those of you with previous box making experience.
During this one day class you will learn to make two decorative chain stitched books, one with a hardbound cover and the second will be bound in either leather or 'washable paper'.
This is a lovely and very practical binding, it has an intricately stitched spine and lays flat when in use making it a very practical book. These would make ideal notebooks, journals or sketchbooks. There will be a range of decorative cover papers and coloured threads to choose.
All equipment and materials will be provided along with step-by-step demonstration and practice. Suitable for beginners.
Boxes! How we love boxes! Join me and make your own lidded box that closes with a satisfying click due to the incorporation of magnets. A selection of decorative papers will be available to choose from as well and co-ordinating buckram which is a sturdy book and box covering material. You will learn through demonstration and practice the all important skills of measuring, cutting and covering. Participants will leave with one completed box along with instructions and skills to reproduce another at home.
Bennell Court has car parking.
During this one day class you will explore the possibilities of the wonderful Crossed Structure binding. You will have the opportunity to make 2 books one with a leather, or a vegetarian alternative, cover and one with a robust paper cover. The spine stitching is visible on this binding and you can add decorative stitching to personalise the covers. This is a very versatile book structure as it lays completely flat when open making it ideal for a variety of uses. All materials and tools are provided along with step by step demonstration and practice.
This class is suitable for beginners.
Bennell Court has plenty of car park spaces
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